The heroic story of Perseus includes many elements of classical Greek epic rivalries, prophecy, unexpected gender, lust, revenge, gain, and the inescapable nature of fate. Morality is a fable in its own way, for it shows how evil begets evil and the consequences, so that the gods themselves may be greater or more acute.
Two Princes
At Hello two princes, Acrisius and Proetus. The twins were born into great nobility and wealth. Their fields were filled with grazing animals, swift horses, honey, and fruitful vineyards. They should have been very happy with the Prince, but they were very jealous of each other. Acrisius drove his brother Proetus out of hell, from which they fought among themselves, and from that point each man gave away all the land for himself. Proetus sailed to a distant land, and not only married the queen, but brought back the Cyclops’ phalanx to fight for the leadership of Acrisius. After much fighting, Acrisius and Proetus decided to divide the land, and all hoped for peace.
Acrisius did not accept his brother’s presence in Hellos and continued to lie in wait for him, but one day the haruspex came to the court. Acrisius said, because he had raised his hand in anger against his brother, that he would one day die by the hand of his nephew. On hearing this, Acrisius hid his only daughter Danae in a cave, so that he could give her a grandson. He congratulates himself on the prophecy of the haruspices.
The Nativity of Perseus
To the astonishment and grief of Acrisius, Danae conceived even in the hidden cave. The king quickly called for a great chest to be made, and as soon as Danae named the boy bayn, she gave birth. /a> Perseus Acrisius had her and placed the child in his bosom. Then he ordered the slaves to be thrown into the sea. Again, he unknowingly overcame the gods.
Danae and Perseus swam in the sea for several days. The mother cried tear after tear while the baby slept. Soon Danae was so tired that she too fell asleep. Time until the Danes raise their chests tossing rocks. Looking up, he saw a gray-haired man with a group of servants and a fishing net and a spear in his hands. ‘ he exclaimed, in order to draw her attention, the man, frightened, threw a fishing net at her and dragged Perseus to the shore by his chest.
When he found that he was the brother of the king of Seriphon in the island of Dana, he asked to be entertained. He took this savior home, and married his daughter and his grandson Persea. Danae promised to work hard to weave and connect with her family. and she and Perseus’ father, Acrisius, never hoped to see his father again.
Perseus Grown
Fifteen years after Perseus Seriphos was taller than any man’s head, and more skilled in sports, music, and all other things in navigation. He was not a mortal, but the son of a god, Seriphon. Perhaps, they say, he visits Jupiter himself, who conceived Danae in his cave to Perseus.
Perseus went on many adventures as a sailor, and on one voyage King Seriphon Polydectes decided to give Danae his wife. He knew that Danae Polydectes was not like his brother, but cruel and observant. She refused the marriage, and went home in anger, weeping for the return of Perseus.
Perseus, not knowing what had happened to his mother, sailed from island to island, and one day in a dream Pallas, the goddess of wisdom and war, came to him and asked him if the monster was strong and brave to fight; Medusa Gorgon. She showed him the shield of the mirror in which Medusa was shining. Perseus languished with a pale face, with snake hair, leathery wings, and twisted claws for his hands, and told Athena that he would gladly hunt and slay a monster like the Gorgon. Athena was pleased to hear this, but said that she was still young and that Seriphos must return at once, because her mother was in danger.
Perseus returned home and rescued his mother, thus making him the king’s enemy. Polydectes tried to take Perseus away. he had a party, and invited all the nobles of the kingdom. All the guests offered gifts to the king, and when the poorer Perseus came to give the gift, they all laughed at him. Perseus, angry and alarmed, swore that he would make himself the best present of all: the Gorgon’s head. The king at once banished Perseus, until he had delivered what he had promised.
The question of the Gorgon
Perseus went to the rocks above the sea and Pallas Athena intended to bring back the Gorgon’s head, but was unable to do so. At that moment she was seen with Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Perseus marveled at the sandals on the feet of Hermes, and in his hands a sword fashioned from a single diamond. Athena praised Perseus for rescuing his mother and agreed to fight Medusa the Gorgon.
Perseus told how Medusa had once been a beautiful but proud woman, who was turned into a monster with a viper for hair, eagle claws for hands, and scales of brass and iron. Medusa’s heart was so cold and hateful that she turned every animal into stone. Perseus swore that he would kill the Gorgon, but he did not know what to do. Athena gave Perseus a spyglass and instructed him to look at Medusa fighting only on its surface. He gave him a goat to put his head in a bundle, and ordered him to find the three Gray sisters at the top of the world. Perseus took the shield and the goat, but asked how he could travel there without a ship. Hermes gave Perseus a pair of sandals and a diamond-edged sword.
