THE GORGON’S HEAD “I think,” the wily Polydectes said, “It would be a good

From Ancient Greece Anne Terry White idea for you to cut off the Medusa’s head. That would
bring you to the greatest fame.”
Acrisius, King of Argos, came home from Delphi with a
heavy heart, for he had received a dreadful oracle. All unsuspecting, Perseus set off to find Medusa, not
knowing in the least how perilous an adventure he
“No sons shall be born to you,” the priestess had told had undertaken. For Medusa was one of the three
him. “But you shall have a grandson, and by his hand Gorgons, terrible winged monsters who lived alone on
you shall die. an island. They had teeth like the tusks of a boar,
hands of brass, and snakes instead of hair. Perseus did
”Now the King had an only daughter, who was yet a not know where to look for the Gorgons. Nor did he
maiden. So in his distress he thought: “I will evade my know which of them was Medusa. And this was
fate. I will shut Danae up away from the sight of men important, for Medusa was the only one of the three
in a house of bronze all sunk underground.” And he that could be slain.
carried out his cruel plan.
From place to place the prince went on in his quest,
But Acrisius forgot to take the gods into account. Part getting more and more discouraged. Then one day he
of the roof of the house was open to the sky. And one beheld a young man of great beauty, wearing winged
day, as lovely Danae sat sadly looking up at the passing sandals and a winged cap, and carrying in his hand a
clouds, Zeus beheld the maiden. Changing himself into wand around
a shower of gold, he stormed into her chamber.
which two golden serpents twined. Perseus knew at
When afterwards a son was born to Danae, she hid once that this was Hermes and was overjoyed when
him from her father’s sight. Nevertheless, the King the god said:
discovered the baby and was more than ever filled
with fear. He dared not kill little Perseus directly lest “Perseus, I approved the high adventure you have in
the gods avenge the murder. Instead, he had a great mind. But you must be properly equipped for it.
chest built, placed Danae and her boy in it, and set Without the winged sandals, the magic wallet, and the
them adrift upon the sea. helmet of invisibility, but I will take you to the Gray
women. You can find out from them.”
All day and all night the chest tossed upon the waves.
Danae lulled her child with song, and he slept. But “And will they indeed tell me?” Perseus asked.
when dawn came, a great wave picked up the chest
and carried it close to the tiny island of Seraphos. “Not willingly,” Hermes replied. “But you can make
them do it. They have but one eye shared among the
It happened that a fisherman, Dictys byname, saw the three. Snatch it from them as they pass it from one to
chest bobbing on the waves close to the shore. He another and none can see. And do not give it back till
dragged the box to land and opened it. When he they tell you what you want to know.”
beheld the pitiful mother with the helpless little child,
his heart was moved. He took them both to his wife, With that, Hermes gave Perseus a magnificent curved
for Dictys was childless, and there in the kindly sword.
fisherfolk’s humble home Perseus grew up.
“You will need it,” he said, “for Medusa’s scales are
Now Danae had been a beautiful maiden. And when hard as metal.”
Perseus has grown into a fine tall youth, she was still
beautiful. So it was not strange that King Polydectes, Perseus had just taken the sword when there was a
who was Dictys’ Brother, fell in love with her and sudden brightness in the sky, and he beheld the
made her his wife. But the King hated the youth-just goddess Athene descending toward them.
because Danae doted on him-and sought some way to
get rid of him. “Of what use will be your sword, my brother,” she said
to Hermes, “when none may look the Gorgons and
At last Polydectes said to his stepson, “The time has live? The sight of them as you well know, turns men
come, Perseus, for you to win glory for yourself in into stone. Take my bright shield, Perseus. Look into it
some bold adventure.” instead of at the monster as you approach to do
battle, and you will see the Medusa reflected as in a
Young Perseus thought so, too. But what should the mirror.”
adventure be?
So saying, the goddess disappeared, and the
brightness with her.
 turning into venomous snakes that would inhabit the
On and on with god-companion, Perseus journeyed, desert forever. But now he saw a sight that made his
farther than man had ever been. At last they came to heart beat fast with excitement and wonder.
the end of the earth. There the weird Gray Women
sat, passing their eye from one to another just as Fastened by chains to a cliff by the sea was a beautiful
Hermes had said. Danae’s son knew what to do. He maiden. Had it not been that a slight breeze stirred
left the god and crept quietly towards them, waited till her hair and that tears flowed from her eyes, he would
one had taken the eye from her forehead, and have thought her a statue. Perseus almost forgot to
snatched it away as she passed it to her sister. keep his winged sandals moving, so struck was he by
her rare beauty.
The Gray Women raised a fearful clamor when they
realized that a stranger had their eye. They howled “Lovely maiden, you should not wear such chains as
and they threatened. But without the eye they were these,” he stammered out, “but rather those which
helpless, and in the end they grudgingly told Perseus bind the hearts of lovers. I pray, you, tell me your
the way to the Nymphs of the North. name and why you are bound like this.”

So again Perseus went on, this time to find the happy Do you think Perseus can slay the Gorgon by his own
beings who possessed the three priceless things he hands? At first the girl made no reply, so abashed was
needed. And when the Nymphs heard the reason he she before the youth. But when he urged her again
wanted them, they were willing to give him the and again to speak, she told him all her story.
winged shoes, the helmet that would make him
invisible, and the magic wallet that would become the “I am Andromeda,” she said, “Daughter of Cepheus,
right size for whatever he wish to carry. King of the Ethiopians. The beautiful Cassiopeia is my
mother. It is her beauty that has chained me here for
Fully equipped now, Perseus lightly sped through the the gods are jealous, and in nothing may we mortal
air over land and over sea to the fearful island of the surpass them. Woe, woe the day my mother vaunted
Gorgons. As he approached, he could see, scattered in herself fairer than the daughters of Nereus! The sea
the fields and along the roads, statues of men and god has sent a serpent to prey upon our people, and
beasts whom the sight of the Gorgons had turned my death alone can appease his anger. So, says the
stone. And, at last, from high above, he beheld the oracle.”
monsters themselves reflected in his shield. Their
scale-covered bodies glistened in the sun, their great She had scarcely finished speaking when the loud
wings were folded, the snakes that were their hair lay roaring of the waves announced that the monster was
hideously coiled and intertwined. The Gorgons were on his way. Andromeda shrieked. At her cry, her frantic
asleep. father and mother came running. They clung to their
daughter and lamented.
But which of the three was Medusa? Perseus could
see no difference among them. “Enough of tears!” Perseus said to them sternly. “I am
Perseus, son of Zeus and Danae. Now I will make this
Suddenly he heard Athena’s voice: “Descend, Perseus, contract with you-that Andromeda shall be mine if I
and strike! The Gorgon nearest the shore is Medusa.” save her from the serpent.” “Indeed, indeed, valorous
youth, she shall be yours! Only save her from the
Perseus swept down, and still gazing into the shield, monster, and you shall have our Kingdom as well as
boldly swung his blade. With one stroke he cut off the our daughter.”
gristly head. Then, springing into the air, he thrust his
prize, all writhing and hissing, into the magic wallet. The monster was coming on, his breast parting the
waves like a swift ship. Suddenly Perseus sprang into
Up leaped the Gorgon sisters, for they heard the rattle the air and shot high up in the clouds. Seeing the
of Medusa’s scales as the severed body thrashed youth’s shadow upon the sea, the monster attacked it
about. They turned their snaky head sand when they in fury. Then Perseus swooped like an eagle from the
saw Perseus, they roared with fury. Flapping their sky and buried his sword up to the hilt in the beast’s
great wings, they set off in pursuit. But they could not right shoulder. The creature reared upright, then
outstrip the winged sandals. plunged beneath the water, and turned around and
around like some fierce wild boar in the midst of
Over lands and peoples the hero flew, on and on. He baying hounds.
had lost his way now, for Hermes had left him. Below,
the Lybian desert stretched endlessly. Perseus did not Nimbly avoiding the snapping jaws, Perseus dealt blow
know what those sands were, nor did he guess that after blow wherever he had the chance to strike. Red
the ruby drops falling from Medusa’s head were blood poured from the monster’s mouth. The air was
so filled with spray that the hero’s winged sandals third was turned to stone even as he uttered a taunt.
grew heavy. He dared not trust himself to them longer. Two hundred men became stony statues before
Spying a rock over which the waves were breaking , he Phineas yielded, crying:
braced himself against it with his left hand, and four
times he drove his sword into the monster’s side. “Put away your horrible weapon. Hide it! Grant me
only my life and may the rest be yours!”
As the creature sank to its death, Perseus heard
shouts of joy from the shore. And when he looked, “What I can give you, most cowardly Phineas, I will!”
Andromeda already stood free beside her parents. “I Perseus replied. “You shall be a lasting monument
will take fair maiden without dowry,” Perseus said. here in the palace of my father-in-law.”

And that very day the wedding was celebrated. The unhappy Phineas tried to turn away his eyes, but
Torches were tossed in the air, incense was thrown on even as he did so, his flesh turned to stone.
the flames. Garlands were hung from the palace’s
roof. And everywhere the sound of lyres and pipes and When at the year’s end, Perseus sailed home with
singing was heard. Now while the marriage feast was Andromeda, Polydectes’ hatred had in no way
at its height, the door of the banquet hall was lessened. The King was furious that his stepson had
suddenly flung open, and in burst a mob of shouting, returned, and refused to believe that he had actually
riotous men. Foremost stood Andromeda’s uncle, slain Medusa. With scornful truants he upbraided the
Phineas, javelin in hand. young man for having come home emptyhanded. It
was more than Perseus could bear.
“Behold, I am here!” he cried. “I have come to avenge
the theft of my promised bride.” How do you think “I shall prove to you that what I say is true!” he cried,
would Andromeda react to this offer if this happens in “hide your eyes, all you who are my friends!” and he
our time? showed the Gorgon’s head to cruel Polydectes.

“What are you doing, Brother?” the father cried. “Do That was the last time Perseus ever used the horrible
you, who stood by and watched while Andromeda was head. He gave it most willingly to Athene, who kept it
put in chains and did nothing to help her, dare to ever after. Do you think that Perseus’ extraordinary
beindignant because another has snatched the prize? ability is a gift? Why or why not?
Let the man who rescued herhave the reward he was
promised! He has not been chosen in preference to Now that Polydectes was dead, Danae yearned to go
you, butin preference to certain death.” home again and be reconciled with her father. So
Perseus made the fisherman Dictys King of island and
Phineas said not a word. He looked from the King to sailed with his mother and Andromeda to Greece.
Perseus, undecided at which to aim his weapon, then
hurdled it at the hero. The spear stuck in But it happened that when they came to Argos, King
Perseus’couch. Acrisius was away from home. Games were being held
in Larissa, and Perseus, hearing of them, decided to go
Perseus leaped up from the cushions, wrenched out there and take part. And there at the game it was that
the spear, and hurdled it back at his foe. Had Phineas the oracle which Acrisius had received at Delphi was
not taken refuge behind the altar, he would have strangely fulfilled. For when it came to Perseus’ turn
perished. As it was, one of his followers received the to throw the discus, he threw it so that it swerved to
weapon full in his forehead. one side. It landed among the spectators and killed an
old man. That old man was King Acrisius, who had
Then the rioters went wild. Weapons were hurdled, gone to such cruel lengths to avoid the fate which the
and the feast turned into a battle. Thick as hail, gods had ordained. Source:http://ufh.za.libguides.com/c.php?
g=91523&p=590868
javelins sped by Perseus’ ears. He set his shoulders
against a great stone column and struck down one
man after another. But at last he realized that valor
could not withstand the numbers against him. “If I
have any friends here, let them hide their faces!” he
shouted.

With this he drew Medusa’s head out of the wallet.

One of the attackers was just preparing to cast his
javelin, but before he could cast, he was turned to
stone. Another, who was about to thrust his sword
through Perseus, stood frozen with it in his hand. A