The victories of Perseus against mythic monsters provided the foundation for the stories of the Twelve Olympians. This founder of Mycenae and the Perseid dynasty was most famous for being the slayer of Medusa.

Mythology

Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. Danae’s father, King Acrisius of Argos, had locked Danae in an underground bronze vault after learning from the Oracle at Delphi that Danae’s son would one day kill the King. Zeus came to Danae’s prison disguised as a shower of gold and impregnated her, which resulted in the birth of Perseus.

Unwilling to draw down the wrath of Zeus by killing his offspring, King Acrisius placed Perseus and Danae into a wooden box and set them out to sea. They landed on the shores of Seriphos, and a fisherman named Dictus raised Perseus there. The king of the island, Polydectes, was Dictus’ brother.

Polydectes fell in love with Danae, but was unable to pursue her due to Perseus’ protectiveness for her. In an attempt to send Perseus away in shame, Polydectes held a banquet requiring each guest to bring a horse as a gift. Perseus did not have a horse, and so promised an alternative gift. Polydectes sent Perseus to bring back the head of the Gorgon Medusa, whose gaze could turn people into stone.

Perseus knew he would need help to slay Medusa, and eventually received a bronze shield from Athena, winged sandals, a purse, and a sword from Hermes, and a cap from Hades that would make the wearer invisible. Perseus was able to persuade the Graeae, sisters to the Gorgons, to help him in his quest by stealing the one eye and one tooth they shared among themselves.

Wearing the invisibility cap, Perseus was able to sneak up on Medusa and behead her.

On his journey home, Perseus visited Ethiopia, which was ruled by King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia. The queen had earned the wrath of Poseidon, who unleashed a sea monster named Ceto upon their lands. The Oracle of Ammon predicted there would be no relief from the vicious monster until the King’s daughter Andromeda was exposed to it. Andromeda was bound to a rock on the shore and left to die.

Perseus, using the winged sandals, rescued Andromeda and married her. At the wedding, an argument ensued between Perseus and Phineus, to whom Andromeda had already been promised. Perseus used Medusa’s head to turn Phineus to stone. Andromeda traveled to Argos with her husband where they had a son, Perses.

Meanwhile, Perseus’ mother had been forced to hide from the onslaught of Polydectes. Perseus returned to Seriphos and used Medusa’s head to kill Polydectes. He then made Dictys King of Seriphos.
The gifts Perseus borrowed were returned to their owners, and Medusa’s head was given to Athena to adorn her shield. The prophecy of the Oracle was fulfilled when Perseus was demonstrating the discus and Acrisius walked into the path of one, and was accidentally killed.

Perseus in Popular Culture

• References were made to Perseus as the first whaleman in the novel Moby Dick.

• Perseus’ legend was the basis for Clash of the Titans, which premiered in 1981.

• In the video game The God of War II, actor Harry Hamlin gives Perseus his voice.

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