Righting to his feet and sword, shield and goatee in hand, Perseus felt himself lifted into the air and hissed towards the north, where the three Gray sisters lived, sharing one eye and one tooth. Perseus asked for his help, but he was shunned by the Titans and the Gorgons, who were cousins, and was no friend of the mortals or the gods on Olympus. Perseus, observing her fate, when one of her sisters gave her an eye by mistake, snatched it away and held out for help to redeem it. The three sisters told Perseus how to find Atlas, beginning with him a seven-year journey.
Perseus went on until he found Atlas and his granddaughters, the Nymphs, dancing around with a tree a> And he sang to the dragon who surrounded him. Atlas, tired of holding the sky from the earth for all time, promised Perseus that he would return to show himself in the face of the Gorgon, so that he would be turned into stone. Perseus granted his wish, and Atlas sent one of his granddaughters to Orcus to receive the hat of darkness, so that Perseus would not be seen approaching the Gorgons. Perseus put on his hat and disappeared from sight.
Perseus flew again until he found the island of the Gorgons, and as he flew over them he looked at their images in the clip of Minerva. Medusa’s gorgons slept soundly, snorting heavily like huge pigs, but Medusa tossed and turned, her beautiful face full of pain and suffering. Perseus grieved for her and did not want to take her head off, but the snakes that had made her hair began to hiss and strike, and the head fell off and he threw it into the goats. Again he flies to the ankles, raised the indignant Gorgons by the flowing blood of Medusa. And then he returned, but first he stopped showing the Gorgon’s head to Atlantius, so that he might turn into a rock and never again feel the burden of heaven’s shoulders.
Perseus found a wife
When Perseus was flying home, Medusa’s drops fell on the bloody wasteland below him, and everyone turned into a poisoned viper. He always flew over solitudes and valleys and mountains into the country, and the winged ballet never wavered from its course. Perseus was walking towards the land, and a little while, when he saw a high cliff facing the sea, he began to walk around a little and descend. But he caught the eye of a pale man on the edge of a cliff, which he drew nearer.
Perseus was surprised to see the maiden tied to the rock, shivering from the sea rain and her mother weeping for her. He could not see him, for the hood of darkness was still over his head, and he came still nearer. Perseus, approaching from the ledge beside the girl, took off his hat and cried out that he had suddenly appeared. And he calmed her, and broke his fetters with his sword, telling her that she was free, and that she should come with him. But she cried out harder and said that she had sacrificed there to the gods of the sea. Her name was Andromeda and Queen Cassiopeia her mother her mother had boasted many times about her daughter’s beauty as a fish goddess and her brother, the god of fire , had laid waste his kingdom.
Perseus alone laughed, and when he had brought the sea monster out of the waves to devour Andromeda, he raised Medusa’s head. to be turned into stone. Then Pallas appeared, and with the sword and shield, the hat of darkness, and the winged sandals, telling Perseus that he had done well, that Andromeda was the reward.
Andromeda was very pleased to go with Perseus, and led him over the rocks to his parent’s house. The king and queen were so pleased with Perseus that he took Andromeda as his wife and gave him a ship and soldiers and sailors to help him return home.
Perseus Home
Perseus sailed with his new bride to Seriphon and saw his mother and adopted family well and happy. . Perseus took a team of goats to the camp, where Polydectes was feasting with his nobles. When the king saw Perseus, he scorned that he would not promise to fulfill it. The nobles also laughed, but when Perseus pulled the Gorgon’s head from its skin, they began to stiffen, until at last every stone was solid at the table. Perseus gave the kingdom to his adopted grandfather and sailed to his country with his wife and mother.
When Perseus arrived at Argos, he found that his uncle Proetus had driven Acrisius to the ground, his grandfather. Perseus quickly retook the kingdom and sought Acrisius. In the middle he found him on the island playing, and by showing his agility, speed, and strength, he determined to win his old love.
Acrisius, sitting with Kings Island and with everyone else, marveled at the playful prowess of this stranger. When Perseus had shot farther, all the spectators cried out to throw themselves farther. Perseus gave a great toss, but then the wind sprang up and he was shot. Acrisius landed on his foot before Perseus reached him, the old man passed away.
And so Perseus unknowingly filled the harion handed down by the haruspice to Acrisius for so many years before. no one had commanded Perseus to be shot by the gods, but he reconciled his lost fortune with his grandfather. He returned to his country with Andromeda and reigned with his mother for many years.
