Perseus was conceived, and perhaps born, in Argos, the homeland of his mom Danae. But when his grandfather Acrisius learned that Danae experienced grow to be Expecting In spite of his safeguards, he locked her and her little one inside a upper body and threw it into the sea.
This angered Poseidon, the supreme god of the sea. To punish Cassiopeia, Poseidon sent a sea monster (named Cetus in a few sources) to ravage the shore of her and her spouse’s kingdom.
Not all historical sources interpreted The parable of Medusa basically. In line with Athenaeus, a Greek writer who lived in the course of the late 2nd and early 3rd generations CE, the Gorgons ended up prolonged-haired beasts, so terrifying that each one who appeared upon them had been paralyzed and killed.[26]
Perseus was assisted with the gods, who furnished him that has a mirrored protect, winged sandals, a helmet of invisibility, an adamantine sword, in addition to a magical satchel which could have Medusa’s head.
Pegasus’ mother was Medusa, from whose blood he was born. His father was normally claimed to generally be Poseidon, who had been Medusa’s lover.
Pegasus was typically imagined being an immortal becoming, and several ancient sources involved him using a constellation from the evening sky which was eventually named soon after him.
Modern day scholars have instructed other doable origins for the identify. Some have related Pegasus to the stem *piḫašš-, which implies “lightning” or possibly “power” from the Luwian language spoken in historic Anatolia.
In historic artwork from the fifth century BCE, Medea was generally shown sporting characteristically Jap clothes and carrying her magical potions. In some cases she was represented Driving the chariot of her grandfather Helios. She was a favorite subject matter in vase portray, statuary, and sarcophagi.[three]
The wisest of all gods and goddesses, Minerva experienced a calculating thoughts that she utilised to obtain her aims. The chastest of Roman deities, Minerva spurned the advances of Gentlemen and gods alike in order to retain her virginal purity.
In historical and modern iconography, he is usually shown holding The top of Medusa, which he wielded to turn his enemies to stone.
The Graiae here ended up a few old Females who shared one eye between them. Perseus sneaked up around the Graiae and snatched away their one particular eye, which he agreed to offer back again only once they instructed him where by to locate the Hesperides.
When Perseus achieved the Hesperides, he was offered a Distinctive satchel that would safely have Medusa’s head. One other gods also assisted source Perseus for his quest: from Athena, he obtained a protect with a sophisticated deal with; from his father, Zeus, he acquired an unbreakable sickle; from Hades, he been given a helmet that rendered him invisible; last but not least, from Hermes, he been given winged sandals.
You will find different versions of what Perseus desired through the Graeae. In a single Variation—in all probability the greater familiar a single—the hero necessary to locate a gaggle of nymphs who ended up in possession of winged sandals, a cap of invisibility, and also a magical bag (the kibisis) that might keep Medusa’s dangerous head—the equipment necessary to facial area the Gorgon. But only the Graeae knew in which Perseus could come across these nymphs.
But Perseus also essential the help with the Graeae—a tough detail to obtain, on condition that Medusa was their sister.
Sooner or later, Polydectes held a substantial banquet at which each guest was ordered to carry him a present. Of Perseus, Polydectes demanded The top of Medusa. This was viewed as a virtually impossible activity: Medusa was on the list of a few monsters known as the Gorgons, whose heads were ringed by snakes as an alternative to hair and whose gaze turned men and women to stone. Not shrinking with the complicated activity, Perseus promised to provide Polydectes The pinnacle of Medusa.