The Gorgon's Head

Summary

In this mythological tale, King Acrisius of Argos, fearing an oracle's prophecy of his own death by his grandson's hand, imprisons his daughter Danae. Zeus impregnates Danae, and she gives birth to Perseus. To avoid the prophecy, Acrisius sets mother and child adrift. Rescued by a fisherman, Perseus grows up and, to win glory, is sent to slay Medusa. With Hermes and Athena's aid, he succeeds, obtaining winged sandals, an invisibility helmet, and a magic wallet. After adventures including saving Andromeda and inadvertently fulfilling the prophecy by accidentally killing Acrisius with a discus, Perseus returns home to reconcile with his grandfather.

Takeaways

• 😔 A king of Argos received a dire prophecy that he would have no sons and would be killed by his grandson.
• 🏰 In an attempt to avoid his fate, the king imprisoned his daughter Danae in a bronze chamber underground.
• ☀️ Zeus, seeing Danae's beauty, visited her as a golden rain and impregnated her, resulting in the birth of Perseus.
• 🌊 Fearing the prophecy, the king placed Danae and baby Perseus in a chest and set them adrift on the sea.
• 🐟 A fisherman named Dictys found the chest and took Danae and Perseus to his childless wife, who raised Perseus.
• 💍 King Polydectes, who married Danae, sought to kill Perseus by sending him on a dangerous quest to slay Medusa.
• 🔍 Hermes and Athena aided Perseus by providing him with winged sandals, a helmet of invisibility, and a mirrored shield.
• 🐉 Perseus used the reflective shield to locate and behead Medusa without looking directly at her, which turned his enemies to stone.
• 💖 On his return, Perseus rescued Andromeda, who was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster, and married her.
• 🏺 The final fulfillment of the prophecy occurred when Perseus accidentally killed his grandfather with a discus throw during a game.

Q & A

What was the dreadful Oracle that the Christian king of Argos received at Delphi?

The Oracle told the king that he would have no sons, but a grandson who would be the cause of his death.

How did King Acrisius attempt to evade the Oracle's prophecy?

King Acrisius tried to evade the prophecy by imprisoning his daughter Danae in a bronze house underground to keep her away from men.

How did Zeus encounter Danae, despite her imprisonment?

Zeus, seeing Danae's beauty, transformed himself into a shower of gold and entered her chamber through an opening in the roof.

What did King Acrisius do when he discovered the baby Perseus?

Fearing the prophecy, King Acrisius placed Danae and baby Perseus in a chest and set them adrift on the sea.

Who found the chest with Danae and Perseus, and how did they end up?

A fisherman named Dictys found the chest and took them to his wife, who raised Perseus as her own son.

Why did King Polydactus suggest that Perseus should go on an adventure to slay Medusa?

King Polydactus, who was in love with Danae, suggested the adventure to get rid of Perseus because he was jealous of the affection Danae had for her son.

What were the three items Perseus needed to successfully slay Medusa, and who provided them?

Perseus needed winged sandals, a helmet of invisibility, and a magic wallet. Hermes provided him with the winged sandals and a sword, and Athena gave him her bright shield to use as a mirror.

How did Perseus find out which Gorgon was Medusa, and how did he manage to slay her?

Athena guided Perseus to identify Medusa, and using her shield as a mirror, he approached and swiftly cut off Medusa's head with his sword.

What was the significance of the Ruby drops falling from Medusa's head as Perseus flew over the Libyan Desert?

The Ruby drops from Medusa's head turned into venomous snakes, which would inhabit the desert forever.

How did Perseus save Andromeda, and what was the outcome of their encounter?

Perseus saved Andromeda by killing a sea monster that was threatening her and her people. He then married Andromeda, and they celebrated their wedding.

How was the Oracle's prophecy concerning King Acrisius ultimately fulfilled?

The prophecy was fulfilled when Perseus, unknowingly, killed his grandfather Acrisius with a discus throw during a game in Larisa.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Oracle's Prophecy and Persius' Birth

The story begins with a king of Argos who, after receiving a dire prophecy from the Oracle at Delphi, takes drastic measures to prevent the birth of a grandson who would cause his death. He imprisons his daughter Danae in a bronze chamber underground. However, Zeus, seeing Danae's beauty, impregnates her in the form of golden rain, leading to the birth of Persius. To avoid the prophecy, the king places Danae and the infant Persius in a chest and casts them into the sea. They are eventually rescued by a fisherman and his wife, who raise Persius. As he grows, Persius is tasked by his stepfather, King Polydactus, to perform a seemingly impossible feat: to slay Medusa, one of the Gorgons, whose gaze turns men to stone.

05:02

🗡️ Persius' Quest for the Gorgon's Head

Persius, unaware of the true nature of his quest, sets out to find the Gorgons. He is aided by Hermes, who provides him with winged sandals, a magic wallet, and a helmet of invisibility, and directs him to the Gray Women for further guidance. Persius cleverly steals their shared eye, forcing them to reveal the location of the Gorgons. He then acquires the winged sandals, the helmet of invisibility, and the magic wallet from the Nymphs of the North. Armed with these items and a sword from Athena, Persius locates the Gorgons and, using Athena's shield as a mirror, beheads Medusa while avoiding her petrifying gaze. He escapes the pursuit of the other Gorgons and, while fleeing, inadvertently creates the Libyan Desert with the blood of Medusa's severed head.

10:04

💍 Persius Saves Andromeda and Returns Home

During his journey home, Persius encounters Andromeda, a maiden chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. He defeats the monster and marries Andromeda. Their wedding is interrupted by Andromeda's uncle Phineas, who leads a violent attack on Persius. In self-defense, Persius uses Medusa's head to turn the attackers into stone. He spares Phineas's life but turns him into a statue as a warning. Persius later returns to Argos with his family, where he accidentally fulfills the prophecy by killing his grandfather with a discus during a game. The story concludes with Persius reconciling with his mother and Andromeda, and the Oracle's prophecy is complete.

Keywords

💡Oracle

An Oracle in ancient Greek mythology was a source of divine prophecy or a person through whom the gods spoke. In the video's narrative, the Oracle at Delphi delivers a prophecy to the king of Argos, stating that he will have no sons but will die by his grandson's hand. This prophecy sets the stage for the king's actions and the subsequent events in the story.

💡Danae

Danae is a figure from Greek mythology and the mother of Perseus in the story. She is mentioned as a maiden who is impregnated by Zeus, who visits her in the form of a golden shower. Her character is central to the plot as her son Perseus becomes the hero of the story. Her plight and the king's attempt to avoid the prophecy by imprisoning her also highlight themes of fate and divine intervention.

💡Perseus

Perseus is the central character of the video script and a hero in Greek mythology. He is the son of Zeus and Danae and embarks on a quest to slay Medusa. His journey and the fulfillment of the Oracle's prophecy are the main focus of the video. Perseus's actions and the tools he acquires, such as the winged sandals and the helmet of invisibility, are key to understanding the narrative.

💡Medusa

Medusa is one of the Gorgons in Greek mythology, known for having snakes for hair and the ability to turn anyone who looks directly at her into stone. The quest to cut off Medusa's head is the central task for Perseus in the video. The concept of Medusa embodies the idea of overcoming a fearsome and seemingly insurmountable challenge.

💡Gorgon

The Gorgons are mythical creatures in Greek mythology, typically depicted with snakes for hair and the power to turn people to stone. In the script, the Gorgons are the antagonists, and the slaying of Medusa is the main objective for Perseus. The Gorgons represent the monstrous and the unknown, which Perseus must confront and overcome.

💡Ploydactus

Polydactus is a character in the script who is the king and stepfather of Perseus. He is portrayed as a figure of authority who seeks to get rid of Perseus by sending him on a dangerous quest. Polydactus's role in the story is to create conflict and challenge for Perseus, which is a common theme in hero's journeys where the hero must face adversaries to prove themselves.

💡Hermes

Hermes is a major deity in Greek mythology, known as the messenger of the gods and the guide of souls to the underworld. In the script, Hermes aids Perseus by providing him with magical items and guidance. Hermes's involvement underscores the divine support that Perseus receives on his quest, which is a recurring theme in mythological hero stories.

💡Athena

Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare. In the video, she provides Perseus with a shield to help him defeat Medusa without being turned to stone. Athena's assistance represents the role of wisdom and strategy in overcoming obstacles, which is a key element in the story's theme of triumph over adversity.

💡Andromeda

Andromeda is a character in Greek mythology who is rescued by Perseus in the script. She is portrayed as a maiden chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. Perseus's rescue of Andromeda not only adds a romantic element to the story but also highlights his heroism and the theme of rescue and deliverance from danger.

💡Fate

Fate is a central concept in Greek mythology and the video script, referring to the unchangeable course of events that are predetermined by the gods. The Oracle's prophecy and the king's attempts to avoid it illustrate the theme of fate. The fulfillment of the prophecy despite all efforts to prevent it emphasizes the idea that some outcomes are beyond human control.

💡Reconciliation

Reconciliation is the process of restoring friendly relations after a conflict. In the script, Perseus seeks to reconcile with his grandfather, King Acrisius, after many adventures. This theme of reconciliation is important as it shows the hero's desire for peace and resolution, which is a common goal in many hero's journey narratives.

Highlights

A Christian king of Argos receives a dreadful oracle from Delphi stating he will have no sons but a grandson who will kill him.

The king hides his daughter Danae away in a house of bronze to prevent the prophecy from coming true.

Zeus, seeing Danae's beauty, visits her in the form of a golden shower and impregnates her.

Danae gives birth to Perseus, who is hidden from the king to protect him from the prophecy.

In fear, the king places Danae and baby Perseus in a chest and sets them adrift on the sea.

A fisherman named Dictys finds the chest and takes Danae and Perseus to his wife, who raises Perseus.

Perseus grows up and King Polydactus, Polydactus's brother, falls in love with Danae and makes her his wife.

King Polydactus, hating Perseus, sends him on a quest to slay Medusa, one of the Gorgons.

Hermes provides Perseus with winged sandals, a magic wallet, and a helmet of invisibility for his quest.

Athena gives Perseus a mirrored shield to safely view Medusa's reflection without turning to stone.

Perseus outsmarts the Gray Women to learn the way to the Gorgons by stealing their shared eye.

The Nymphs of the North provide Perseus with the winged sandals, helmet of invisibility, and magic wallet.

Perseus uses his new equipment to fly to the island of the Gorgons and slay Medusa while looking at her reflection.

Perseus rescues the beautiful Andromeda, who is chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster.

Perseus defeats the sea monster and marries Andromeda, gaining a kingdom as part of the agreement.

During the wedding feast, a battle erupts, and Perseus uses Medusa's head to turn his attackers to stone.

Perseus gives Medusa's head to Athena, who places it on her shield.

Perseus returns to Argos with his family, where he accidentally fulfills the prophecy by killing his grandfather with a discus.

Transcripts

foreign

[Music]

