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Perseus is the son of Zeus and Danae.   Danae's father, Acrisius, locked her up in a 

tower in fear of her son would cause his death.   It had been prophesied to him that

he won't have any sons but a grandson would be brought into the world that would

end his life.   Therefore, he locked Danae into a tower but that didn't stop Zeus

from anything.   So he had his way with her by turning into a shower of golden rain 

that entered her place of captivity.   Acrisius decided to get rid of Danae and 

Perseus so he had set them adrift on the sea in a wooden ark.   They floated near

             the island of Seriphos still alive under the protection of Zeus, where 

             they were discovered by a kindly fisherman named Dictys, who happened

                            to be the brother of the local king, Polydectes.

Polydectes figured that there is something special about Perseus and Danae so he 

decided to raise Perseus to manhood on his estate.   Polydectes desired to make 

Danae his wife and didn't care to have Perseus as part of the deal.   He tried to 

force her into marriage but Perseus was able to prevent the union much to the 

chagrin of Polydectes.   He decided to try something new and devious to 

circumvent the impediment of Perseus. Polydectes announced his intention to 

marry another and asked his friends and supporters, including Perseus, for a gift of 

             a horse each as a betrothal bequest.

Polydectes knew Perseus didn’t have anything to offer and was quite prideful so 

was working that angle, which quickly came to fruition.   Perseus was so pleased

that his mother was out of marriage contention but so mortified he couldn’t 

provide a horse, he told Polydectes that he would contrive to win any gift he 

may choose.   Polydectes accepted this offer at once and asked him to fetch the 

head of Medusa.   Athena overheard this discussion and decided to aid Perseus in 

his quest.   She appeared to him and informed Perseus how to go about the task at

hand, presenting him a polished shield to prevent having to look at Medusa 

directly. 

Athena also indicated she would enlist help from Hermes in his travels. He first 

had to collect some articles to complete the quest and informed on what he must 

do and where he must go. He went on his way to seek the Graiae guided by Hermes 

and Athena. The Graiae were three old hag sisters with swan like bodies and human 

heads living in the mountains. They knew where to find the Stygian Nymphs, 

keepers of the other items Perseus required including a pair of winged sandals, a 

wallet and a helmet that rendered the wearer invisible, all owned by Hades and in 

                       the Nymphs’care.

The Graiae shared an eye and tooth between them that they circulated to see and 

eat.   These hags weren’t especially nice or helpful and would only offer 

information if forced to do so.   Upon finding their haunt, Perseus as directed by 

Athena, waited until the sisters were making an exchange of the eye and snatched 

it from them.   He indicated he’d give it back only if they informed him where he 

could find the Nymphs, which they quickly did. Perseus found the Stygian 

Nymphs, collected the goods and was on his way to locate Medusa.

Flying to the haunt of Medusa, Perseus, made invisible by Hades helmet made, 

a stealthy approach being certain to avoid the two immortal Gorgon sisters. 

Using the reflection in the shield provided by Athena to avoid looking upon 

Medusa he advanced and with his hand guided by Athena, whacked off her head 

with one mighty blow.   Much to his surprise, the winged-horse Pegasus and his 

brother, the warrior Chrysaor, sprang fully grown from her dead body.   Perseus 

stashed the head in the wallet to keep it from his view and avoiding the wrath of 

the two remaining Gorgon sisters due to his invisible state, and off he went

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