When was the myth of perseus written

However, Zeus saw the desperate woman and asked Poseidon to calm the sea water. Indeed, the sea calmed down and after a few days, Danae and his new-born son landed on the island of Serifos. There Dictys, a fisherman and brother of the island's king, found them and took them to his home, where they would be safe.

Perseus grew up into a fine young man under the care of the kind fisherman Dictys. In the meanwhile, King Polydectes began to be inflamed by passion for Danae, who was still a charming lady although many years had passed since her youth.

Danae, however, did not wish this marriage. So he decided to set up a plan to get rid of this annoying youth. He challenged Perseus to dare a difficult task, to kill the fearsome Gorgon Medusa and bring back her head. Gorgon Medousa was a terrible monster with snakes in her head and she could turn into stone everyone that looked her face. By killing Medousa, Perseus would prove his braveness, as fits to the son of Zeus.

Polydectes was sure that Perseus would not survive this dangerous task. What Polydectes had not known was that Perseus was beloved by the gods. To help him, god Hermes gave him a curved sword and a pair of winged sandals other versions of the myth say that Hermes did not give Perseus a pair of winged sandals but a white winged horse while Athena gave him a mirror of polished bronze and a cap from Hades that could make invisible anyone who would wear it.

With these divine aids, Perseus started his long journey to the cave of Medousa, somewhere in Africa.

He indeed found lying in her deep cave. Since he was wearing the winged sandals, he could fly around her and since he was wearing the magical cap of Hades, he was invisible. In order to avoid looking Medousa directly to her face and thereby being turned into a stone, Perseus approached Medousa looking at her reflection in the mirror and cut off her head with the sword of Hermes.

So easily then, the brave and intelligent Perseus managed to complete this difficult task! As he was flying over Africa in his return home, Perseus encountered Atlas the Titan, a mythical giant, who challenged him. In their confrontation, Perseus used Medousa's head to turn the Titan into stone. Perseus continued his journey home and, as he passed the kingdom of Ethiopia, he came upon the beautiful and helpless maiden Andromeda, chained to the rocks waiting to be devoured by a sea monster.

But as Atlas protected the Garden of the Hesperides, where every tree produced golden fruit, he was afraid that this hero who just killed the monstrous Medusa might also destroy the dragon which guarded it and then steal his treasures. He therefore refused to grant the hospitality which the hero demanded. Beard and hair erected themselves into forests; shoulders, hands, and limbs became huge rocks, and the head grew up into a rocky peak which reached into the clouds.

Perseus then resumed his travels. His winged sandals carried him over deserts and mountains, until he arrived at Ethiopia, the kingdom of King Cepheus. Here he found the country filled with disastrous floods, towns and villages destroyed, and everywhere signs of devastation and ruin.

On a projecting cliff close to the shore, he noticed a lovely maiden chained to a rock. Her mother Cassiopeia, having boasted that her beauty surpassed that of the Nereides, caused the angry sea-nymphs to appeal to Poseidon to retaliate, and thus the sea-god devastated the country with terrible waves, which brought with it a huge monster who consumed all that came in his way. Cepheus, who fondly loved his dear daughter Andromeda, at first refused to listen to this dreadful proposal; but overcome at length by the prayers and begging of his unhappy citizens, the heartbroken father gave up his child for the welfare of his country.

Andromeda was then chained to a rock on the seashore to serve as a prey to the monster, while her unhappy parents watched her sad fate on the beach below. On being informed of the meaning of this tragic scene, Perseus proposed to Cepheus to kill the monster, on condition that the lovely victim should become his bride. Then putting on once more the helmet of Hades, he jumped into the air and waited for the approach of the monster. Lashing his tail furiously from side to side, he leaped forward to bite his victim; but the courageous hero, watching his opportunity, suddenly darted down, and bringing out the head of the Medusa from his bag held it before the eyes of the dragon, whose hideous body became gradually transformed into a huge black rock.

Perseus then unchained Andromeda and led her to her now happy parents, who, anxious to show their gratitude, ordered immediate preparations to be made for the marriage feast.

Polydectes revealed that he locked her in a dungeon, just before his mouth and whole head turned to stone. As he came closer to the third one, he was surprised to see the pale exquisite face of a woman.

Oddly, she reminded him of his mother. No tongue or teeth stuck out of her mouth. Her pink lips formed a half-smile as if she was dreaming of flowers and green meadows. He resisted the temptation to turn his head and gaze at her directly. Then he gasped when he saw on the reflection the red flickering tongue of a snake that was beginning to stir on her head. Suddenly, the curly mass of hair began to move, sensing danger. This is she, he realized.

