perseus greek literature

Polydektes immediately challenged Perseus to make good on his promise and if he failed, then the king would take possession of his mother Danae. 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.He also rescued Andromeda from the sea monster.

There is no other support for these additions in the Greek mythological tradition in literature, but there are 6th century BCE pottery depictions of certain scenes, and the additions have since become as much a part of the Perseus legend as the earlier adventures.. To continue our story … In Greek mythology, Perseus (/ ˈ p ɜːr s i ə s,-sj uː s /; Greek: Περσεύς) is the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty.He was, alongside Cadmus and Bellerophon, the greatest Greek hero and slayer of monsters before the days of Heracles.

An opportunity arose when Perseus rashly boasted he could slay the dreaded Gorgon Medusa, whose stare could instantly turn men to stone. The hero, therefore, presented to Polydektes the head of Medusa as promised but made sure the deadly stare caught the king’s eye and turned him to stone.

He held a large banquet where each guest was expected to bring a gift.On the way back to Seriphos, Perseus stopped in the kingdom of As Perseus was flying in his return above the sands of Perseus then returned his magical loans and gave Medusa's head as a Having killed Acrisius, Perseus, who was next in line for the throne, gave the kingdom to The two main sources regarding the legendary life of Perseus—for he was an authentic historical figure to the Greeks— are Pausanias and the Apart from these more historical references, the only accounts of him are from folk-etymology: Perseus dropped his cap or found a mushroom (both named Such a banquet, to which each guest brings a gift, was an Laodice may be the daughter of Agamemnon mentioned by Homer, who is generally equated with "Even thus endured Danaë in her beauty to change the light of day for brass-bound walls; and in that chamber, secret as the grave, she was held close" (Ovid, as a Roman writer, uses the Roman names for Poseidon and Athena, "Neptune" and "Minerva" respectively. He was the son of the Argive princess Danae who was locked away in a bronze chamber by her father Akrisios (Acrisius) who lived in fear of a prophecy that he would one day be killed by her son. The task seemed an impossible one, but here Perseus received guidance from the gods. He beheaded the Gorgon Medusa for Polydectes and saved Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus.He was the son of Zeus and … Poets, Playwrights, Gods, and Heroes Read all about the fascinating world of ancient Greek mythology, drama, history, and religion with glossaries, lists, quizzes, crosswords, and more. Perseus believed Polydectes was less than honourable, and protected his mother from him; then Polydectes plotted to send Perseus away in disgrace. Using his flying sandals then, Perseus travelled to the ends of the earth (literally) and creeping up on the Gorgons, our light-footed hero, invisible thanks to his cap, beheaded Medusa without much fuss using his divine sickle, the only unexpected event being the emergence of Chyrsaor and Returning to Seriphos, according to Apollodorus, Perseus’ adventures continue. Akrisios had fled there precisely to avoid Perseus, but the fates would have their way, and a wayward throw went into the crowd and instantly killed the old man, thus fulfilling the oracle’s prediction. Tufts University holds the overall copyright to the Perseus Digital Library; the materials therein (including all texts, translations, images, descriptions, drawings, etc.) He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the Publishing Director at AHE.

The only son of Zeus and Danae – and, thus, a half-god by birth – Perseus was one of the greatest heroes in Greek mythology, most renowned for beheading the only mortal Gorgon, Medusa, and using her severed head (capable of turning onlookers into stone) as a mighty weapon in his subsequent adventures.These famously include the slaying of the sea monster Cetus which led … It was here on Seriphos that Perseus peacefully spent his formative years, impressing everyone with his physical prowess and courage. Returning to Seriphos, according to Apollodorus, Perseus’ adventures continue. Perseus then presented the head as a gift to Athena who placed it at the centre of her fearsome aegis.Perseus’ later exploits included accidentally killing his grandfather with a quoit whilst competing in a sporting competition at Larisa in Thessaly.

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