When Perseus discovered the Gorgons, he applied the helmet of invisibility to sneak up on Medusa. He then utilised the mirrored defend to get rid of her, considering Medusa’s reflection in lieu of right at her to make sure that he would not be turned to stone.
Hesiod: Medea’s genealogy and relationship to Jason are briefly explained while in the Theogony (in which her marriage is detailed amongst All those amongst a mortal along with a god, indicating that Hesiod considered Medea to be a goddess), along with inside the fragmentary Catalogue of ladies.
As Andromeda was awaiting her fate, Perseus transpired to go by on his way dwelling from killing the Gorgon Medusa. When he learned what was taking place—that The gorgeous Woman bound to the rock was to become sacrificed to Poseidon’s sea monster—Perseus produced Cepheus and Cassiopeia an offer: should they promised him Andromeda’s hand in marriage, he would conserve her lifestyle.
Medusa, the daughter of The ocean gods Phorcys and Ceto, was one of the most feared of the Gorgons. It had been stated that anyone who seemed instantly at her was right away turned to stone. Medusa was generally depicted as a terrifying winged female with snakes in place of hair.
Thus armed, Perseus beheaded the monster and brought the awful head again to Polydectes—who turned to stone when he looked at it.
The etymology of Perseus’ name is obscure. An ancient folk etymology related the name “Perseus” While using the Persians, as he was occasionally mentioned to are already their ancestor.[1]
Historical writers normally explained that the Graeae lived in a distant Section of the globe. In line with Aeschylus’ Prometheus Bound, they may be found in the mysterious “Plain of Cisthene,” someplace while in the Far East, not much within the Gorgons. There, “neither does the Sunshine with his beams glance down upon them, nor at any time the nightly moon.”[eleven]
According to this account, he was originally the king in the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. Soon after Phorcys was killed inside of a war in opposition to Atlas, his followers built him a god.[nine]
Going to Polydectes’ palace, Perseus confirmed the lecherous king the “reward” he himself experienced asked for: The pinnacle of Medusa. Polydectes, disbelieving, checked out the Gorgon’s head and turned to medusa edibles stone.
Minerva wove an attractive tapestry that depicted triumphantly winning the patronage of Athens as the opposite gods appeared on. Even though wonderful and nicely crafted, Arachne’s tapestry depicted many popular episodes in which male gods transformed on their own into people and seduced mortal Gals. Such depictions had been taboo, as it had been deeply offensive to indicate the gods while in the midst of such folly.
Pegasus roamed considerably and broad through the entire cosmos. He had Primarily close ties with springs like the Hippocrene, the spring from the Muses, as well as Peirene, where he was finally captured and tamed by Bellerophon.
As outlined by Ovid, the corals in the Red Sea ended up formed when Perseus established Medusa’s head down in the seaweed following preserving Andromeda. Medusa’s blood induced the seaweed to harden and turn out to be attractive coral.[twenty]
Therefore Outfitted, Perseus went to your cave of your Gorgons. When he found Medusa, he was in the position to technique her with no turning to stone by thinking about her reflection in Athena’s protect.
The parable of Perseus does surface in modern well known society, regardless of whether Perseus just isn't as common as Another Greek legendary figures (such as Heracles).
Perseus, even so, was no standard guy: he was the son of Zeus himself, and also the gods rallied that can help him defeat his foe.