Alex’s Greek Monster Myth: Medusa and Perseus

Source:https://www.theoi.com/articles/the-myth-of-perseus

Script::

This is the story about Perseus and Medusa. It’s set in present day Meditarean islands between Greece and Turkey. First I’ll tell you their backstories-

Zeus, the lightning god, and Danae, a mortal princess, had Perseus. Since his mom was a mortal and his dad was a god, he was a demi-god. Him and Danae lived with Danae’s dad, King Acrisius.

Acrisius thought Perseus was going to kill him when he grew up, so he cast Danae and her son into the sea in a wooden chest. They came to an island called Serifos where King Polydectes took them in.

The king fell in love with Danae and made her his slave. Perseus wanted to protect his mother, but Polydectes sent him on a mission to bring back the head of Medusa.

Medusa had once been a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair. One day she had gone to Athena’s temple to brag about being prettier than Athena. Athena got mad and cursed Medusa with a hideous face and snake hair. And if anyone looked at her they would turn to stone. Athena sent her to a cave far, far away.

Before Perseus left on his quest, the gods gave him gifts to help him. Hades gave him the cape of invisibility, Hermes gave him winged sandals, Athena gave him a reflective bronze shield, and Hephaestus gave him a sword.

Then, Perseus found Medusa’s cave and peeked in. Perseus turned his shield and saw Medusa sleeping through the bronze. He slowly walked in, still only looking at her through the shield, and chopped her head off with the sword. He put her head in his bag and started his journey home.

While he was traveling back home, Perseus saw Andromeda, a beautiful woman, stuck in a rock. Cetus the sea monster was going to eat her, but Perseus slew the monster and saved her just in time. Perseus wanted to marry Andromeda, but she was already engaged to Phineus. Phineus got mad at Perseus for proposing to Andromeda, so he challenged him to a duel.

Perseus accepted and took out Medusa’s head and turned Phineus to stone, making sure to cover Andromeda and his eyes. Then Perseus and Andromeda Went back to Polydectes and set Danae free by turning Polydectes to stone. After Polydectes was defeated, Perseus and Andromeda got married. The moral of this story is that you should go for something if you really want it and be courageous.

I picked this myth because in 4th grade my teacher used to tell us tons of greek myths and this is my favorite out of all the myths he told us.