Chapter 10: Stories of Heroes and Friends

Matthew Smith, Curtis Walker, Daniel Smith

Writers Workshop Blue 1

Trials of Perseus

Summary: An orcale came to King Acrisius informing him that his daughter Danae would have a son that will kill him. To avoid his misfortune King Acrisius locked his daughter in a tower, but she and Zeus bore a son named Perseus. King Acrisius got rid of them, but they were found and presented to King Polydectes. Polydectes sent Perseus to a quest to kill Medusa to get with Danae. Perseus successfully completed this quest with the help of the Three Gray Sisters, & the sea nymphs.

Rescue of Andromeda

Summary: After flying for many days Perseus arrived in Ethiopia. The land was in lamentation, due to the Queen’s boasting about her beauty in comparison to the Nereids, Neptune punished the country by sending a huge sea monster. To appease the monster the King was forced to chain his daughter Andromeda to a rock and wait for the sea monster. Perseus saved Andromeda and killed the monster. Perseus married Andromeda after another fight with her uncle turning him and his followers into stone.

Return of PerseusSummary: Cepeheus provided Perseus and Andromeda with a ship which Perseus used to go to the island of Seriphos, where Danae dwelt. Danae had taken refuge insade a temple to the gods, and Polydectes, the king of Seriphos, was trying to starve her into submission. When Polydectes heard that Perseus had returned, he raised and army to confront him. Perseus however, had Medusa’s head, which he used to turn Polydectes’ army to stone, after which he freed Danae, his mother and returned the items he had taken from the Three Gray Sisters. He then presented the head of Medusa to Athena, and forever after she wore the head adorning her breastplate. Soon after they both set out to see Perseus’ grandfather, Acrisius. Acrisius, however,learning that Danae and Perseus had not perished, attempted to flee the country. Since the king was not there, Perseus waned time away by attending an athletic contest. As he threw a discus in the contest, its direction went awry and it hit an old spectator. Upon further examination, this bystander happened to Acrisius. Perseus grieved at the accident and buried Acrisius proper, after which he assumed Acrisius’ crown and ruled for many years.

Early Adventures of Theseus

Summary: Weary from ruling, Aegeus, king of Athens, retired to the court of his friend King Pittheus of Troezan. There he fell in love with and had a child with the princess Aethra. The child’s name was Theseus. Aegeus, due to the many threat of a king, was wary of taking him back to Athens, so he left Theseus with his grandfather. Aegeus said that when Theseus is capable to lift the great stone up in the woods and recover the sword and sandals underneath, he can set out for Athens. When Theseus was able to do this, he set out for Athens. On his way, he encountered many dangers, including bandits.

Theseus and the Minotaur Summary: When Theseus returned in Athens, the annual sacrifice to the Minotaur in Crete was beginning. Seeing this Theseus urged Aegeus to let him be one of the fourteen sacrifices. Agreeing, Aegeus asked Theseus to change his black sails to white one, should he return safely, Theseus greed and was taken to Crete. There he and the other sacrifices were taken before King Minos. Minos marveled at Theseus’ boldness and then his guards took them away to the holding cells. There, King Minos’ daughter, Ariadne, who felt pity for Theseus, gave him a sword and a ball of string. The next day in the labyrinth, Theseus tied the string to the outer gate and made his way through until he encountered the Minotaur . There he fought and slew it, later boarding his ship with Ariadne and escaping.

Later Adventures of Theseus

Summary: As Theseus is returning to Athens, he leaves Ariadne on the island of Naxos. He did this because he was ungrateful to Ariadne, and also because of the command of Bacchus. After he left Ariadne with Dionysus, he sailed to Athens. As he was arriving, his father saw that his sails were black. In the past he told Theseus to change his sails to white when or if he defeated the Minotaur. His father, Aegeus, was so grieved and fell into the ocean where he drowned. Theseus was then informed about his father and soon was made king. Later in his life he went on many adventures. One example would be when he went the Amazon homeland. This adventure included Theseus marrying a Amazon woman and making war on her people.

BellerophonSummary: The king, Iobates looked for a great hero who could slay the Chimera.

This beast had a body part lion and part goat. Its hind legs those of a dragon, and it

breaths fire. A man of the name of Bellerophon volunteered to slay this great beast.

After that he was brought to a oracle who advised him a winged horse named Pegasus.

He then went to Athena to claim his new companion. Soon after, he mounted Pegasus

and flew into air to where the Chimera roamed. As he approached the Chimera he sent

his arrows into the beast. Thus conquering the monster. He then felt so proud that he

flew to Olympius. Zeus did not agree with this idea, so he sent gadflies to sting

Pegasus. Bellerophon was then thrown off and the young hero was killed. The horse

was returned to the service of the Muses.

Damon and PythiasSummary: Damon and Pythias were very admired for their displays of loyalty.

Pythias angered King Dionysius, and he was sentenced to death. Although he

was sentenced to death, he was granted one wish. His wish was permission to go

home and settle his affairs. Damon then offered to be a hostage for the safe

return of his friend. Pythias then left for home, settled his affairs, & divided his

goods among his kinsfolk. On his way back he encountered many obstacles

such as, a river swollen with floods, and a enormous storm. Pythias made it in

the nick of time. The executioner was already lifting up his sword to behead

Damon. He rushed through the spectators and appeared to King Dionysius.

