Perseus

[[image:http://www.thanasis.com/pers12.jpg width="229" height="568" align="left"]]
=Perseus  gfhfchfgfggvcc __purr-SEA-us__ =

 Compiled by: Robert Dartnell

=**Fast Facts:** =

__Early Life: __
===Once upon a time, there was a powerful king named Acrisius who ruled over Argos. King Acrisius had beautiful daughter named Danae. The oracle of Apollo told Acrisius that Danae's future son would one day come to kill him. King Acrisius swore to never let that happen, so he locked his daughter in a bronze tower, in the courtyard of his palace, so that she could never marry or have children. Unfortunately, Zeus came to Danae’s tower, in the form of a shower of gold, and got her pregnant. Some time later, Danae gave birth to a handsome baby boy named Perseus. === ===King Acrisius, now furious with his daughter, built a wooden chest to place the two in. The chest was brought to the sea and cast into the water. Eventually, the mother and child landed on an island of Seriphos, where they were taken in by a fisherman named Dictys, who raised the Perseus to adulthood. The brother of Dictys was Polydectes, the king of the Seripho, and after some time, Polydectes fell in love with Danae. He then sought to remove Perseus from his island. ===

__Polydectes's Plan: __
=== Polydectes’s plan to remove Perseus consisted of the fearsome monsters called Gorgons. The Gorgons were sisters who lived on an island. The sisters were recognized far and wide for their terrifying powers. Polydectes talked to Perseus alone, and told him that there was nothing that he would rather have than one of the Gorgon’s heads. Polydectes later announced that he was getting married to Danae, and invited his friends to the celebration, including Perseus. Every guest brought the bride-to-be a gift, except for Perseus. Feeling ashamed, Perseus announced he would kill the Gorgon Sister named Medusa, who was described as being so terribly ugly, whoever looked her in the eyes would instantly be turned to stone. King Polydectes was fully aware of the Gorgon’s powers and planned never to see Perseus again. ===

__The Killing of Medusa: __
===Knowing of Perseus’s plan, the gods Hermes, Athena and Hades came to his rescue. Hermes gave him his pair of winged sandals, while Athena gave him a highly-polished bronze shield, and Hades gave him a helmet of invisibility. Perseus then flew to Graeae to find the sisters. In a small cave he came upon the sleeping Gorgons. Perseus used his polished shield as a mirror to approach the snake-haired Medusa, and turn her to stone He then cut off her head with one swift stroke of his sword. The other two sisters pursued him, but under the cover of his helmet of invisibility he escaped. ===

[[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Perseus_und_Andromeda_MKL1888.png width="193" height="257" align="left"]]
=== Returning to Seriphos with his bounty, Perseus stopped in Ethiopia, ruled by King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia. He found a charming woman was to be eaten by a hideous sea serpent named Ceto. The young woman’s name was Andromeda and she was chained to a rocky ledge by the sea. When Perseus found her, he instantly fell in love with her. To save her, he waited for the beast and cuts its head off. Perseus then took Andromeda to her parents and asked for her hand in marriage. ===

__Returning Home: __
===On returning to Seriphos and discovering that his mother had to take refuge from the violent acts of Polydectes. Perseus then held up Medusa’s head and turned the king to stone. Next he made the king’s brother Dictys the new king. Perseus soon returned his magical gifts to their respected lenders, and was slain by his half-brother Megapenthes. Perseus and his bride Andromeda then became immortal and placed in the stars. ===





Period 4**
 * Robert Dartnell