Perseus
Slayer of Medusa, Founder of Mycenae
One of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology, Perseus was born of Zeus and the mortal princess Danae. Armed with divine gifts from the gods, he accomplished the impossible—slaying the Gorgon Medusa, rescuing the princess Andromeda, and founding the great city of Mycenae.
Attributes & Domains
Mythology & Stories
Perseus's story is one of prophecy, divine intervention, and heroic triumph. His myth embodies the Greek ideal of the hero who overcomes impossible odds through courage, cunning, and the favor of the gods—while also exploring the inescapability of fate and the tragic consequences of attempting to thwart divine prophecy.
Divine Birth & the Golden Rain
King Acrisius of Argos received a fearsome prophecy from the Oracle at Delphi: he would be slain by his own grandson. Desperate to prevent this fate, Acrisius imprisoned his daughter Danae in an underground bronze chamber (or a brazen tower, in some versions), ensuring no man could reach her. But Zeus, king of the gods, desired Danae and descended upon her in the form of a shower of golden light. From this divine union, Perseus was conceived—a demigod marked for greatness from birth.
Cast Upon the Sea
When Acrisius discovered Danae and her infant son, he dared not kill them directly, fearing the wrath of Zeus. Instead, he sealed mother and child in a wooden chest and cast them upon the waves, leaving their fate to the sea. Yet divine protection guided the chest safely across the Aegean to the island of Seriphos, where the fisherman Dictys found them washed ashore and took them into his humble home. Perseus grew to manhood there, raised by the kind Dictys while his mother's beauty drew the unwanted attention of the island's ruler.
King Polydectes and the Impossible Quest
Polydectes, king of Seriphos and brother of Dictys, lusted after Danae but was thwarted by the now-grown Perseus's protective presence. Devising a scheme to remove the hero, Polydectes announced a false intention to court Hippodamia and demanded horses as wedding gifts from his subjects. Perseus, having no horses to give, rashly boasted that he would bring any gift the king desired—even the head of Medusa herself. Polydectes gleefully accepted, certain that Perseus would perish in the attempt.
The Divine Gifts
The quest seemed impossible: Medusa, one of the three Gorgon sisters, had serpents for hair and a gaze that turned any living creature to stone. Yet Perseus was not without allies. Athena, goddess of wisdom (who bore a special hatred for Medusa), and Hermes, the messenger god, appeared to guide him. They directed him first to the Graeae—three ancient sisters who shared a single eye and tooth among themselves. By seizing their eye, Perseus compelled them to reveal the location of certain nymphs who possessed magical items essential to his quest.
Granted by the Hesperides (or Hermes), these sandals of flight (talaria) allowed Perseus to traverse vast distances and approach the Gorgons' lair from above.
The helm of invisibility, belonging to Hades himself, rendered Perseus completely invisible—essential for escaping the immortal Gorgon sisters after slaying Medusa.
A magical wallet or bag capable of safely containing Medusa's severed head, whose petrifying gaze remained potent even in death.
Slaying the Gorgon
Armed with these divine implements, Perseus flew to the western edge of the world where the Gorgons dwelt among stone figures of men and beasts who had gazed upon them. Finding the three sisters asleep, he identified Medusa—the only mortal among them—by viewing her reflection in Athena's polished shield. With a single stroke of the harpe, guided by the goddess's hand, Perseus severed Medusa's head. From her neck sprang Pegasus, the winged horse, and Chrysaor, a golden giant—the offspring of Medusa's union with Poseidon. Perseus swiftly placed the head in the kibisis and fled, invisible beneath Hades's cap, as the immortal sisters Stheno and Euryale awoke shrieking for vengeance.
The Rescue of Andromeda
Flying homeward over the coast of Ethiopia (or Phoenicia), Perseus beheld a beautiful maiden chained to a sea-cliff. This was Andromeda, princess of the realm, sacrificed to appease a sea monster sent by Poseidon. Her mother, Queen Cassiopeia, had boasted that her daughter's beauty exceeded that of the Nereids (sea nymphs), and the god of the seas demanded retribution. Perseus, struck by Andromeda's beauty and plight, bargained with her father King Cepheus: he would slay the monster in exchange for Andromeda's hand in marriage.
When the sea beast Cetus rose from the waves, Perseus either slew it with the harpe or turned it to stone with Medusa's head (accounts vary). At the wedding feast, Andromeda's former suitor Phineus attacked with an army of followers. Perseus, vastly outnumbered, revealed the Gorgon's head and transformed his enemies to stone, claiming Andromeda as his bride.
