1) Perseus was born from Zeus and Danae after Zeus came to her in the form of golden rain while she was imprisoned by her father King Acrisius.
2) Perseus grew up on the island of Seraphos and was sent by King Polydectes, who wanted to marry Danae, to retrieve the head of the gorgon Medusa.
3) With the help of Hermes and Athena, who provided him with winged sandals, a magic wallet, an invisibility helmet, and a reflective shield, Perseus was able to slay Medusa and use her head to turn others to stone.
2. ISLAND OF
SERAPHOS
ISLAND OF
ARGOS
AN ENCOUNTER
WITH HERMES AND
ATHENA
End of the Earth (Land
of the Gray women)
LAND OF
THE HAPPY
BEINGS
(NYMPHS)
LAND OF THE
GORGONS
LYBIAN
DESERT
ETHIOPIA
serapho
s
ARGO
S
3. Acrisius, the king of Argos, was told by the oracle of Delphi
that his own grandson would kill him one day.
This grandson would be the child of his daughter Danae.
Scared of the upcoming future and his destiny,
King Acrisius decided to deprive his daughter of
any possible intercourse, mating and child
bearing, so he built a room beneath the earth and
imprisoned Danae there.
However, as the legend says, Zeus came to her
in the form of golden rain, pierced through the
walls of chamber, and Danae’s body. Hence,
Perseus was born.
Hearing the news but not believing that Zeus was the
father of the newborn, Acrisius let his daughter and
grandchild out to the open sea on an ark.
4. They eventually came to the shores of
Seraphos island, where they were saved by
Dictys, the brother of King Polydectes.
Perseus grew up to a handsome and strong
young man, one more time he found himself
in the way of one king, this time King
Polydectes, who wanted Danae to become
his wife.
Knowing that he wouldn’t have the woman for himself as long as Perseus
was there to protect her, the king made a plan to send Perseus not only far
away but also to a dangerous mission. Polydectes told Perseus to bring him
the head of the gorgon Medusa.
5. Hermes advised him that he should have
a winged sandals, the magic wallet and
the helmet of invisibility. The Gray women
can tell him where to find these things.
Hermes also gave
him a
magnificent
curvred sword.
6. Athena gave him a bright
shield to look into it
instead of at the monster
so that he will not turn
into stone
7. Perseus snatched the eye
from the Gray Women as
they passed it from one to
another and being helpless
they told him where he can
get the three priceless
things he needed to get
Medusa’s head.
8.
9. The Gorgons were asleep
when he saw them and
through the help of Athena he
easily cut off Medusa’s head.
The Gorgon sisters roared
with fury but they could not
outstrip the winged
sandals.
10. • He didn’t notice that
the blood falling from
Medusa’s head turned
into snakes.
12. A wedding feast was celebrated but
Phineas came and want to take
avenge for Andromeda was
promised to he him to be her bride.
The feast turned into battle and at
the end Phineas became a stone
together with two hundred men who
did not hide their faces when
Perseus asked them to do so.
13. Polydectes didn’t believe that he slain
Medusa. Perseus showed him the head
and he turned into stone.
That was the last time he used
the head of Medusa and
he gave it to Athene.
Danae wanted to go home and reconciled
with her father so Perseus made Dictys
the King of Seraphos.