PerseusA Fairy Tale Hero

The Prophecy• King Acrisius of Argos, had a

daughter named Danae.• Told he would never have a son.• Oracle foretold that Danae’s child

would kill him.• He couldn’t kill Danae or the child

because it would anger the gods.

Perseus’ Birth

Danae’s father, Acrisius, locked her in an underground brass tomb to keep her from having children. But Zeus entered in a shower of gold and impregnated her. She kept Perseus’ birth a secret until the sound of his playing gave them away.Acrisius locked them in a box and set them afloat.They were found by a fisherman, Dictys on the island of Seriphos.The king, Polydectes, brother of Dictys, fell in love with Danae when Perseus was a young man.

The Quest• Polydectes wanted Perseus out of the way. He invited Perseus to the engagement celebration, but mortified Perseus who couldn’t afford to bring a gift. Perseus pledged bring him the Gorgon’s head, the most sought after prize. Polydectes sent him on the quest believing it to be a fatal task.Both Hermes and Athena took pity on Perseus. They each gave him a gift. • Hermes – scimitar (unbreakable sword to pierce Medusa’s scales).• Athena – a polished shield (known as the Aegis).

• Both Hermes and Athena guided Perseus on his quest.

• They took him to the Graea (gray women), old women who shared only one eye between them.

• Perseus tricked them into giving him directions to Medusa’s lair.

The Quest

The Hyperboreans

• Nymphs of the North

• Gave Perseus 3 more gifts:– Winged sandals– Cap of invisibility– Magic pouch

(which turned the correct size for whatever it held).

The Gorgons Three Gorgons lived on an island way out in the ocean. •They were hideous figures with snakes for hair, and hard scaly skin.•The Gorgons were dangerous, flying women•Medusa was loved by Poseidon, and punished by Athena for it.•Medusa was the only one who was vulnerable, the other 2 were immortal.•One look at Medusa would turn the looker into stone.

The QuestAll of Perseus’ gifts came in handy.•He flew there and away with the winged sandals•He used the polished shield as a mirror so as not to be turned into stone while he cut off the Medusa’s head with the scimitar.•He popped the head right into the magic bag because it still retained its powers.•He got away because he was invisible.

Pegasus

As Medusa died, her two sons by Poseidon sprang out: •Chrysaor (golden-sword), later father of Geryon, and•Pegasus, the winged horseFrom the drops of the gorgon’s blood as Perseus flew across Libya came all the poisonous snakes of the world.

AndromedaOn his way back, Persus stopped to save the maiden Andromeda, who was tied to a rock, waiting to be eaten by a sea serpent.He killed the monster and rescued the maiden, who became his wife.When he returned home, he found that Polydectes was about to marry Danae. He revealed the Gorgon’s head, turning the evil king and his supporters to stone.

Acrisius• Acrisius, as is always the case, could not escape fate. He attended an athletic competition where Perseus was throwing the discus. The discus flew into the crowd and killed him• Good riddance. The prophecy was fulfilled.• Persus and Andromeda were, however, tainted with miasma. So they left their newly inherited kingdom of Argos and exchanged kingdoms with the king of Tiryns.

Perseus and FolktaleThe Perseus story reads

more like a folktale than most heroic sagas with such elements as:•Danae and Perseus floating in a box, miraculously rescued•The vengeful king and quest meant to kill Perseus•The scary Gorgons•help by Hermes, Athena and the Graeae – through magic talismans•Rescuing the princess•Revenge on the evil king

finis