Perseus!

1981

2010

Io & Zeus

Epaphus

BelusAegyptus

Lynceus & Hypermnestra

Abas

Acrisius

Danae & Zeus

Zeus is Persues’ father…and his great-great-great-great-great great grandfather…….

Perseus

Io

Perseus’ Parents

• The King of Argos consulted an oracle about his lack of a male heir and learned that he would be killed by his only daughter's son. His daughter, Danae, was childless and he locked her in a tower to keep her that way.

• Zeus loved Danae and came to her bed in the form of a shower of gold, to hide his amorous adventure from Hera.

Perseus’ ParentsDanae gave birth to

the hero Perseus. Upon discovering the child, her father cast the two into the sea in a wooden chest. With the help of his father, Zeus, Danae

and Perseus washed up on the shore of Seriphos and Perseus is raised by Dictys, the brother of the king.

Perseus and the Gorgon

• Polydectes, the king, fell in love with Danae, who refused him

• Perseus vowed to bring the Medusa’s head in exchange for his mother’s freedom.

Hermes and Athena came to help him– Hermes gives him winged sandals, Athena gives him

weapons– They send him to the Gorgons, Medusa’s sisters

The Gorgons lead him to Medusa where, walking backwards and looking only with his shield’s reflection, he beheads Medusa

Medusa was pregnant, and upon her death, the Pegasus sprang forth from her body

However, Pegasus was not given to Perseus, but to another hero – Bellerophon, who killed the Chimera

**Common misconception that Pegasus belonged to Perseus…or Hercules

Perseus and Andromeda

Upon his return, Perseus encountered Andromeda, chained to a rock

Andromeda’s mother Cassiopeia was boastful of her beauty, so Poseidon sent a sea-monster to ravage her kingdom. Offering Andromeda to the monster was the

only way to appease the monster

Perseus killed the beast, released Andromeda, and married her

The Baleful Head, by Edward Burne-Jones, Perseus and Andromeda looking at the reflection of the Gorgon’s head

Much later, Perseus participated in funeral games in Thessaly and accidentally struck his grandfather with a discus, thus fulfilling the prophesy.

Perseus and Andromeda founded Mycenae, and their children became kings of Mycenae

From Perseus and Andromeda descended Heracles….

Perseus & Andromeda

Electryon

Alcmene & Zeus

Heracles

So…that means Perseus is the great grand-father of Heracles….and his half-brother.

Andromeda Galaxy

Andromeda Constellation