Perseus A Greek Hero Essay

Think of all the Greek heroes you know. Did they ever have a happy ending? Or did they die some horrible and tragic death, or commit suicide? For most Greek heroes, their stories ended in tragedy. There are not many stories where they all live happily ever after. However, there are a few exceptions. Perseus is one of them. Before Perseus was born, his grandfather, King Acrisisus of Argos, received a prophecy that his daughter, Danae, was going to have a son who would kill him. Out of fear, he locked Danae in a bronze home, but one day Zeus visited her in a shower of gold. She soon had a son named Perseus. When King Acrisisus discovered Perseus, he sent him and his mother out into the sea inside of a chest. They reached land where they were found by a kind fisherman, Dictys. They lived with him and his wife for many years. Over those years Danae was
Polydectes knew that no man unaided could kill Medusa. However, Perseus was not unaided. Two great gods we watching over him, Hermes and Athena. Hermes told Perseus that before he attacked Medusa, he must be properly equipped, and what he needed was in the possession of the nymphs of the North. In order to reach the nymphs, he would have to talk to the Gray women, three strange creature who share one eye for the three. With Hermes assistance, he got the nymphs location from the Gray women. Hermes gave Perseus a sword to attack Medusa with, one that could not be bent or broken. Athena then appeared and took off the shield of polished bronze which covered her breast and gave it to him. The nymphs gave him three gifts: winged sandals, a magic wallet which would always become the right size for whatever was to be carried in it, and a cap that made the wearer invisible. With these gifts, he was able to chop off Medusas head as she slept. Having gotten what he came for, he set off to