Return and Vengeance
Returning to Seriphos with his bride, Perseus found that Polydectes, believing him dead, had attempted to force Danae into marriage. Mother and foster-father Dictys had taken refuge at a temple altar. Perseus strode into Polydectes's hall and, warning away those who were innocent, unveiled Medusa's head. The tyrant king and his supporters were turned to stone, forever frozen at their banquet. Perseus established the faithful Dictys as the new king of Seriphos.
Prophecy Fulfilled
Perseus returned the divine gifts to the gods and presented Medusa's head to Athena, who set it upon her aegis (or shield), where it became the Gorgoneion—a protective emblem. He then journeyed to Argos to reconcile with his grandfather Acrisius. But the old king, still fearing the prophecy, fled to Larissa. There, at funeral games in honor of the local king, Perseus competed in the discus throw. A gust of wind (or the hand of fate) carried his discus astray, striking an old man among the spectators and killing him instantly. The man was Acrisius, and thus the oracle's prophecy was fulfilled, though by accident rather than intent. Grief-stricken, Perseus refused to claim Argos, the kingdom that was rightfully his by inheritance.
Founding of Mycenae
Perseus exchanged kingdoms with his cousin Megapenthes, trading Argos for Tiryns. He then founded the great fortress-city of Mycenae, named either for the cap (mykes) of his scabbard that fell on the spot, or for a mushroom (also mykes) he found growing there. Mycenae would become one of the greatest centers of Greek civilization, the seat of power that would one day launch the expedition against Troy. Perseus and Andromeda ruled there happily for many years, producing many children and establishing the Perseid dynasty. Through his granddaughter Alcmene, Perseus became the great-grandfather of Heracles, ensuring his bloodline's continued heroic legacy.
Catasterism
After their deaths, Perseus and Andromeda were placed among the stars by Athena. The constellations of Perseus, Andromeda, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, and Cetus the sea monster all commemorate this myth in the night sky—a complete mythological narrative written in stars.
Primary Sources
- Apollodorus, Bibliotheca: The most complete ancient account of Perseus's myth, detailing his birth, quest for Medusa's head, rescue of Andromeda, and founding of Mycenae.
- Ovid, Metamorphoses: Books IV and V provide vivid Roman retellings of the slaying of Medusa, the rescue of Andromeda, and the battle at the wedding feast.
- Pindar, Pythian Ode XII: Celebrates Perseus's slaying of Medusa and credits Athena with inventing the aulos (flute) to imitate the Gorgons' wailing.
- Hesiod, Theogony & Shield of Heracles: Early references to Perseus and the Gorgons, establishing the mythological genealogy.
- Pausanias, Description of Greece: Records local traditions about Perseus at Argos, Mycenae, and Seriphos, including cult sites and monuments.
Relationships
Family
- Father: Zeus (divine father, visited Danae as golden rain)
- Mother: Danae, princess of Argos, imprisoned by her father
- Grandfather: Acrisius, King of Argos (accidentally killed by Perseus, fulfilling prophecy)
- Wife: Andromeda, princess of Ethiopia, rescued from the sea monster
- Children: Perses (ancestor of the Persians), Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Heleus, Mestor, Electryon, Gorgophone, and others
- Notable Descendant: Heracles (great-grandson, through Electryon and Alcmene)
Divine Allies
- Athena: Primary divine patron, provided the polished shield and guided his sword-stroke
- Hermes: Gave the harpe and winged sandals, guided him to the Graeae
- Zeus: Father and protector, ensured his survival through divine providence
Connected Beings
- Medusa: The mortal Gorgon whose death brought forth Pegasus
- Pegasus: The winged horse born from Medusa's blood (later tamed by Bellerophon)
- The Graeae: Three ancient sisters who revealed the path to the divine gifts
- Dictys: The humble fisherman who became his foster-father
Related Across the Mythos
Perseus represents the classic monster-slayer hero—armed with divine gifts, he defeats seemingly invincible foes through cunning and courage.
See parallels: Beowulf, Saint George, Siegfried →By slaying Medusa and founding Mycenae, Perseus established the foundations for Greek heroic civilization.
See parallels: Gilgamesh, Theseus, Cadmus →Chosen by the gods from birth, Perseus was equipped with divine weapons to accomplish his impossible quest.
See parallels: David, Arjuna, Cu Chulainn →🌍 Cross-Cultural Parallels
The divinely-aided hero who slays monsters and rescues maidens appears across world mythology: