In doing so, students learn to interpret and infer the key elements of plot in texts, comment upon the key themes and plot ideas running through a text, and empathise with the firstperson perspective of a character. Apollodorus, library, book 2, chapter 4 perseus digital library. Pick two poems from the bulfinchs mythology link that allude to the perseus story. At the age of sixtythree, hamilton began a second career retelling the ancient myths of greece and rome. Wailing, the two gorgon sisters took to the air on heavy wings in groping pursuit. Acrisius, the king of the argos, had only one daughter. The myth of perseus and medusa is one of the best thrillerlike tales in greek mythology with a promising plot that gets more complicated as the story progresses, this myth has a typical hollywoodlike scenario with the main character not being born yet at the moment when his destiny was determined. Apr 02, 2017 this engaging and detailed lesson enables students to gain a deep understanding of the greek myth perseus and medusa. As you read this myth, look for examples of perseuss bravery. Perseus promptly fell in love with her, killed the monster, and married the princess. Pdf the character of medusa shifts meaning from the origins of her myth, through. Perseus by edith hamilton king acrisius of argos1 had only one child, a daughter, danae. Climax noun mood or feeling of a story at the gorgons lair, perseus used the shield to block medusas. Perseus is also said to be an ancestor of hercules and the asian race of the persians.
Perseus and the legends of argos 549 gorgon and came bearing the head with hair of writhing snakes, for the islanders a stony death. The story of perseus is written by the authors ovid and hesiod king acrisius of argos had only one child, a daughter, named danae. The only son of zeus and danae and, thus, a halfgod by birth perseus was one of the greatest heroes in greek mythology, most renowned for beheading the only mortal gorgon, medusa, and using her severed head capable of turning onlookers into stone as a mighty weapon in his subsequent adventures. Perseus then gave the winged sandals and the helmet to hermes, who restored them to the nymphs and to hades, and athena received the head of gorgo, which was put on the shield or breastplate of the goddess.
Like most of the mythological heroes, the genealogy of perseus makes him the son of a god and a mortal. Medusa has haunted the cultural imagination since perseus cut off her head in ovids. Polydectes held perseus to his rash promise and demanded the head of the only mortal gorgon, medusa, whose gaze turned people to stone. The myth of perseus and his slaying of the only mortal gorgon, medusa has its origins in greek mythology which. Edith hamilton students who enjoy reading greek and roman. As night came on, he reached the western limit of the earth, where the sun goes down. So acrisius straightaway stuck daughter and infant into a chest and pushed it out to sea. Briefly describe your culture and why perseus has had a negative impact on it. Describe perseus from the vantage point of one of the snakes on medusas head. The king couldnt leave the little baby perseus or his daughter alive but he dare not kill the child of zeus or his daughter, this might bring the wrath of the gods upon him. The three gorgons, of whom only medusa was mortal, were of terrifying aspect, and those who looked upon their faces were turned to stone. Perseus in greek mythology greek legends and myths. Perseus had no horse to give, so he asked polydectes to name the gift. In despair perseus wandered to a lonely part of seriphos, where hermes and athena came to his help with advice.
Jun 21, 2016 known for precisely one adventure, perseus also carries the distinction of being the only greek hero without an obnoxious character flaw none of herculess rages, jason or theseuss wifely. Later, after perseus was grown, polydectes fell in love with danae and sent perseus on a quest to bring back the head of the medusa to get him out of the way. Betterlessons unique formula allows us to bring you highquality coaching, a professional learning lab, and a learnbydoing process that embeds pd into the classroom. Ovids account of medusas mortality tells that she had once been a woman, vain of her beautiful hair. There was a need to explain natural events, disasters. Perseus gods and heroes of the ancient world pdf free.
Jul 15, 2019 perseus is a major hero from greek mythology best known for his clever decapitation of medusa, the monster who turned all who looked at her face into stone. Known for precisely one adventure, perseus also carries the distinction of being the only greek hero without an obnoxious character flaw none of herculess rages, jason or theseuss wifely. Their son was electryon, who was the grandfather of hercules. Fearing that, he hid his daughter danae in a chamber underground. Perseus and andromeda onceuponatime,kingacrisiusofargos was toldbytheoracle thathewouldbekilled by his grandson. When the oracle tells the human king, acrisius, that his grandson will kill him, the old miser locks his daughter, danae, up in a tower guarded by savage dogs. Perseus is best known for beheading the gorgon medusa, a snakehaired lady who can turn anybody who looks at her into stone. Perseus and medusa myth text bedtime and campfire stories from way, way back in the day heres one version of perseus story, as told by thomas bulfinch in the age of fable. Perseus, in greek mythology, the slayer of the gorgon medusa and the rescuer of andromeda from a sea monster. Hereupon perseus went to argos, accompanied by cyclopes, skilled in building, 14 by danae, and andromeda. Perseus was provided weapons such as a sword and a shield for his quest. Perseus turned and watched the water ripple with the approach of the creature.
