Website of the Gods!!!

This is a blog of the gods, Ancient Rome, the Gallic Wars, translations, and other Latiny stuff!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Perseus~Slayer of Medusa!


In Greek mythology, Perseus was the hero who slayed the Gorgon Medusa. Perseus was the son of Zeus, and the grandson of the king of Argos, Acrisius. Acrisius was warned that he would be killed by his grandson, and he cast Perseus an his mother into the sea. They drifted to Seriphus where Perseus grew to manhood and was eventually sent away by Polydectes (king of Seriphus). Polydectes feared that Perseus might interfere with his plans and gave him a mission to bring back the head of the Gorgon Medusa, whose glance could turn men to stone.

Aided by Hermes, the messenger god, Perseus used winged sandals, a magic wallet, an invisibility cap, a sword that couldn't be broken, and a shield that could protect him form being turned to stone. Perseus found Medusa, killed her, put her head in his bottomless wallet, used the invisibility cap to get away from the other Gorgons, and used the winged sandals to fly towards home.

On his way home, Perseus rescued the princess Andromeda from being sacrificed to a sea monster. He then wed her. Once home, Perseus used Medusa's head to turn Polydectes to stone and saved his mother. They all returned to Greece, where Perseus accidentally killed his grandfather Acrisius, fulfilling the prophecy.

Perseus achieved his kleos for his heroic deeds.