the gorgon's head

a Christian king of Argos came home from

Delphi with a heavy heart for he had

received a dreadful Oracle

no Sons shall be born to you the

Priestess had told him

but you should have a grandson and by

his hand you shall die

now the king had an only daughter who

was yet a maiden

so in his distress he thought

I will evade my faith I will shut the

knee up away from the sight of men in a

house of bronze all sunk underground and

he carried out his cruel plan but akris

shoes forgot to take the gods into

account part of the roof of the house

was open to the sky and one day as

lovely Danae sat sadly looking up at the

passing clouds Zeus beheld the maiden

changing himself into a shower of gold

he stormed into her chamber

when afterwards asan was born to the

knee she hid him from her father's sight

nevertheless the king discovered the

baby and was more than ever filled with

fear

he dared not kill little precious

directly lest the gods Avenge the murder

instead he had a great chest built Place

Danae and her boy in it and set them

adrift upon the sea

all day and all night the chest tossed

upon the waves the Nay lulled her child

with song and he slept but when the Don

came a great wave picked up the chest

and carried it close to the tiny island

of seraphos

it happened that a fisherman did this by

name saw the chest bobbing on the waves

close to the shore

he dragged the box to land and opened it

when he beheld the pitiful mother with

the helpless little child his heart was

moved

he took them both to his wife for

addictis was childless

and there in the kind of Fisher folks

Humble Home versus grew up

now Danae had been a beautiful maiden

and when persius has grown into a fine

tall youth she was still beautiful

so it was not strange that King

polydactus who was [ __ ] his brother

fell in love with her and made her his

wife but the king hated the youth just

because the Nay doted on him and sought

some way to get rid of him

at last polydactus said to his stepson

the time has come precious for you to

win glory for yourself in some bold

adventure

young precious thought so too

but what should the adventure be

I think the Willy polydactus said it

would be a good idea for you to cut off

the Medusa's head that would bring you

to the greatest frame all unsuspecting

Persia set off to find the Medusa not

knowing in the list how very loose an

adventure he had undertaken

for the Medusa was one of the three

Gorgons terrible winged monsters who

lived alone on an island

they had teeth like the task of a boar

hands of brass

and snakes instead of hair

shoes did not know where to look for the

Gorgons

nor did he know which of them was Medusa

and this was important for Medusa was

the only one of the three that could be

slain

from place to place the prince went on

his quest getting more and more

discouraged

then one day he beheld a young man of

great Beauty wearing winged sandals and

a winged cup and carrying in his hand a

wand around which two golden serpents

twine

Persia's knew at once that this was her

mess and was overjoyed when the God said

virtuous I approved the high adventure

you have in mind but you must be

properly equipped for it without the

wing sandals the magic wallet and the

helmet of invisibility it will be

difficult for you to slay Medusa but I

will take you to the gray women

you can find out from them

and will they indeed tell me persius

asked

not willingly Hermes replied but you can

make them do it

they have but one I shared among the

three

snatch it from them as they pass it from

one to another and none can see

and do not give it back till they tell

you what you want to know

with that

Hermes gave persus a magnificent curved

sword

you will need it he said for Medusa's

skills our hardest metal

first shoes had just taken the sword

when there was a sudden brightness in

the sky

and he beheld the goddess Athen

descending toward them of what use will

be your sword my brother

when none may look the Gorgons and live

the sight of them as you well know turns

men into stone

take my bright Shield purchase

look into it instead of at the monster

as you approach to do battle

and you will see the Medusa reflected as

in a mirror and the goddess left

on and on with God companion purchase

journeyed farther than man had ever been

at last they came to the end of the

Earth

there the weird gray women sat passing

their eye from one to another just as

her mess had said

the nay's son knew what to do

he left the God and crept quietly

towards them

waited till one had taken the eye from

her forehead and snatched it away as she

passed it to her sister

the gray women raised a fearful glamor

when they realized that a stranger had

their eye

they held and they threatened but

without the eye they were helpless and

in the end they grudgingly told persus

the way to the nips of the North

so again precious went on this time to

find the happy beings who possessed the

three Priceless things he needed

and when the nibs hurt the reason he

wanted them they were willing to give

him the wind shoes the helmet that would

make him invisible and the Magic Wallet

that would become the right size for

whatever he wished to carry

fully equipped now precious lightly