Dionysius was astonished with the amount of loyalty the fellows had; he

pardoned Pythias and asked to be a part of their friendship.

Questions & Answers1. What oracle concerning Danae terrified her father, King Acrisius?

- Answer: A oracle told King Acrisius that one day his daughter would have a child who would end his life

2. How did he try to avert his doom? What happened?

-Answer: After knowing his fate he locked Danae into a tower and only let certain attendants to go to her room. This did not stop Danae from a child, for Jupiter fell in love with Danae and had a baby with her.

3. When Perseus was born, how did King Acrisius again try to outwit fate? What happened?

-Answer: When Perseus was born, King Acrisius put both Danae and Perseus into a wooden chest and threw them into the sea. The mother and son were never killed and were greeted by a fisherman.

4. Why did Polydectes want to get rid of Perseus?

-Answer: Danae would not marry Polydectes for she was focused on raising her son. So Polydectus had an idea that if he got rid of him, then she would marry him.

5. On what mission did he send him?

-Answer: Polydectes sent Perseus to bring him Medusa’s head.

Questions & Answers Cont’d6. Who was Medusa?

-Answer: Medusa was one of the Gorgon sisters. She had hair of hissing serpents and if anyone saw her then they would turn to stone.

7. Whose help did Perseus win?

-Answer: He won the help of the Three Grey Sisters.

8. How did he overcome the Gorgon?

-Answer: Perseus looked at the Gorgon Sisters reflections. When he saw medusa he held his shield in front of him and sliced Medusa’s head off with a sickle and escaped with the helmet of Pluto.

9. What maiden did he rescue on his way home?

-Answer: Andromeda

10. On what two occasions did he have to employ the gorgon head?

-Answer: When a group tried to take Andromeda and he thought he would be overcome, he pulled out Medusa’s head and turned Phineus and his followers to stone. Also when Polydectus heard that Perseus was coming, he made an army to await his arrival. When Polydectus’ men met Perseus, he pulled out Medusa’s head and turned Polydectus’ army into stone.

Questions & Answers Cont.11. How did he employ it when he returned home?

- Answer: When Perseus returned home, he used Medusa’s head to turn Polydectus’ army into stone. When he was about to be slain, he pulled her head out of his bag and used it to save his life.

12. What did Acrisius do when he heard that Perseus was coming?

-Answer: Acrisius was filled with fear and left Argos to keep the oracle’s prophecy from coming true.

13. How did Acrisius meet his doom?

- Answer: When Perseus was playing in a athletic contest, he was about to show his skill in a discus-throwing competition, but as he was about to throw it, it slipped out of his hands and it hit a spectator. It turned out to be Acrisius.

14. Of what monarch was Theseus the son?

-Answer: Theseus was the heir to the Athenian throne. His father, King Aegeus, was the king of Athens and his mother was Aethra.

15. What injunctions did his father give his mother?

-Answer: Acrisius told Aethra, “When the lad can lift up the great stone at the entrance of the wood and find the sword which lies underneath, send him to me.”

Questions & Answers Cont’d16. When did he set out for Athens?

- Answer: Theseus set out for Athens when he was able to lift the great stone and acquire the sword and sandals underneath.

17. What adventures did he meet on the road?

-Answer: Theseus encountered two bandits. One named Periphetes and the other Procrustes.

18. What mission did he undertake on his arrival?

-Answer: He asked his father King Aegeus to become one of he seven youths and to slay the Minotaur?

19. What was the Minotaur?

-Answer: Monster that was half man half bull and dwelt in the center of the Labyrinth.

20. With whose help and how did Theseus overcome him? Was he grateful?

-Answers: With Ariadne’s help, he overcame the Minotaur. He was able to do this with the sword and string she gave him. He was ungrateful so he left her on a island called Naxos.

21. What forgetfulness killed the father of Theseus?

-Answers : Theseus forgot to change his black sails to white.

Questions & Answers22. What was the Chimera

-Answer: A monster that was part lion, part goat, with the hind legs of a dragon and breathed fire.

23. How did Bellerophon conquer it?

-Answer: Bellerophon flew on Pegasus to evade the Chimera’s fire breath and was able to fire arrows into it from all sides.

24. How did the hero later meet his death?

-Answer: Bellerophon thought too highly of himself and attempted to fly to Olympus, but Pegasus was stung by a gadfly sent by Zeus. He then fell to his death.

25. What two men were devoted friends?

- Answer: Pythias and Damon.

26. How did they prove their friendship?

-Answer: Damon agreed to give his life for Pythias. Pythias came back and prevented Damon from being executed.

Word Study Chimera- In Greek Mythology, the Chimera was a monster that was part lion, part goat, had the back legs of a

dragon, and breathed fire.

Labyrinth- A maze like structure that housed the Minotaur

Jupiter (Greek Equivalent: Zeus)

Mercury(Greek Equivalent: Hermes)

Minerva(Greek Equivalent: Athena)

Neptune(Greek Equivalent: Poseidon)

“To stretch on a bed of Procrustes”- A situation in which someone is forced into against their will.

“To mount Pegasus”- To attain an overinflated opinion of one’s self.

“To fight a Chimera”- To go up against an unpleasant situation.

“As true as Damon and Pythias or David and Jonathan”- A strong friendship that seems to never dimish.

Mythology in Everyday Life

King Neptune from SpongeBob

Zeus from Hercules(Disney Version)

Bacchus Parade

Perseus Constellation

The Minotaur