Perseus

These things are told by the poets about Perseus.

Perseus was the son of Jupiter, the greatest of the gods; his grandfather was called Acrisius.

Acrisius wanted to kill Perseus, his grandson; for because of an oracle he feared the boy.

He therefore seized Perseus, still an infant, and shut him up with his mother in a wooden chest.

Then he threw the chest itself into the sea.

Danae, the mother of Perseus, was greatly terrified; for a great storm was churning the sea.

Perseus, however, was sleeping on his mother's breast.

Jupiter, however, saw all this, and decided to save his son.

He therefore made the sea calm, and brought the chest through to the island of Seriphos.

Polydectes was at that time king of this island.

After the chest had been driven ashore, Danae was resting on the sand.

After a short time she was found by a certain fisherman, and was brought to the house of King Polydectes.

He received the mother and the boy kindly, and gave them a safe home within his borders.

Danae accepted this gift gladly, and thanked the king for so great a kindness.

Perseus therefore lived there for many years, and led a happy life with his mother.

But Polydectes loved Danae greatly, and wanted to take her in marriage.

This plan, however, was not at all pleasing to Perseus.

Polydectes therefore decided to send Perseus away.

Then he called the young man to him and said this: "It is shameful to lead this idle life; you have been a young man for a long time now.

How long will you stay here?

It is time to take up arms and to show your courage.

Go away from here, and bring me back the head of Medusa."

When Perseus had heard this, he left the island, and after he came to the mainland he looked for Medusa.

For a long time he searched in vain; for he did not know the nature of the place.

At last Apollo and Minerva showed him the way.

First he came to the Graeae, the sisters of Medusa.

From them he received winged sandals and a magic helmet.

Apollo and Minerva, moreover, gave him a sickle and a mirror.

Then, after he had put the sandals on his feet, he rose into the air.

For a long time he was flying through the air; at last, however, he came to that place where Medusa was living with the other Gorgons.

The Gorgons were monsters of horrible appearance; for their heads were entirely covered with snakes.

Their hands too were made of bronze.

It was a very difficult thing to cut off the head of the Gorgon; for at the sight of her men were turned to stone.

For this reason Minerva had given Perseus the mirror.

He therefore turned his back and kept looking into the mirror; in this way he came to the place where Medusa was sleeping.

Then with his sickle he cut off her head at a single stroke.

The other Gorgons were at once roused from sleep, and when they saw what had happened, they were moved to anger.

They snatched up arms, and wanted to kill Perseus.

He, however, while he was fleeing, put on the magic helmet; and when he had done this, he at once escaped out of their sight.

After this Perseus came into the territory of the Ethiopians.

There a certain Cepheus was reigning at that time.

He had once offended Neptune, the god of the sea; and Neptune had sent a most savage monster.

This came out of the sea every day and devoured men.

For this reason dread had taken hold of the hearts of all.

Cepheus therefore consulted the oracle of the god Hammon, and was ordered by the god to hand over his daughter to the monster.

His daughter, however, Andromeda by name, was a most beautiful girl.

When Cepheus heard this, he felt great grief.

Yet he wanted to draw his citizens out of so great a danger, and for that reason he decided to carry out the commands of Hammon.

Then the king named a fixed day and made all the preparations.

When that day came, Andromeda was led down to the shore, and in the sight of all was bound to a rock.

All were lamenting her fate, and could not hold back their tears.

But suddenly, while they are waiting for the monster, Perseus runs up; and when he sees the tears, he asks the cause of their grief.

They set out the whole matter to him and point out the girl.

While this is going on, a terrible roaring is heard; at the same moment the monster of horrible appearance is sighted far off.

The sight of it struck the greatest fear into everyone.

The monster hurried to the shore with great speed, and was already drawing near the place where the girl was standing.

But when Perseus saw this, he drew his sword, and after he had put on the sandals he was raised into the air.

Then from above he suddenly made an attack on the monster, and wounded its neck severely with his sword.

When the monster felt the wound, it gave out a horrible roar, and without delay plunged its whole body into the water.

Perseus, while he was flying about the shore, was waiting for it to come back.

The sea, meanwhile, is being stained with blood on every side.

After a short time the beast lifted its head again; soon, however, it was wounded by Perseus with a heavier stroke.

Then it plunged itself into the waves once more, and was not seen afterwards.

After Perseus had come down to the shore, he first took off the sandals; then he came to the rock where Andromeda had been bound.

She had given up all hope of safety, and when Perseus came up she was almost lifeless with terror.

He at once loosed her chains, and gave the girl back to her father.

Cepheus was filled with the greatest joy at this.

He gave Perseus the thanks he deserved for so great a kindness; besides, he gave him Andromeda herself in marriage.

He gladly accepted this gift and married the girl.

For a few years he lived with his wife in that region, and was held in great honor among all the Ethiopians.

Greatly, however, he longed to see his mother again.

At last, therefore, he left the kingdom of Cepheus with his wife.

After Perseus had brought his ship to shore at the island, he betook himself to the place where his mother had once lived, but he found the house empty and altogether deserted.

For three days he searched for his mother through the whole island; at last on the fourth day he reached the temple of Diana.

Danae had fled here for refuge, because she feared Polydectes.

When Perseus learned this, he was moved by great anger; he hurried without delay to the palace of Polydectes, and when he arrived there he at once burst into the hall.

Polydectes was filled with great fear and wanted to flee.

But while he was fleeing, Perseus showed him the head of Medusa; and as soon as he saw it he was turned to stone.

After this Perseus returned with his wife to the city of Acrisius.

But when he saw Perseus, he was filled with great terror; for because of that oracle he still feared his grandson.

He therefore fled at once into Thessaly, to the city of Larisa, but in vain; for he did not escape his fate.

After a few years the king of Larisa held great games; he had sent messengers out in all directions and had named the day.

Many came to the games from all the cities of Greece.

Perseus himself, among the others, entered the discus contest.

But while he was throwing the discus, he killed his grandfather by accident; for Acrisius happened to be standing among the spectators of that contest.