The morals of these stories can still be learned from There Perseus killed the current King, Proteus, and took his place on the throne. 1 greek mythology overview why study myths, Introduction to Greek mythology: Authors, gods, & goddesses, Greek Mythology Connections to Modern Times, Greek Mythology: Gods and Goddesses and Other Divinities, Greek Mythology: Gods and Goddesses (Edith Hamilton), Perseus and andromeda in ancient and modern art, Edith Hamiltons Mythology Part 1: The Gods, Its All Greek to Me! Heather Dale's 2005 album "The Road to Santiago" included the song "Medusa," also from Medusa's point of view. (2020, August 27). He consequently left Argos and founded Mycenae as his capital, becoming the ancestor of the Perseids, including Heracles. Those who looked on their faces were turned to stone. Medusa and her sisters Euryale and Stheno can be seen in the Class of the Titans episode Sibling Rivalry, with Medusa, after returning to freedom after her 1000-year banishment, turning a zoo's grizzly bear into a stone statue just as the grizzly bear was about to attack while standing up while roaring with his right arm raised and his left arm lowered. The earliest known record about the story of Medusa and the Gorgons Perseus was also featured in comics. Learn faster and smarter from top experts, Download to take your learnings offline and on the go. By looking at the bronze shields reflection, he never had to gaze directly upon the monster. Weve updated our privacy policy so that we are compliant with changing global privacy regulations and to provide you with insight into the limited ways in which we use your data. Clever young hero hunts down a dreaded, snake-haired monster? Later installments of the franchise expand on her and introduce her sisters. Eventually, he turned the head of Medusa upon himself and turned to stone. Abas had twin sons, Proetus (who became king of Tiryns) and ACRISIUS [a-kris'i-us], or AKRISIOS (who ruled Argos). Thus the prophecy was fulfilled, and Perseus was officially the rightful claim to the throne of Argos. Aided by Hermes and Athena, Perseus pressed the Graiae, sisters of the Gorgons, into helping him by seizing the one eye and one tooth that the sisters shared and not returning them until they provided him with winged sandals (which enabled him to fly), the cap of Hades (which conferred invisibility), a curved sword, or sickle, to decapitate Medusa, and a bag in which to conceal the head. It is not Perseus fault, Hermes told Dionysus, but Hera, who convinced him to fight. Now she is in heaven with the other great women, like Elektra, my mother Maia, and your mother Semele., Dionysus calmed and let Perseus live. He was the son of mighty Zeus and mortal Danae. However, classical and renaissance artists loved depicting the creature being ridden by the better-known hero, so the two myths are often confused. Duzer is a Gorgon in the 1990 animated series, Gravedale High. The sea nymphs fell angry to hear that and complained to Poseidon, the god of the sea. From them also descended Heracles and Eurystheus (see MLS, Chapter 22). Modern linguists, however, dismiss this etymology as a coincidence. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Dana, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. Poseidon took special interest in her, and one day came down to Athenas shrine and raped the poor woman. Percy trains as a god at Camp Half-Blood and travels America on adventures. A furious Poseidon unleashed the sea monster Cetus to frequently ravage the coast and devastate the land of Ethiopia in order to avenge the insult to his wards, the Nereids. (a) overconfidence, (b) temerity, (c) dismay, (d) brashness. In their confrontation, Perseus used Medousa's head to turn the Titan into stone. Thus it was that our hero Perseus found himself face to face with the beautiful Andromeda chained helplessly onto the rocks, awaiting her doom. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. The myth of the Gorgon was the basis for the 1964 Hammer horror film, The Gorgon, which "abandoned the traditional myth entirely and tried to tell a new story". As an infant he was cast into the sea in a chest with his mother by Acrisius, to whom it had been prophesied that he would be killed by his grandson. More importantly, he was the grandson of Acrisius and Eurydice. In a mid-credits scene, Percy's abusive step-father Gabe Ugliano finds Medusa's severed head in the refrigerator and is turned to stone. Medusa was the "bad guy" and because Perseus killed her, he is considered a true hero. In a strange little side-note, an interesting fact about Medusa and her sisters were integral to the invention of the flute. Perseus, upon saving his mother, returned to Argos. Brave, handsome hero sets off to slay the evil, hideous monster. So he gave away the kingdom of Argos to Megapenthes, in exchange for Megapenthes' kingdom of Tiryns. perseus myth connection to modern world. The Graeae and the Nymphs. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Dana, the daughter of Acrisius of Argos. Contact the team at KROSSTECH today to learn more about DURABOX. Perseus only succeeded by owning special armor and weapons from the gods and later took advantage of holding Medusas head when confronted with the Titan Atlas. if(url.indexOf(hostToCompare) < 0 ){ ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/perseus-greek-hero-120217. Flying past the coast of the Levant (or, some say, Ethiopia, that is, the part of Africa lying to the south of Egypt), Perseus saw a young woman chained to a rock, threatened by a sea monster. Once landing on the island of Serifos, Perseus grew into a strong man with noble character and great WebPerseus was the son of Zeus, and the god of gods wanted to protect him on his quest. Unfortunately for Acrisius, the oracles prophesy eventually came true. The desperate king Cephus appealed Zeus, who suggested the sacrifice of Andromeda as the only way to appease the wrathful Poseidon. He then saved Andromeda from her confinement and took her to his home to become his wife. M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota. 2. This series is often compared to the British Harry Potter series, and the first book was adapted into a film in 2010. Free access to premium services like Tuneln, Mubi and more. This is what they say; and their doings in honor of Perseus are Greek, inasmuch as they celebrate games that include every form of contest, and offer animals and cloaks and skins as prizes. Perseus, wearing the Cap of Invisibility, escaped from the Gorgons and began his flight back to Seriphos. We're guessing you've seen a story a like this before and you loved it. God of War Kratos, Mr. God of War, fights and defeats both Perseus and Medusa. What were some of the economic differences between the North and the South before the Civil War. With the help of Athena and Hermes, a polished shield for a mirror, and some other useful items the one-shared-eyed Graeae helped him locate, Perseus was able to cut off the head of Medusa without being turned to stone. 1487-1576). So easily then, the brave and intelligent Perseus managed to complete this difficult task! Perseus and Andromeda flew back to Seriphos, leaving a son, Perses, to inherit the kingdom of Cepheus. There, he married Andromeda, and she would live to old age, giving Perseus many children. Their son was Nauplius, founder of Nauplia and father of Palamedes. Phineus. N.S. The Helmet of Hades was also used by Athene in the battle of Troy and Hermes when he fought Hippolytus, the giant. According to Pausanias, they say that the god, having made war on Perseus, afterward laid aside his enmity, and received great honors at the hands of the Argives, including this precinct set specially apart for himself.. We're guessing that's why the story of Perseus was used as the basis of both the 1981 and 2010 versions of Clash of the Titans, not to mention important chunks of the Percy Jackson series. Agenor, who became the ruler of Phoenicia, was father of Cadmus and Europa (see MLS, Chapter 17), while Belus ruled in Egypt. It is from the Perseus Constellation that we also see the Perseid Meteor Shower, which has been documented since 36 AD. Meanwhile, Polydectes loved Dana, who refused him. By wearing the winged sandals, he could move in and out quickly. I like this service www.HelpWriting.net from Academic Writers. To this day, the god can be seen as Mount Atlas. Outside of a comic book adaptation of the 1981 Clash of the Titans film published by Western Publishing and a graphic novel called Perseus: Destiny's Call published in 2012 by Campfire Books, the story of Perseus continued in a couple of comic book series from Bluewater Comics. karen rietz baldwin; hidden valley high school yearbook. The chief characters in the Perseus legend, Perseus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, and the sea monster (Cetus), all figure in the night sky as constellations. These family connections to a great hero, and through him to Zeus, were common in Greek lore. No human-made weapon could pierce the armor of the great blacksmith, and only a weapon he made himself had a chance the sword of Hephaestus. And anyone who looked upon the head, even after it was removed, would turn to stone. In later times, Artists would paint quite detailed works of Perseus holding the head of Medusa, and they would inform similar beheadings, such as David and Goliath, or the beheading of John the Baptist. WebKratos, Mr. God of War, fights and defeats both Perseus and Medusa. To link to this article in the text of an online publication, please use this URL: 3. In Monster High, Deuce Gorgon is the son of Medusa, while Viperine Gorgon is the daughter of Stheno. (Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Rather