Perseus

Shivani BaisiwalaJanvi Chawla

Ovid’s Metamorphoses

• Perseus’ story is told in the Metamorphoses–Book 4 has the stories of Perseus and

Atlas and of Perseus and Andromeda–Book 5 contains the story of Perseus

and Phineas

Parentage• Perseus (Περσεύς) was the son of Jupiter and Danaë,

daughter of Acrisius (King of Argos) and Eurydice• Acrisius (monstrous mortal) went to the oracle to

find out what the future of his throne would be. Instead of hearing happy news, he was told that a child from his daughter was destined to kill him.

As a result, he imprisoned Danae in a tower. However, Zeus appeared in the form of shower of gold, and nine months later, Perseus arrived.

Parentage • Apollodorus

indicated another version of Perseus' conception, writing that the real father was Proëtus, brother and rival of Acrisius.

• Proëtus had seduced his niece, so that Danaë became pregnant

Perseus and Medusa

• Having found that Danaë had given birth to a son, Acrisius locked both mother and child in a chest and threw them into the sea.

• However, Zeus asked his brother, Poseidon, to guide the chest to the island of Seriphus, where the fisherman Dictys found them.

Perseus and Medusa• When Perseus grew into a strong young man,

Polydectes, who was Dictys' brother and the king of Seriphus, fell in love with Danaë. Polydectes wanted to marry her, but did not want or like her son, Perseus, and the feeling was mutual!

• Polydectes invited Perseus to a celebration where he had falsely announced his plan to marry a daughter of Oenomaüs, Hippodameia.

• Every guest brought a gift except for Perseus. When berated for failure to bring a gift, Perseus rashly promised the king that he would bring anything the king wished.

• Polydectes jumped at this chance to get rid of Perseus and he said that he wanted the head of Medusa, a hideous monster, called a Gorgon, whose very gaze could turn you to stone!

The Graeae• First, with the guidance of Hermes and

Athena, Perseus sought out the Graeae, sisters of the Gorgons.

• Their names are Enyo, Pephredo, and Deino and they are the daughters of Phorcus and Ceto.

• They possessed only one eye and one tooth among them.

• Perseus stole the eye and tooth and promised to return them after the Graeae had revealed how he could find the Gorgons and certain nymphs.

• However, when they gave him the information, he flung the eye into Lake Triton so they could not inform their sisters of his arrival.

The Nymphs

• From the nymphs, Perseus got a pair of winged sandals, a bag for Medusa’s head and a helmet of invisibility.

• Also, Hermes gave him an adamantine sickle. Some accounts also say that it was Hermes, rather than the nymphs, who gave Perseus the winged sandals.

The Gorgons

• Now invisible, Perseus flew to the Gorgons. • They are Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. • Their heads are covered in snakes, they have wings

of gold, and they could turn people into stone just by looking at them

• Medusa is the only mortal one– Why? Well, Poseidon was in love with her and they

“played scrabble” on the floor of Athena’s temple. Out of anger, Athena changed Medusa into a monster.

How Perseus Does It• Perseus, with Athena’s guidance, kept his eyes on the

reflection in his bronze shield (which Athena had given him) rather than looking at Medusa.

• When he saw the image of Medusa, he beheaded her and left, still invisible so that the other Gorgons couldn’t catch him.

• When he beheaded Medusa, Pegasus and Chrysaor came out – children as a result of her union with Poseidon.

Libya

• As Perseus flew back, he flew over Libya.

• Drops of blood fell from Medusa’s head down to the desert, changing into deadly serpents.

Atlas• When Perseus had reached

the western limit of the earth, he wanted to stop and rest.

• This was the realm of Atlas, who had golden trees bearing golden fruit.

• Perseus told him that he was a son of Zeus, and Atlas was immediately wary because he had been told that a son of Zeus would one day rob him of his golden apples.

• Therefore, he tried to kick Perseus out.

• Perseus then raised the head of Medusa and turned Atlas to stone.

• Atlas became a mountain and then, because the gods willed it, he supported the sky.

• Hercules was the person meant by the prophecy who would one day steal the Golden Apples.

Andromeda• Flying on, Perseus arrived in

Ethiopia where Cepheus, King of Joppa, ruled.

• Unfortunately, his wife, Cassiopeia, had bragged that she was more beautiful that the nymphs of the sea.

• In punishment, every year Poseidon sent a monster out of the sea to lay waste to the country.

• When the king asked an oracle what he should do, the oracle said that he must sacrifice his daughter, the beautiful Princess Andromeda.

• So, he chained her to a rock and left her for the monster to devour her.

Perseus and Andromeda• When Perseus flew by and saw Andromeda, he flew near her

and took off his cap of invisibility. • Having landed in Joppa and having heard what was going on, he

resolved to save her on the condition that she would marry him. King Cepheus agreed.

Killing the Monster• When the monster, who was named Cetus, came out of the

sea, Perseus once again began to fly. However, the monster saw his shadow on the water and began to attack it.

• Then, Perseus swooped down and struck his sword through the monster’s shoulder and through its hide.

• Finally, the monster died and Perseus took Andromeda back to palace.

More Adventures

• Then, he returned the cap, the bag, and the shoes to the nymphs and went back to get the Gorgon’s head and Andromeda.

• However, Cepheus had already made another marriage proposal for Andromeda – he had betrothed her to her uncle, Phineas.

• When Perseus entered the palace and saw what was happening, he lifted out Medusa’s head and turned all those challenging him to stone.

• Then, he took Andromeda with him and continued on.

The Killing of Polydectes• When he reached Seriphos again, Perseus entered

the palace and announced to Polydectes that he had brought the head of Medusa

• Polydectes, not believing that this was true challenged Perseus to show him the head.

• Perseus obliged, and immediately everyone who had remained to mock Perseus was turned to stone.

Aftermath

• Perseus then made Dictys the King of Seriphos. • He gave the Gorgon’s head to Athena, who placed it

in the center of her shield.• Perseus and Andromeda were happily married and

they had a son named Perses, who gave rise to the Persian people.

Returning (Continued)

• Meanwhile, Acrisius had heard about Danae and Perseus and realized that they were still alive.

• Therefore he fled to Thessaly, where Perseus and Andromeda had, alas, gone as well.

• Both he and Perseus ended up at a set of funeral games. • Perseus was participating in the discus throw. • His throw accidentally flew into the crowd, where it struck

Acrisius, who died. • Immediately, the people called out “Acrisius, King Acrisius”

and Perseus knew that he had killed the king and could not hope of taking over his kingdom.

The Death of Acrisius