He is best known as the slayer of the gorgon medusa, a fearsome monster, and as the rescuer of the ethiopian princess andromeda. Different things happen in the movies that are not even close to some of the things in the myth. Perseus is one of the greatest heroes of greek mythology. Perseus is the granddaddy of all the greek heroes, coming before theseus, heracles, odysseus, and the rest. But acrisius had a streak of jealousy that ran through his soul and tainted everything that he touched. Learn more about the traditional story of perseus in this article.
The adventures of perseus the national gallery, london. But she is also the most famous and the myth of her demise at the hands of perseus is often recounted. Thus the story of heracles at troy is much like the story of perseus at joppa. Perseus with the head of medusa by benvenuto cellini, wikimedia commons. Danae was captured by polydectes, the evil king of the island of seriphos. Perseus and andromeda the magical world of myth and legend. On his way home, as he flew over the coast of ethiopia, perseus saw. She was beautiful above all the other women of the land, but the king was not content because he had yet to have a son. Medusa in ancient greek art essay the metropolitan museum of. In order to fully understand the tale of perseus and medusa, it is first necessary to tell the story of perseus birth. One may wonder why the myth makes the wandering of perseus out to be an. Zeus comes to her and devours the dogs, and soon perseus is born. Perseus and the legends of argos oxford university press.
Fearing that, he hid his daughter danae in a chamber undergroun. Mingle with myth the story of perseus long ago, king acrisius of argos learned from an oracle that he would one day be killed by his grandson. There is only one obscure myth about the death of perseus, for in fabulae it was said that megapenthes killed perseus, in revenge for the death of his father, but in most sources it was said that perseus became one of the rarest figures in greek mythology, a hero who got to live out his life happily. Zeus, always on the prowl, found danae, and entered her cell in the form of golden raindrops. Perseus was the son of danae, his mother, and zeus, the chief of the gods was his fa ther. And so perseus sought out medusas lair, surrounded as it was by the petrified remains of previous visitors, and he found the gorgon sleeping. In a lot of ways, perseus is the dude that all mortal heroes have to measure up to. Quickly perseus threw medusas head into the magic bag and swung himself into the air.
King acrisius of argos was warned by an oracle that he would be killed in time by a son born to his daughter danae. Students who enjoy reading greek and roman mythology as part of their english classes have. Atlas and perseus the myth of atlas and perseus the mythical story of atlas and perseus by thomas bulfinch. How do they reference this myth and what does the author seem to highlight. Perseus mythology notes by hannah wiltonjones on prezi. Medusas head was given to athena, who bore it always upon the aegis, zeus mighty shield, which she carried for him. As you read, try to identify the characteristics of the myth genre. Yes, even though he had the good old magic arsenal, perseus was not so foolhardy as to wake medusa. A victim of rape in grecoroman mythology, medusa and her.
Hamiltons scholarly work singlehandedly renewed an interesting the classical world in american schools. Perseus was the son of zeus and danae, the daughter of acrisius of argos. The fishermans brother, polydectes, was the ruler of serifos. The myth of perseus and medusa is an important example of morality at work in ancient greece, and this quizworksheet combo will help test your understanding of these. The best jokes are ones that require a paragraph of explanation. But the god zeus got in, disguised as a shower of gold, with the result that perseus was born. First, build the control by joining the two strips of wood at right angles as. They could not find him, for he had put on the magic cap of invisibility. The story of danae, the mother of perseus, was the theme of plays by sophocles and euripides.
An oracle told him that his grandson would kill him, so he abruptly changed his mind and put his daughter, danae, in a box with no doors or wind. The monster opened its huge jaws, showing teeth as sharp as daggers. Perseus flew on until he spotted the beautiful maiden andromeda, who was chained to the rocky shore as a sacrifice to a sea monster. When a prophecy revealed to acrisius that his grandson would kill him, acrisius imprisoned his daughter danae to keep her chaste. The myth of atlas and perseus after the slaughter of medusa, perseus, bearing with him the head of the gorgon, flew far and wide, over land and sea. Olympus in the form of a stream of gold, which poured through the roof of the chamber, and soon danae had a baby named perseus. Nor did he consider, as a child of jupiter, his grandson perseus, whom danae conceived of a shower of gold. Perseus turning phineas and his followers to stone, early 1680s long ago in greece there lived a king called acrisius who had just one daughter, a beautiful girl named danae. His mother was danae, the daughter of acrisius, the king of argos. Top 10 tips for getting started with prezi video in your online classroom. The story of perseus long ago, king acrisius of argos learned from an oracle that he would one day be killed by his grandson.
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