When Perseus uncovered the Gorgons, he utilised the helmet of invisibility to sneak up on Medusa. He then used the mirrored shield to eliminate her, taking a look at Medusa’s reflection rather then right at her to ensure that he wouldn't be turned to stone.
Medusa was killed via the hero Perseus, a son of Zeus plus the mortal Argive princess Danae. Perseus were despatched to fetch Medusa’s head by Polydectes, a cruel king who wished to acquire Perseus from just how so he could marry his mom, Danae.
As Andromeda was awaiting her destiny, Perseus occurred to go by on his way house from killing the Gorgon Medusa. When he acquired what was going on—that The attractive girl sure to the rock was to become sacrificed to Poseidon’s sea monster—Perseus designed Cepheus and Cassiopeia a suggestion: should they promised him Andromeda’s hand in relationship, he would preserve her existence.
Perseus was assisted with the gods, who supplied him with a mirrored protect, winged sandals, a helmet of invisibility, an adamantine sword, as well as a magical satchel that would have Medusa’s head.
Homer: Medusa is not really named during the eighth-century BCE epics the Iliad and the Odyssey, but Any time Athena marches into battle, she is alleged to carry The pinnacle of your Gorgon on her armor.
Pegasus was occasionally mentioned to get the thunder-bearer of Zeus himself. He was also linked to the Muses. The constellation Pegasus was made from the heavens to honor him.
Perseus and Andromeda soon traveled to Greece, wherever they had quite a few kids. They can be remembered as the ancestors of several good heroes, such as Heracles.
Later it absolutely was uncovered that the sufferer was none aside from his grandfather, Acrisius, Therefore inadvertently fulfilling the prophecy. Saddened, Perseus buried his grandfather and gave the kingdom of Argos to his cousin Megapenthes.
Planning to Polydectes’ palace, Perseus confirmed the lecherous king the “reward” he himself experienced asked for: The top of Medusa. Polydectes, disbelieving, looked at the Gorgon’s head and turned to stone.
There is a maiden, nurtured inside the halls of Aeetes, whom the goddess Hecate taught to deal with magic herbs with exceeding ability all that the land and flowing waters deliver.
And with swift ft unmarked [Eros] passed the edge and keenly glanced close to; and gliding within reach Aeson’s son [Jason] he laid the arrow-notch within the cord during the centre, and drawing large apart with each arms he shot at Medea; and speechless amazement seized her soul. Although the god himself flashed back again with the substantial-roofed hall, laughing loud; plus the bolt burnt deep down in the maiden’s coronary heart like a flame; and ever she saved darting vivid glances straight up at Aeson’s son, and inside her breast her coronary heart panted quick as a result of anguish, all remembrance left her, and her soul melted with the sweet soreness.
The serpentine locks of Medusa’s hair had an outcome very similar to that of The pinnacle: while they did not always turn people to stone, they could scatter whole armies. One these types of lock was in some cases explained to guard the Greek city of Tegea.[23]
She also warned him that after he sowed the dragon’s enamel, a race of warriors would sprout within the earth, Which the sole strategy to beat them could be to trick them into killing one another.
But Perseus also essential the assistance with the Graeae—a tough factor to acquire, given that Medusa was their sister.
One day, Polydectes held a big banquet at which Each individual guest was ordered to provide him a present. Of Perseus, Polydectes demanded The top of Medusa. This was regarded as an almost unachievable task: Medusa was check here among the a few monsters known as the Gorgons, whose heads were ringed by snakes in lieu of hair and whose gaze turned persons to stone. Not shrinking in the complicated activity, Perseus promised to carry Polydectes The pinnacle of Medusa.