The head rolled off, with all its snakes now squirming with frenzy from the shock. In a moment, the scaly worms suddenly slumped, as dead as their mother. Out of her bleeding neck — amid loud neighs and flapping noises — emerged a huge white, winged horse. This was the birth of Pegasus. Perseus did not have time to wonder at these events. The Gorgon sisters were awakened and realized their sister had been killed.

They screeched vile sounds of anger and grief. Flapping their wings furiously, they rose in the air in search of the murderer. The snakes in their hair and around their waists writhing fiercely, hissing, their tongues moving quickly, tasting the air. Perseus was preoccupied by a feeling of unease and regret with his victory over the Gorgons. He paid no attention to where he was going. He had underestimated the power of his winged sandals — for he sped beyond the Mediterranean Sea and found himself in Ethiopia.

Along the rocky coast, he beheld a strange sight. On a promontory, the rising waves were lashing against the body of a naked woman bound to the rock. He took off his invisibility cap and approached her, standing in midair, buffeted against the sea winds. Her long black hair was wet and clung to her soaked skin, the color of burnished bronze. The oracle Ammon said I must be sacrificed to the sea monster Cetus to stop the devastation of my city.

Perseus was overcome with pity and outrage. He covered her with his cape, and moved to cut off her chains, but she said,. It was then that he noticed the huge crowd on the shore, where a faint wailing could be heard, almost drowned out by the din of the waves. Feeling a rising fury that such a virtuous maiden should be sacrificed to a sea monster, he rushed to the shore. King Cepheus, who was supporting the wailing woman, Queen Cassiopeia, spoke in a distressed voice. He caused the sea monster Cetus to attack our people and inundate our city with floods.

Queen Cassiopeia paused from her wailing, and told her story. I was conceited and claimed that I was more beautiful than all the Nereids of the sea.

This angered them so. I deserve to die for such hubris — but the oracle declared my precious daughter is the cure, not I. Perseus, fresh from his conquest of Medusa, felt emboldened to liberate the city and its princess from ruination.

I will destroy your sea monster and rescue the princess. If I am successful, will you allow me to marry your daughter? The desperate parents agreed. When the sea monster appeared from the deep to claim its prize, it was no match for the flying acrobatics of the Gorgon slayer and his adamantine sword. He released Andromeda and professed his love for the brave and beautiful dark-skinned maiden.

After Perseus and Andromeda wed, he had to return to Serifos to fulfill his obligation to Polydectes. In Serifos, Polydectes discarded all pretenses and began his aggressive pursuit of Danae as soon as Perseus left on his quest. Danae denied him for a long time until his advances turned to harassment. He declared they will wed, whether she liked it or not, and made preparations for their forced union.

Desperate to escape, Danae pleaded with Dictys to send her to Argos. Dictys arranged for one of his boats to sail secretly for Argos with Danae, accompanied by some of his friends.

When Perseus arrived in Serifos with Andromeda, Danae was gone. Enjoy it for eternity! Perseus installed Dictys as the new king of Seriphos, who imposed a just rule on the island. Taking Andromeda with him, he bade goodbye to his grandparents, to search for his mother. Perseus introduced his new wife to Danae, and gave her the news from Serifos. The danger of Polydectes is gone, for he has become stone. We can now return and live peacefully in Serifos.

He became terribly angry and banished us. King Acrisius never told Danae the real reason he banished her and Perseus. Medusa is referred to as a Titan by the Stygian Witches. In summary, Medusa , a beautiful young maiden, is worshiping in the temple of Minerva or Athena when the god Neptune or Poseidon rapes her. She is punished for desecrating the temple. She is turned into a monster; her head a mess of phallic snakes, whose gaze turns men to stone. Death date? He would have slain Medusa right before this.

The Meaning of Medusa Tattoos. Medusa is a mythical creature of the Ancient Greek myth characterized by head of snakes and fatal gaze. The image of this gorgon is meant to terrify, turning the onlookers into stone. Among three sisters, she is the only mortal gorgon and therefore the only fallible. In Greek myth this was the name of one of the three Gorgons, ugly women who had snakes for hair.

The blood of Medusa also spawned the Amphisbaena a horned dragon-like creature with a snake-headed tail. Athena was the Goddess of War, the female counterpart of Ares. She was the daughter of Zeus; no mother bore her. She sprang from Zeus's head, full-grown and clothed in armor. According to Homer's account in the Iliad, Athena was a fierce and ruthless warrior. Who wrote the myth of Perseus and Medusa?