The Myth of

Perseus & Medusa

By: Mckayla Daniel and Clarissa Rodriguez
 -Summary-
The myth of Perseus and Medusa supposedly went down like this...Perseus is the son of Zeus but that is a whole
other story for another time. Him and his mother Danae lived on an island named Seriphus with a fisherman with
the name of Diktys. Diktys brother Polydectes was pulled towards Danae and completely obsessed with her. As
his obsession growed Polydectes began to worry that Perseus might get in the way of him trying to marry his
mother. So Polydectes gathered up a scheme. He got his friends together with Perseus included telling them that
if they claim certain presents they will win the hand of a lovely lady, Hippodameia. Although the only thing
Polydectes had his eyes on was Danae. He asked each men to get him a horse, but Perseus didn’t have a horse
to give so he bragged that he can get anything else no matter what it was. "Oh really?" says Polydectes. "Great,
bring me the head of a Gorgon." From here Perseus realized that maybe he shouldn’t have bragged. The
Gorgons are the three repulsive sisters with snakes for hair, bronze skin, wings and tusks. With one look at them
you turn to stone. Although the quest seems nearly impossible Perseus still went to get one of the heads from the
three sisters. On this quest Perseus got the help of the Goddess Athena and the God Hermes, who lead him to
the Graeae. The Graeae are three sisters who share one eye, and one tooth. Perseus steals the eye and tooth
from them demanding the location of the Nymphai who have some of the Gods’ treasures and won’t give them
the eye and tooth back until they do. The hags tell Perseus, and he follows the directions they gave him. He finds
the Nymphai and they give him several gifts, the winged sandals of Hermes, Hades’ helmet of invisibility, and
Kibisis a bag to keep the toxic gorgon's head in. Eventually Perseus reaches the seaside cave where the sisters
are and enters.
Luckily for Perseus the Gorgons are asleep but to be safe he still looks through his gold shield to see their
reflection so if they were to wake up he wouldn’t turn into stone. He slowly walks up to Medusa the only mortal
one of the three and raises his sword, chopping off her head. As Medusa's head flies off a Pegasus, the
winged horse, and Chysaor, a giant with a golden sword, jump out of her neck. At this time the other two
sisters wake up and fill with rage as they see their sister dead, they go after Perseus but he puts on Hades’
helmet of invisibility and flies off with Hermes winged sandals. He then runs into Atlas a Titan doomed by Zeus
to hold up the sky forever. They both get into a fight because Atlas won't give Perseus shelter so Perseus pulls
out Medusa's head and turns Atlas to stone. Perseus faces more conflicts when the toxic blood from Medusa's
head drips into the desert sand it creates really poisonous snakes. And when Perseus is flying over Africa, he
notices a very beautiful maiden, Princess Andromeda, she is tied to a rock by the sea. He ends up rescuing
her from a sea monster and making her his wife. As Perseus finally makes it home he finds his mother hiding
from the lustful Polydectes. Perseus’s rage then gets to him and he marches over to Polydectes finding him
with his friends. Polydectes is surprised as he suspected him to be dead and asks, “what are you doing here?
Where's Medusa's head?" Perseus replies by revealing Medusas head and turning Polydectes and his friends
to stone. Furthermore Perseus’s mother is safe and he returns his gifts giving Medusa's head to Athena.
 Quotes
“....tragic and b w a s go ing to ha ve to
eautiful.” so m e o ne
-Sasha Summer “Someday,
s
take a stand.
as g o ing to h a v e to say
- M e d u s a “ S o m e day, someone w
me!”
“Look at enough!” -Perseu
s
“Prev
ent th
starte e illne
d” ss, bef
ore it
-Perse
e r li e t o us
n e v
u r h e a rt will n ’s j o b.”
“ Y o r a i
t h a t ' s your b
you,
a
-Medus
 -Graphics- Medusa's Hair

olding
e r seus h
P
t at u e of ead
S
d u s a's h Polydectes and his
Me
friends turning to stone

Medusa and Perseus

fighting
 Theme
When it comes to the theme of this myth, there is many. Ranging from courage to cunning and cleverness.
Like every hero Perseus is brave, no matter what he comes face to face, he marches forward. Perseus
also has perseverance, he fights for what he believes in and never gives up. Although Perseus did have a
sword and was lucky enough to find the Gorgons sleeping his success comes from quick thinking rather
than his fighting skills. But the major theme here is fighting for those who you love. Perseus’s mother is
the main reason he went to chop of Medusa's head proving to us just how much he cares for her.
Sources
❖ Don't Give Up World,. (2015). Quote on standing up against the wrong by Perseus - Don't Give Up
World. Retrieved 10 November 2015, from
http://dontgiveupworld.com/quote-on-standing-up-against-the-wrong-by-perseus/

❖ Shmoop,. (2015). Themes in Perseus and Medusa. Retrieved 10 November 2015, from
http://www.shmoop.com/perseus-medusa/themes.html
❖ Thanasis.com,. (2015). Myth Man's Perseus Homework Help. Retrieved 12 November 2015,
from http://thanasis.com/perseus.htm
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