One of the most famous of all the Greek heroes was Perseus, a son of Zeus while his mother was Danae. Arcisius, Perseus’ grandfather once got an oracle to tell his future fate, where a son born to his daughter would eventually kill him. Driven by fear he imprisoned his beautiful daughter. Danae caught the eye of Zeus transformed into a shower of golden rain and visited Danae inside her prison chamber. Through their union Danae gave birth to a baby boy which was kept secret from his father.
Arcisius was furious and refused to believe the child belonged to Zeus. He condemned Zeus’ nurse to death and thought about killing the son himself. To prevent the prophecy from coming true, he placed mother and child in a wooden chest and cast them out to sea. The chest washed ashore on the island of Seriphos, where a fisherman named Dictys found them and took them in.
Perseus’ quest for Medusa’s Head
As Perseus grew older, he became a strong and brave young man. To get rid of Perseus, Polydectes sent him on an impossible task: to retrieve the head of Medusa, one of the three Gorgons. Medusa was a monster with snakes for hair and anyone who looked into her eyes would turn to stone. Perseus set off on his perilous quest. However, he was aided by several gods: Athena, the goddess of wisdom, gave him a polished shield, advising him to look at Medusa’s reflection in it so he wouldn’t be turned to stone.
Hermes, the messenger god, gave Perseus winged sandals, enabling him to fly. Hades, the god of the underworld, gave Perseus a helm of invisibility, which would allow him to approach Medusa without being seen. The Gray Sisters (or Graeae), who shared one eye and one tooth, provided him with information on where to find Medusa, after he stole their eye and tooth.
Slaying Medusa
With the help of the gods, Perseus reached the cave where Medusa and her sisters lived. He was able to approach her and behead her. As he did so, the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor sprang from Medusa’s blood, both of whom would become important figures in later myths.
Rescue of Andromeda
Perseus, returning from his victory over Medusa, saw the beautiful Andromeda chained to the rock, about to be devoured by the sea monster. Perseus immediately decided to rescue her. Her mother, Cassiopeia, had offended the sea gods by boasting that Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, leading Poseidon to send the monster to terrorize the kingdom.
Perseus struck a deal with Andromeda’s parents, Cepheus and Cassiopeia. He would slay the sea monster in exchange for Andromeda’s hand in marriage. With the help of his magical gifts—Perseus prepared to face the beast.
As the monster emerged from the sea, Perseus confronted it, using the head of Medusa to turn it into stone. Perseus freed Andromeda, and in gratitude, Cepheus and Cassiopeia honoured their agreement and allowed Perseus to marry her. Perseus and Andromeda’s wedding was celebrated with joy, but it wasn’t without its complications.
Andromeda had previously been promised to Phineas, her uncle (the brother of her mother, Cassiopeia), who had hoped to marry her. Phineas, angered by the loss of his bride-to-be, arrived with a group of his followers to disrupt the wedding.
However, Perseus used Medusa’s head once again, turning Phineas and his followers into stone. Andromeda’s name became legendary, and she was later immortalized as a constellation in the night sky.
Prophecy fulfilled
Perseus returned to Seriphos with the head of Medusa and used it to turn Polydectes and his court to stone. In gratitude for his bravery, Perseus gave the throne of Seriphos to Dictys, who had been kind to him and Danaë.
Eventually, Perseus returned to Argos, where his grandfather Acrisius had been ruling. In an ironic twist of fate, Perseus involuntarily fulfilled the prophecy: during a discuss-throwing contest, the discuss struck Acrisius, killing him.
Legacy of Perseus
Perseus’s story doesn’t end with the fulfillment of the prophecy; Perseus went on to become a founding figure of various cities. His descendants were said to include Heracles (Hercules), one of the greatest of Greek heroes. Perseus is often seen as one of the classic Greek heroes: brave, strong, and favoured by the gods.
Symbolism
Perseus represents the triumph of human courage aided by divine grace and power. His myth often explores themes of fate, destiny and the balance between human agency and the will of the gods.
