Perseus and Medusa
A Hero, a Gorgon and a Very Shiny Shield
Long before Perseus became a famous hero, his grandfather received a worrying prophecy. King Acrisius of Argos was told that his daughter Danaë would have a son who would one day cause his death.Acrisius reacted calmly and sensibly.
No, he did not. He locked Danaë away so she could never have a child. But Zeus visited her in a shower of golden light, and soon Danaë had a baby named Perseus. Acrisius was too afraid to harm them directly, so he placed mother and child in a wooden chest and pushed it into the sea. The plan placed Danaë and her baby in terrible danger.
The chest drifted to the island of Seriphos, where a kind fisherman called Dictys rescued them. Perseus grew up strong, lively and protective of his mother. Unfortunately, the island’s ruler, King Polydectes, wanted to marry Danaë even though she did not want to marry him.Polydectes decided Perseus was in the way. He announced a great feast and asked every guest to bring a horse as a gift. Perseus had no horse, so he boasted that he could bring something better.
“I could fetch the head of Medusa!” he said. Perseus had spoken proudly, and the scheming king used his words against him. Polydectes immediately accepted the offer.
Medusa was one of three Gorgon sisters. She had snakes for hair, bronze-like hands and a gaze that turned anyone who looked directly at her into stone. Her sisters, Stheno and Euryale, could not be killed. Medusa could, so approaching the Gorgons remained extremely dangerous.Luckily, Perseus had help. Athena gave him a polished shield bright enough to act as a mirror. Hermes lent him a curved sword. Nymphs provided winged sandals, a magical bag and the helmet of Hades, which made its wearer invisible.
First, Perseus had to find the Gorgons. He visited the Graeae, three ancient sisters who shared one eye and one tooth. While they passed the eye between them, Perseus snatched it and refused to return it until they told him the way. It was cheeky, but it worked.
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Hi! I’m Jocelyn, and I created Mythfits Society to make discovering ancient myths easier, more interesting and much more fun.
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