PerseusPerseus

Theme: FateTheme: FateTheme: Recurring idea or insight Theme: Recurring idea or insight

found in the story. Also known found in the story. Also known as the “hidden message”.as the “hidden message”.

Repeatedly we have seen the Repeatedly we have seen the theme of “fate” emerge in Greek theme of “fate” emerge in Greek mythology:mythology:

Think about Uranus Think about Uranus (he treats his (he treats his children badly, and Cronus, his own son, children badly, and Cronus, his own son, has to fight him)has to fight him)

Think about Cronus Think about Cronus (he becomes so (he becomes so paranoid he eats his children as infants to paranoid he eats his children as infants to avoid being dethroned)avoid being dethroned)

Think about Zeus Think about Zeus (he also believed he (he also believed he would be overthrown by a son. would be overthrown by a son. Prometheus was the only one who held Prometheus was the only one who held that key- he wouldn’t tell him who it was.)that key- he wouldn’t tell him who it was.)

Theme: FateTheme: Fate

OriginOrigin King Acrisius was told that King Acrisius was told that

the son of his daughter, the son of his daughter, Danae, would kill him.Danae, would kill him.

He could not let this He could not let this happen happen (he was more (he was more afraid of the gods than he afraid of the gods than he was of hurting his was of hurting his daughter) daughter) so he locked her so he locked her in an underground tower in an underground tower made of bronze with part of made of bronze with part of the roof open to the sky so the roof open to the sky so that she would never marry that she would never marry or have childrenor have children

However, gold fell from the However, gold fell from the sky and Zeus arrived. sky and Zeus arrived. Together they gave birth to Together they gave birth to a boy, Perseus.a boy, Perseus.

CAST AWAYCAST AWAY King Acrisius was furious King Acrisius was furious

when he discovered the when he discovered the child. Didn’t believe Zeus child. Didn’t believe Zeus was the father.was the father.

He shut Danae and He shut Danae and Perseus up in a chest and Perseus up in a chest and cast them out to sea.cast them out to sea.

Somehow by “fate” or by Somehow by “fate” or by Zeus, they arrived on Zeus, they arrived on land. A fisherman by land. A fisherman by Dictys discovered them.Dictys discovered them.

POLYDECTESPOLYDECTES’ ’ PLOTPLOT Dictys & his wife took Dictys & his wife took

Danae and Perseus in for Danae and Perseus in for several years.several years.

Soon Polydectes (Soon Polydectes (brother of brother of DictysDictys) fell in love with ) fell in love with Danae and wanted to Danae and wanted to remove Perseus.remove Perseus.

Polydectes plants a seed in Polydectes plants a seed in Perseus’ head indicating Perseus’ head indicating that he wanted the head of that he wanted the head of one of the Gorgons. one of the Gorgons.

Polydectes then decides he Polydectes then decides he will have a party for his will have a party for his soon-to-be wife. All bring a soon-to-be wife. All bring a present except Perseus. present except Perseus.

Perseus was humiliated because he didn’t Perseus was humiliated because he didn’t have a gift and instead offered something have a gift and instead offered something far greater. far greater.

Perseus was tricked into offering anything Perseus was tricked into offering anything Poldectes wanted as a wedding gift.Poldectes wanted as a wedding gift.

He demanded the head of Medusa, a gorgon He demanded the head of Medusa, a gorgon with a gaze that turned people to stone.with a gaze that turned people to stone.

““No man unaided could kill Medusa” No man unaided could kill Medusa” (Hamilton, p. 149).(Hamilton, p. 149).

POLYDECTESPOLYDECTES’ ’ PLOTPLOT

Help from the GodsHelp from the Gods Divine help was needed Divine help was needed

for this quest and it for this quest and it came from Hermes and came from Hermes and Athena.Athena.

Athena gave Perseus her Athena gave Perseus her mirrored (bronze) shield mirrored (bronze) shield and Hermes gave him and Hermes gave him his sword.his sword.

He then visited the Gray He then visited the Gray Women (shared one eye) Women (shared one eye) and forced them to tell and forced them to tell him how to get to the him how to get to the nymphs of the North. nymphs of the North.

Pallas Athena’s AdvicePallas Athena’s Advice When she gave Perseus her shield she When she gave Perseus her shield she

said, “Look into this when you attack said, “Look into this when you attack the Gorgon. You will be able to see the Gorgon. You will be able to see her in it as in a mirror, and so avoid her in it as in a mirror, and so avoid her deadly power” (Hamilton, p. 150). her deadly power” (Hamilton, p. 150).

The Gray WomenThe Gray Women Hermes tells Perseus that nymphs of the Hermes tells Perseus that nymphs of the

North hold the items he needed in order North hold the items he needed in order to defeat Medusa.to defeat Medusa.

