Banished from Argos before he was born (as a consequence of an ominous prophecy), Perseus grew up on the distant island. When he came of age, he was despatched to kill the Gorgon Medusa, a monster whose gaze turned all who seemed on her to stone.
Cepheus ultimately uncovered that the one way to remove the monster was to sacrifice his daughter Andromeda to it. Thus, Andromeda was bound to an incredible rock around the shore and left to die.
Medusa’s blood was at times considered to acquire magical or medicinal Homes. In keeping with Apollodorus, Asclepius acquired a phial of her blood from Athena and used it to overcome the Ill.[24] Medusa’s blood was also utilized for witchcraft by some legendary figures.[25]
This stem is attested in the title on the Anatolian weather god Pihassasi, who was liable for thunder and lightning. Since Pegasus was usually imagined given that the thunder-bearer of Zeus, it's been proposed that Pegasus’ fantasy and title were being derived from Pihassasi.[2]
Pegasus’ mom was Medusa, from whose blood he was born. His father was typically explained being Poseidon, who were Medusa’s lover.
The etymology of Perseus’ identify is obscure. An historic folks etymology linked the title “Perseus” Together with the Persians, as he was occasionally mentioned to have already been their ancestor.[1]
As Perseus created his way household, he passed as a result of Ethiopia. There, he witnessed an odd and horrible scene: a gorgeous youthful Female was certain naked into a rock, waiting for a sea monster to emerge with the depths and devour her. Cassiopeia, the queen of Ethiopia, had boasted that she was additional attractive compared to fifty daughters of The ocean deity Nereus.
In visual media, Medea is probably most effective regarded through the 1963 movie Jason as well as the Argonauts or maybe the 2000 Hallmark miniseries of exactly the same title. But Medea has long been depicted in a number of other movies and television demonstrates in addition.
Aeetes quickly recognized that he were betrayed and squandered no time in pursuing the Argonauts. He almost caught them, too—but Medea devised a website gruesome decide to distract her father by murdering his son (and her brother) Apsyrtus.
As Jason plus the Corinthians grappled with what Medea experienced accomplished, she produced her escape. Her grandfather Helios sent her a chariot drawn by traveling dragons; Medea received into the chariot and flew away.
But when Jason tried out to negotiate with Aeetes for your Golden Fleece, Aeetes was fewer than gracious: he agreed to listen to Jason out only if the young person could yoke his fire-respiratory bulls to your plow and sow a industry with dragon’s tooth.
This accusation experienced brought on Bellerophon to lose the friendship of Stheneboea’s spouse, Proetus, the king of Argos. The moment he experienced Pegasus, Bellerophon tricked Stheneboea into having a journey with him, then threw her off given that the winged horse was traveling about The ocean.[10]
You'll find different versions of what Perseus essential with the Graeae. In one Model—almost certainly the more acquainted a person—the hero required to Track down a bunch of nymphs who have been in possession of winged sandals, a cap of invisibility, along with a magical bag (the kibisis) that might keep Medusa’s unsafe head—the instruments needed to confront the Gorgon. But just the Graeae knew where Perseus could obtain these nymphs.
But Perseus also needed the assistance from the Graeae—a difficult matter to obtain, provided that Medusa was their sister.
An early hero plus a popular slayer of monsters, Perseus was commonly represented While using the weapons and artifacts he been given within the gods to battle Medusa: an unbreakable sword, a helmet of invisibility, a mirror shield, winged sandals, along with a magic satchel.