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In Greek Mythology, Acrisius and Proteus were twin brothers who split their father’s kingdom after a difference of opinion. Proteus became the ruler of Tiryns and Acrisius maintained control over the region of Argos. After several years Acrisius was blessed with a daughter, whom he named Danae. He became ever more concerned though, as time passed, that he wouldn’t produce a male heir to pass on his kingdom to.
Unable to control his curiosity, Acrisius consulted the oracle at Delphi, a place where answers from the gods could be sought, which was dedicated to Apollo. The oracle foresaw that he would not have a male son. This bad news was augmented when Apollo predicted that Acrisius’ grandson would be responsible for the king’s death. Acrisius panicked and, realising that the only way he could have a grandson would be through his daughter Danae, decided upon a drastic plan of action. He locked her away in an impenetrable tower of bronze, in an attempt to make it impossible for her to bear any children.
Confident that this plan would work Acrisius relaxed again. However, he hadn’t planned upon the work of the Gods. Zeus had been watching Danae for some time and fell in love with her. He appeared on earth as a golden rain and seeped through the walls of the tower, landing in Danae’s lap. Thus she became pregnant with the son of Zeus, who was called Perseus.
Soon enough though, King Acrisius found out about the son. He flew into a wild rage and, wanting rid of the people who were to be responsible for his impending doom, packed Danae and Perseus into a large chest and cast them out into the ocean. Under the protection of Zeus though, they were washed ashore an island called Seriphos and found by a fisherman, Dictys.
The fisherman was brother to the King of Seriphos, Polydectes. Dictys watched over Perseus throughout his childhood, becoming a father figure to him. When our Greek Hero was a young man, Polydectes became aware of Danae and tried to seduce her. He wasn’t particularly sly in his ways and Perseus suspected his deeds. The king realised that Perseus stood in the way of him marrying Danae and so devised a cunning plan. Suddenly, he announced that he was to marry another woman, Hippodameia, and that every subject on the island must bring him a gift of a herd of horses. Knowing that there was no way in which Perseus could finance such a present, he told him that the thing he desired most in the world was the head of a Gorgon. Perseus, still rather naïve at the time, accepted the challenge, leaving the King to rejoice at what he considered an impossible task. He would be free to pursue the love of Danae without her meddlesome son getting in the way.
The Gorgons were three sisters put on earth to battle against the Gods Of Olympia. Two of them, Euryale and Stheno, were immortal, whilst the third, Medusa was once a beautiful mortal woman. However, she was seduced by Poseidon in a Temple of Athena. Disgusted at this sacrilege, Athena cursed Medusa so that she looked identical to her sisters. Instead of hands they had metallic claws, leathery wings emanated from their backs, and snakes writhed where there was once hair. It was said that anybody who looked directly at a Gorgon, would immediately be turned into stone, such was their hideous appearance.
Once again though the intervention of the Gods was vital in Perseus’ favour. Athena took him to the Island of Samos and conjured up an image of the Gorgons, showing him which one was Medusa. At the same time she gave him a polished shield that acted as a mirror, so he could fight Medusa without looking directly at her. Hermes, the messenger, provided Perseus with a magical sickle that would easily penetrate the skin of Medusa. He also advised him to seek out the Graiae, who could aid him further.
Perseus set off on his quest and presently found the Graiae. They were three old women who had only one eye and one tooth between them. When they were caught off guard Perseus stole their eye and refused to return it unless they helped him. Desperate for their vision back, the Graiae told Perseus of the Stygian Nymphs - supposed carriers of great magic.
Upon encountering the Nymphs, Perseus asked for some magical aid. He was given a magical helmet of invisibility, a pair of winged boots that enabled him to travel speedily over land and sea, and a leather bag that would hold an object of any size. He continued on with renewed confidence, finally reaching the home of the Gorgons at the end of the world.
Luckily, the three beasts were asleep. Perseus donned the Helmet of Hades which made him invisible and crept towards the Gorgons. He immediately identified Medusa and, using the polished shield as a mirror to guide him, sliced off her head with the magical sickle. Out of her neck sprung Pegasus, the magical winged horse and the warrior Chrysaor. Perseus’ astonishment at these entities flowing out of the dying Medusa was short lived as the two immortal Gorgons awoke. The hero stuffed Medusa’s head into the leather bag and fled the scene. It was only because he was in possession of the helmet and boots that he lived to tell the tale.
On his way home, Perseus was shocked to see the beautiful Andromeda tied to the Mediterranean cliffs, about to be devoured by a horrible monster called Cetus. It transpired that Andromeda’s father, King Cepheus, was forced to chain his daughter to the rocks to appease the sea god Poseidon. The sea god was angry because Queen Cassiopeia (Andromeda’s mother) had claimed her daughter was even prettier than the sea nymphs.
Perseus fell in love with Andromeda immediately, such was her beauty. Realising she was in grave danger, he pulled out the head of Medusa, turning the creature into stone. The king and queen rejoiced and offered their daughter’s hand in marriage, which Perseus duly accepted. Together, Perseus and Andromeda returned to the island of Seriphos.
They were somewhat dismayed on their return to hear that Danae, Perseus’ mother, had gone into hiding. Polydectes was holding a great feast when Perseus finally confronted him. The hero, knowing that the king had sent him on a near impossible mission aimed at killing him, proclaimed to have the gift the King desired most. Pulling the Medusa’s head from the leather bag Perseus turned Polydectes and his cronies to stone. Subsequently, Perseus proclaimed Dictys king of the island.
You may be wondering why the prophecy of the oracle given to Acrisius wasn’t fulfilled. Apparently, some time later Perseus was partaking in a contest of strength, using a discus as a gauge. He threw the discus and it veered wildly into the crowd killing a spectator. That spectator was Acrisius, so eventually the foretelling was completed.
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