Nymphs of the north were three aged Nymphs of the north were three aged women women

They shared an eye. They shared an eye. ““But their heads were human and But their heads were human and

beneath their wings they had arms and beneath their wings they had arms and hands” (Hamilton, p. 150). hands” (Hamilton, p. 150).

““Where’s my EYE?!?”Where’s my EYE?!?” Perseus did as Hermes instructed him Perseus did as Hermes instructed him

to do and snatched the eye of the Gray to do and snatched the eye of the Gray Women.Women.

He used the eye as leverage to find the He used the eye as leverage to find the location of the nymphs of the North.location of the nymphs of the North.

Immediately they gave him directions to Immediately they gave him directions to the land of Hyperboreans. the land of Hyperboreans.

Gift from the Maidens of Gift from the Maidens of Hyperboreans – Hyperboreans – Nymphs of the Nymphs of the

NorthNorth Winged sandalsWinged sandals A magic wallet that morphed A magic wallet that morphed

into the right size of whatever into the right size of whatever he was carryinghe was carrying

A cap which made the A cap which made the wearer invisiblewearer invisible

GorgonsGorgons When Perseus came When Perseus came across them they were across them they were sleeping. sleeping.

They had “great wings They had “great wings and bodies covered in and bodies covered in golden scales” with golden scales” with hair of twisting snakes hair of twisting snakes (Hamilton, p. 151).(Hamilton, p. 151).

Athena and Hermes Athena and Hermes were with him to guide were with him to guide him to Medusa.him to Medusa.

Slaying Slaying MedusaMedusa

He used the reflection in He used the reflection in his shield to approach his shield to approach Medusa and cut off her Medusa and cut off her head through her neck. head through her neck. Athena guided him.Athena guided him.

He put Medusa’s head into He put Medusa’s head into his wallet and it closed his wallet and it closed shut.shut.

The other Gorgons The other Gorgons attacked, but Perseus attacked, but Perseus used the sandals and the used the sandals and the cap to escape. He put the cap to escape. He put the invisible cap on so that invisible cap on so that the other Gorgons the other Gorgons wouldn’t see him. wouldn’t see him.

Princess AndromedaPrincess Andromeda As he passed Ethiopia on As he passed Ethiopia on

his return trip, Perseus his return trip, Perseus spied Andromeda chained spied Andromeda chained to a rock.to a rock.

Andromeda was chained to Andromeda was chained to a rock because her mother, a rock because her mother, Queen Cassiopeia, bragged Queen Cassiopeia, bragged about her beauty. The gods about her beauty. The gods were not happy with this were not happy with this and took their fury out on and took their fury out on her daughter, Andromeda. her daughter, Andromeda.

The Ethiopians The Ethiopians forced Cepheus, forced Cepheus, Andromeda’s Andromeda’s father. To sacrifice father. To sacrifice Andromeda so they Andromeda so they wouldn’t be wouldn’t be plagued by the plagued by the serpent anymore.serpent anymore.

Princess AndromedaPrincess Andromeda

Return to SeriphosReturn to Seriphos When Perseus When Perseus

returned to returned to Seriphos, he used Seriphos, he used Medusa’s head to Medusa’s head to turn Polydectes to turn Polydectes to stone.stone.

He made He made Polydectes’ Polydectes’ brother, Dictys, the brother, Dictys, the new king. new king.

Perseus and his mother, with Perseus and his mother, with Adromeda, decide to return to Adromeda, decide to return to Greece to try to reconcile with Greece to try to reconcile with Acrisius. Acrisius.

They find that he was driven They find that he was driven away from the city away from the city

No one knew where he wasNo one knew where he was

Return to ArgosReturn to Argos

Prophecy Fulfilled and The EndProphecy Fulfilled and The End At an athletic event At an athletic event

sometime later, Perseus sometime later, Perseus thrilled a crowd with his thrilled a crowd with his discus skill.discus skill.

However, he accidentally However, he accidentally struck and killed a man struck and killed a man who turned out to be who turned out to be Acrisius.Acrisius.

The prophecy originally The prophecy originally told to Acrisius had told to Acrisius had come truecome true..

Works CitedWorks Cited

Hamilton, Edith. Hamilton, Edith. MythologyMythology. New York: . New York: Little Brown & Company, 1940. Print. Little Brown & Company, 1940. Print.

"Perseus." "Perseus." Greek MythologyGreek Mythology. 2005. Web. . 2005. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. 21 Feb. 2010.

<http://www.greekmythology.com/Myth<http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Heroes/Perseus/perseus.html>. s/Heroes/Perseus/perseus.html>.