Medusa was a beautiful young woman, a virgin priestess of the goddess Athena. Perseus was the son of Zeus, and the god of gods wanted to protect him on his quest. Perseus, admiring her beauty even in death, beheaded her to show the Greeks upon his return. He made armor for Heracles and Achilles, arrows for Appolo and Artemis, and an Aigis (or goat-skin breastplate) for Zeus. Perseus had no personal grudge against Medusa. Greeka? How to Spot the Cassiopeia Constellation in the Night Sky. [13], Medusa was a character in the 1981 film, Clash of the Titans. The story starts when the Oracle of Delphi warns Acrisius, King of Argos, that his own grandson would kill him. As an infant he was cast into the sea in a chest with his mother by Acrisius, to whom it had been prophesied that he would be killed by his grandson. To help him, god Hermes gave him a curved sword and a pair of winged sandals (other versions of the myth say that Hermes did not give Perseus a pair of winged sandals but a white winged horse) while Athena gave him a mirror of polished bronze and a cap from Hades that could make invisible anyone who would wear it. Perseus immediately fell in love with the lovely maiden and promptly killed Cetus the beast, who had been licking his lips at the prospect of having a delicious meal. WebThe story of Perseus and Andromeda derives from Greek mythology and contains very deep wisdom on the interactions of male and female energy. https://www.thoughtco.com/perseus-greek-hero-120217 (accessed January 18, 2023). An oracle foretold that the son of DANA [da'na-ee], the only child of Acrisius, would kill her father. Perseus and Andromeda, by Titian (ca. The mother of Perseus was Danae, whose father was Acrisius of Argos. Due to his connection to the sea, many think that Perseus is related to Poseidon. Athenas punishment came with great and terrible features. Polydectes had been abusing her. [5] "To radicals like Percy Bysshe Shelley, Medusa was an 'abject hero,' a victim of tyranny whose weakness, disfiguration, and monstrous mutilation [had] become, in themselves, a kind of revolutionary power. "The Greek Hero Perseus." 1901), Let a man attain the highest and broadest culture that any American has possessed, then let him die by sea-storm, railroad collision, or other accident, and all America will acquiesce that the best thing has happened to him; that, after the education has gone far, such is the expensiveness of America, that the best use to put a fine person to is to drown him to save his board.Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882), List of F.e.a.R. Hermes, the messenger of the Greek gods, wore winged sandals that let him fly at supernatural speed around the world to pass messages between gods, and also bring warnings and prophesies to mortals. According to Mythology, the descendants of Perseus ruled Mycenae, the most powerful town of Peloponnese in the Mycenaean times. Whether it is Pausanius or Apollodorus you read, the story is remarkably the same. Theseus kills the minotaur, Odysseus blinds a Cyclops, and Heracles wreaks havoc on a hydra, a hell-hound, and a giant boar among other monstrous foes. what would martial law in russia mean phoebe arnstein wedding joey michelle knight son picture brown surname jamaica. Hesiod, Apollodorus, Ovid, and moreCompare several ancient tellings of Perseus' myth. But the young man's pride stopped him. He then returned to Seriphus and rescued his mother by turning Polydectes and his supporters to stone at the sight of Medusas head. These children of Poseidon would go on to have their own stories in Greek mythology. "[6] Shelley's 1819 poem, On the Medusa of Leonardo da Vinci in the Florentine Gallery was published posthumously by his wife Mary Shelley in 1824. When king Acrisius heard the baby crying and realized he had a grandson, his first thought was to kill the unfortunate boy and his mother. Perseus and Andromeda flew back to Seriphos, leaving a son, Perses, to inherit the kingdom of Cepheus. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Andromeda had been left chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. Medusa is a playable character in Smite, turning enemy gods into stone. Gods and Goddesses of Greek Myths, The story of the iliad by kahadijah daniels, Why Sweedu Franchise is the Perfect Launchpad for Young Entrepreneurs.pdf, Potato Starch Production. It was said that Sthenmo and Euryale tried to kill Perseus but could not find him due to the special helmet he wore. Next time there is a trivia night, it might be more interesting to choose questions about Perseus than Hercules, and there are some fun facts that make perfect questions. 1487-1576). The Greek Hero Perseus. The other sons of Perseus and Andromeda are Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, and Sthenelus. (Spoiler: Medusa is not asleep.). Heather Dale's 2005 album "The Road to Santiago" included the song "Medusa," also from Medusa's point of view. Perseus had been traveling home from slaying Medusa when he came across a beautiful woman by the sea. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Dana, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. In the follow-up series Metal Masters, Julian Konzern's Beyblade, Gravity Destroyer (or Gravity Perseus in the Japanese dub of Metal Masters, is originally based on the Greek god Perseus, but when in Counter mode, it is based on Medusa and it freezes it's opponents to stone when this happens. With these divine aids, Perseus started his long journey to the cave of Medousa, somewhere in Africa. In Egypt, there was a city called Khemmis, which Herodotus records had a temple to Perseus: The people of this Khemmis say that Perseus is seen often up and down this land, and often within the temple, and that the sandal he wears, which is four feet long, keeps turning up, and that when it does turn up, all Egypt prospers. Perseus then went to Argos to claim his inheritance. Medusa was portrayed as a wandering tree creature with a single glowing eye in Medusa Against the Son of Hercules (Perseus the Invincible) 1962, starring Richard Harrison. And it brings the essence of Scorpio alive like no other. According to some tellings of the myth, Perseus turned all the kings soldiers and even the entire island to stone. [7] Octave Mirbeau's use of Medusa during his time has also been examined. Fearing that this prophecy would come true, he locks his only daughter, Danae, into an underground bronze chamber, to keep her away from all men. However, Zeus saw the desperate woman and asked Poseidon to calm the sea water. Medusa and her Gorgon sisters, as well as creatures inspired by them, have been featured in gaming since the advent of role-playing games (RPGs), from Dungeons and Dragons, to God of War, to Final Fantasy. She was someone who would kill anyone who saw her, and the snakes were simply the curly and knotted hair that was naturally on her head. Acrisius fled from Argos to Larissa (a city in Thessaly) to avoid Perseus. In film, the myth of Perseus was loosely adapted numerous times. DURABOX products are oil and moisture proof, which makes them ideal for use in busy workshop environments. She and her sisters were daughters of the primordial sea gods, Ceto and Phorcys. Medusa was the "bad guy" and because Perseus killed her, he is considered a true hero. Perseus then went to Argos and Larissa to compete in athletic events. Polydectes turned to stone. While throwing the discus, he accidentally struck his grandfather and instantly killed him. Thus equipped, he flew to the GORGONS [gor'gonz], who lived on the edge of the world (usually located in North Africa or in the far north, in the land of the Hyperboreans). In Monster High, Deuce Gorgon is the son of Medusa, while Viperine Gorgon is the daughter of Stheno. Guided by Athena, Perseus, looking at the Gorgons reflection in his shield, beheaded Medusa and put her head in the kibisis. He famously slew the dreaded Medusa, a Gorgon with snakes as hair and After her return to Egypt she was worshiped as the goddess Isis (see MLS, Chapter 16). This is what they say; and their doings in honor of Perseus are Greek, inasmuch as they celebrate games that include every form of contest, and offer animals and cloaks and skins as prizes. Perseus hunted the King down and showed him the head of the Gorgon literally. Both Herodotus and Pausanias wrote passages about what they could discover about this king, including his possible connections in Egypt and Persia. However, instead of it being in battle or any form of murder, death came only as an accident. Zeus had intercourse with her in the shape of a stream of gold which poured through the roof into Danaes lap., Enraged that she was to fall pregnant, and believing that it was Proteus, not Zeus, that had gotten into the chamber, Acrisius dragged Danae back out of the chamber. Just in the nick of time the sea monster turned to stone. Perseus was also featured in comics. Phineus, brother of the king and uncle to Andromeda, had been promised the beautiful maiden as his wife. He turned the sea monster to stone by showing it Medusas head and afterward married Andromeda. There is no evidence that Poseidon was angry about this action, however, and the god appears to play no other role in the story of the Grecian hero. Perseus, upon saving his mother, returned to Argos. To Athena he gave the Gorgons head, which she placed in the middle of her aegis or shield. However, the same text says that Danaes father, Acrisius, was of Egyptian stock, so Perseus may have been the first Greek in the family through both lines. Here are just three great ones for you to use. Perseus bravely went towards the creature and using Medusa's head as a weapon, turned the creature into stone. On his travels, Perseus fell in love with a maiden named Andromeda who was paying for the boasts of her family (like Psyche in Apuleius's Golden Ass) by being exposed to a sea monster. Greek Mythology and its Influences on Modern Society By Jenna Marie A. Macalawa, Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite Campus 2014 Myths are not dissimilar to fairy tales, legends, and sagas, but its period is distinctly different from usual existential time. Electryon is one of Perseus's sons. They are also fire resistant and can withstand extreme temperatures. One day, the vain queen had bragged that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, the sea nymphs. Perseus is cast out into the sea in a wooden chest with his unfaithful mother, yet they