than die on the field, she was assassinated during the night. However, those myths which mention three women call them sisters, and say that the other two were punished simply because of Medusas transgressions. The titan Atlas, who supported the heavens (see MLS, Chapter 4), refused hospitality to Perseus, who turned him into stone, now the Atlas range of mountains. It is only those interested in the stars that may see the name appear commonly, and that is because there is a very famous constellation named after the Argive king. There, one day, Perseus took part in a sport competition. He then enclosed the severed head in a sack or wallet. In the discus-throw, his discus accidentally killed Acrisius, and so the prophecy of the oracle was fulfilled. Polydectes had been abusing her. Perseus took Andromeda to her father Cepheus and asked for her hand in marriage. WebIn ancient Greek mythology, Medusa is the most famous of three monstrous sisters known as the Gorgons. 2010 Movie TrailerNope, it's not faithful to the original myth, but it's still fun. One day, the vain queen had bragged that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, the sea nymphs. Clipping is a handy way to collect important slides you want to go back to later. Because the gaze of Medusa turned all who looked at her to stone, Perseus guided himself by her reflection in a shield given him by Athena and beheaded Medusa as she slept. Tap here to review the details. The ShowdownPerseus vs. Medusa, according to the 2010 and 1981 films. [13], Medusa was a character in the 1981 film, Clash of the Titans. Perseus and Andromeda fell in love and were married to save the kingdom. She is perhaps best recognized by her hair of living snakes and ability to turn living creatures to stone. Perseus agreed to kill the monster if he could marry Andromeda, with some predictable obstacles to overcome. }. [19], British band UB40 produced a song ("Madame Medusa") for their 1980 album, Signing Off, drawing unfavorable comparisons between the mythological monster and United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.[19]. Gorgophone, daughter of Perseus, was to give birth to Tyndareus. DURABOX double lined solid fibreboard will protect your goods from dust, humidity and corrosion. A fellow child of Zeus, Perseus famously beheaded the snake-haired Medusa, fought a sea monster for Andromeda, and accidentally killed his grandfather while playing sport. She turned the seer Rosalind and the Witch Dorcas into stone, they were later turned back into flesh and Rosalind beheaded Nagaina with a sword. In this very subjective excerpt from her autobiography, Rylant is not afraid to let her feelings show. Whitney Avalon released a song in 2020 titled 'Plaything of The Gods', written from Medusa's point of view. The son of Tydeus was Diomedes, a leading Greek hero in the Trojan War (see MLS, Chapter 19). Perseus had been traveling home from slaying Medusa when he came across a beautiful woman by the sea. In an Amazon Prime advertisement Medusa (played by Jesi Le Rae) is depicted buying new sunglasses through the service in order to show off her fun side. Medusa was a beautiful young woman, a virgin priestess of the goddess Athena. In the follow-up series Metal Masters, Julian Konzern's Beyblade, Gravity Destroyer (or Gravity Perseus in the Japanese dub of Metal Masters, is originally based on the Greek god Perseus, but when in Counter mode, it is based on Medusa and it freezes it's opponents to stone when this happens. No source of mythology states that Poseidon was his father, although the sea god does play a role in Perseus story. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. According to some tellings of the myth, Perseus turned all the kings soldiers and even the entire island to stone. The fifty sons of Aegyptus demanded the fifty daughters of Danas (DANADS [dan'aidz]) in marriage; on their wedding night, forty-nine Danads stabbed their husbands with daggers given them for the purpose by Danas, and for this were punished in the Underworld by having to fill perforated water jars. He famously slew the dreaded Medusa, a Gorgon with snakes as hair and WebThe story of Perseus and Andromeda derives from Greek mythology and contains very deep wisdom on the interactions of male and female energy. He then took the form of a golden rain to get into the bronze chamber and seduce Danae. Helios and Perseis gave birth to multiple children, making Perses the brother of Aeetes, Circe, and Pasiphae. An album of cover-tunes, which contains no songs named Medusa. Gorgon Medousa was a terrible monster with snakes in her head and she could turn into stone everyone that looked her face. Medusa is a playable character in Smite, turning enemy gods into stone. He also rescued Andromeda from the sea monster. 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