spread through the air over land and

over sea to the fearful island of the

Gorgons

as he approached he could see scattered

in the fields and along the roads

statues of men and beasts whom the sight

of the Gorgons had turned Stone

and at last from high above he beheld

the monsters themselves reflected in his

shield

their scale covered Bodies glistened In

The Sand their great wings were folded

and the snakes that were their hair lay

hideously coiled and intertwined the

Gorgons were asleep

but which of the three was Medusa

persius could see no difference among

them

suddenly he heard Athena's voice

descent persues and strike the Gorgon

nearest the shore is Medusa

Persia swept down and still gazing into

the shield boldly swung his blade with

one stroke he cut off the gristy head

then springing into the air he thrusts

his prize all reading and hissing into

the Magic Wallet

uplift the Gorgon sisters for they heard

the rattle of Medusa's skills as the

severed body thrashed about

they turned their snaky heads and when

they saw Perseus they roared with Fury

flapping their great Wings they set off

in Pursuit but they could not outstream

the wing sandals

over lands and people the hero flew on

and on

he had lost his way now for her mess had

left him below the Libyan Desert

stressed endlessly

persius did not know what those signs

were nor did he guess that their Ruby

drops falling from Medusa's head were

turning into venomous snakes that would

inhabit the desert forever

but now he saw a sight that made his

heart beat fast with excitement and

wonder

fastened by chains to a cliff by the Sea

he was a beautiful Maiden

precious almost forgot to keep his

winged sandals moving so Strack was he

by her rare Beauty

I pray you tell me your name and why you

are bound like this

I am Andromeda she said

daughter of cephus king of Ethiopian the

beautiful kashiopeia is my mother it is

her beauty that has chained me here for

the gods are jealous and in nothing

maybe mortal surpass them

the day my mother wanted herself fairer

than the daughters of nireius the sea

God has sent a serpent to Prey Upon Our

People and my death alone can appease

his anger

so says the oracle

enough of Tears Persia said to them

sternly

I am Perseus son of Zeus and the knee

now I will make this contract with you

that Andromeda shall be mine if I save

her from the serpent

indeed indeed Valerie's youth she shall

be yours only save her from the monster

and you shall have our kingdom as well

as our daughter

pressure sprung into the air and shot

high up in the clouds and buried his

sword up into the beast's right shoulder

on and on he struck the monster with his

sword that lead to its death

I will take Fair Maiden without dowry

Persia said

and that very day the wedding was

celebrated

now while the marriage Feast was at its

height the door of the banquet hall was

suddenly flung open and in burst of a

mob of shouting riotous men

foremost stood atromeda's Uncle Phineas

with a javelin in hand

behold I am here he cried I have come to

avenge the death of my promised bride

finesse said not a word he looked from

the King to Perseus and decided at which

to aim his weapon then hurdled it at the

hero the spare stuck in Persia's couch

then the rioters went wild weapons were

hurdled and the feast turned into a

battle

thick as hell javelin's spread by

Persia's ears he set his shoulders

against a great stone column and struck

down one man after another

but at least he realized that Valor

could not withstand the numbers against

him

if I have any friends here let them hide

their faces he shouted with this he drew

Medusa's head out of the wallet

200 men became Stony statues before

Phineas

Phineas cried put away your horrible

weapon hide it grant me only my life and

May the rest be yours

what I can give you most cowardly

Phineas I will

precious replied you shall be a lasting

Monument here in the Palace of my

father-in-law

the unhappy Phineas tried to turn away

his eyes but even as he did so his flesh

turned to stone

when at the Year's End Persia stayed

home with Andromeda

polydactus hatred had in no way lessened

the King was Furious that his stepson

had returned and refused to believe that

he actually slain the Medusa

I shall prove to you that what I say is

true he cried

hide your eyes all you who are my

friends

and he showed the gorgon's head the

cruel polydactus

that was the last time persus ever used

the horrible head

he gave it most willingly to Athen who

kept it ever after

now that polydactus was dead then they

yearned to go home again and be

reconciled with her father

so persius made the fisherman dictus

king of Island and sailed with his

mother and Andromeda to Greece but it

happened that when they came to Argos

King akris shoes was away from home

games were being held in Larisa and

persuas hearing of them decided to go

there and take part

and there at the game it was that the

Oracle which acrisius had received at

Delphi was strangely fulfilled

for when it came to Persia's turn to

throw the discus he threw it so hard

that it swerved to one side

it landed Among The Spectators and

killed an old man

that old man was King a Christians who

had gone to such cruel lengths to avoid

the Fate which the gods had ordained