survive the rough seas by praying to Poseidon for the seas to be calm. The earliest known record about the story of Medusa and the Gorgons [17] The trio then keeps Medusa's head, using it to kill the Hydra. But one needs a neighbor on whom to practice compassion.Phyllis McGinley (19051978), And God-appointed Berkeley that proved all things a dream,That this pragmatical, preposterous pig of a world, its farrow that so solid seem,Must vanish on the instant if the mind but change its theme William Butler Yeats (18651939), Every man has been brought up with the idea that decent women dont pop in and out of bed; he has always been told by his mother that nice girls dont. He finds, of course, when he gets older that this may be untruebut only in a certain section of society.Barbara Cartland (b. And anyone who looked upon the head, even after it was removed, would turn to stone. The daughter of Epaphus was Libya (from whom the geographical Libya is named), whose twin sons were Agenor and Belus. The most famous story of Perseus is his quest to kill the famous monster, Medusa. The bronze polished shield was quite reflective, which came in very handy. Harold Levine, Norman Levine, Robert T. Levine, Glencoe Language Arts: Grammar and Language Workbook, Grade 9, Impact California Social Studies World History, Culture, and Geography The Modern World. Perseus was often represented in ancient times in the act of removing Medusas head. Perseus may have been the first of Greece's monster slaying heroes, but he definitely wasn't the last. Pseudo-Hyginus states, By Joves [Zeus] will, it was borne to the island of Seriphos, and when the fisherman Dictys found it and broke it open, he discovered the mother and child. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/perseus-greek-hero-120217. There, he accidentally killed his Grandfather Acrisius when a wind swept away a discus he was holding. There, he married Andromeda, and she would live to old age, giving Perseus many children. The Gorgoneion, or Gorgon head, was used in the ancient world as a protective apotropaic symbol. The Perseus constellation is The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts. We're linking to the page on Perseus. ", "The Medusa Statue That Became A Symbol of Feminist Rage", "Atlantis Puts a New Face on the Gorgon Medusa | TV Guide", "Chosen One of the Day: Medusa from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief", "Tim Burton's 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' is the Consumer-Grade Version of Eccentricity [Review]", "Finding the Fun Medusa Heads in Castlevania", "Assassin's Creed Odyssey Mythological Beasts guide: How to kill Odyssey's toughest monsters", "Victims of Circumstance? God of War Kratos, Mr. God of War, fights and defeats both Perseus and Medusa. The sons of Belus were AEGYPTUS [ee-jip'tus], or AIGYPTOS, and DANAS [dan'a-us], or DANAOS, who quarreled. Through Mortal Bloodlines, Perseus was the Great-Grandfather of Helen of Troy. Danae conceived Perseus when Zeus, taking the form of a golden shower, impregnated her. Angry at Perseus (instead of the gods that wished her to be sacrificed) he took up arms and started a great fight. We're guessing that's why the story of Perseus was used as the basis of both the 1981 and 2010 versions of Clash of the Titans, not to mention important chunks of the Percy Jackson series. To cite this article in an academic-style article or paper, use: Thomas Gregory, "Perseus: The Argive Hero of Greek Mythology", History Cooperative, September 24, 2022, https://historycooperative.org/perseus/. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Medusa and the other Gorgons in art and culture, Cultural depictions of Medusa and Gorgons, "Ekphrasis and the Other" by W. J. T. Mitchell, excerpted from, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Medusa: Solving the Mystery of the Gorgon, "Versace's Medusa Logo Breaks Every Design Rule. Perseus is a major hero from Greek mythology best known for his clever decapitation of Medusa, the monster who turned all who looked at her face into stone. Perseus Percy Jackson, is the main character of a popular YA book series called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Written by Rick Riordan, the series of books follows a modern story of a demi-god fighting to stop the Titans from taking over the world. A representation of Perseus carrying this head has been featured on the cover of a number of paperback editions of Edith Hamilton's Mythology and several editions of Bulfinch's Mythology. Perseus was the child of Danae, a princess of Argos. Characters and Organizations. He ordered the men of Seriphos (including Perseus, now grown) each to give him a horse. The terrible monster beheaded by Perseus wasnt always so horrifying or deadly. Updates? He indeed found lying in her deep cave. [19], Medusa is the primary antagonist in the Nintendo Entertainment System game Kid Icarus and the earlier levels of the Nintendo 3DS game Kid Icarus: Uprising. Perseus agreed to kill the monster if he could marry Andromeda, with some predictable obstacles to overcome. The myth of the Gorgon was the basis for the 1964 Hammer horror film, The Gorgon, which "abandoned the traditional myth entirely and tried to tell a new story".