Heathen mythology, Illustrated by extracts from the most celebrated writers, both ancient and modern

by Various

P E R S E U S.

This hero was the son of Jupiter and Danae, the daughter of Acresius. As the latter had confined his daughter in a brazen tower, to prevent her becoming a mother, because, according to the words of an oracle, he was to perish by the hands of his daughter's son, Perseus was no sooner born, than Acresius caused him to be thrown into the sea, with his mother, Danae. The hopes of the father were frustrated; for the slight bark which carried Danae and her son, was driven on the island of Seriphos, one of the Cyclades, where they were found by a fisherman named Dictys, and carried by him to Polydectes, the monarch of the place, by whom they were received with much kindness, and the priests of Minerva's temple had the charge of the youthful Perseus entrusted to them.

His rising genius and great courage fell under the displeasure of Polydectes, who feared, lest the love with which he soon became inspired towards Danae, and the intentions which he harboured towards her, should meet with the resentment of her son. The monarch, however, resolved to remove every obstacle out of his way, and made a sumptuous banquet, decreeing that all who came should present him with a beautiful horse. To this feast Perseus was invited, Polydectes being aware that he would not be able to procure the present which the wealth of the remaining guests could enable them to offer.

To a high spirited man this was unbearable, and unable to submit to the position of being the only one who had brought no present, and unwilling to appear inferior to the remainder of the guests in splendour, he told Polydectes, that though he was unable to give him a horse, he would bring him the head of one of the Gorgons, and Medusa being the only one subject to mortality, she must be the victim.

For more than one reason this was very agreeable to Polydectes, in the first place, as it would remove Perseus from the island, and the next that, from its seeming impossibility, the attempt might end in his ruin.

The gods, however, are the protectors of innocence, and that of Perseus was made their peculiar care. Pluto lent him his helmet, possessing the wonderful power of making the bearer invisible. The buckler of Minerva, as resplendent as glass, was given him by

that goddess. Mercury gave him wings and the Calaria, with a short dagger formed of diamonds. With this assistance Perseus boldly commenced his expedition, traversing the air, conducted by Minerva. He went first to the Graces, the sisters of the Gorgons, who possessed but one eye and one tooth among the three; with the assistance of Pluto's helmet, which rendered him invisible, Perseus was able to steal their eye and their tooth while sleeping, and refused to return them until they had informed him where their sisters, the Gorgons resided.

When the necessary information had been received, Perseus sought the habitation of the Gorgons, whom he fortunately found asleep. Knowing that if he fixed his eyes upon them, he would be changed to stone, he used his shield, which was transparent, as a mirror to reflect the object he sought to destroy. Keeping his eyes thus fixed upon them, he approached, Minerva supporting his courage, and with one blow of his sword, cut off Medusa's head.

The noise of the blow awoke the two remaining sisters, who frantic with rage, looked around for the murderer of their sister, but in vain, for he had already put on the invisible helmet of Pluto, and the attempts of the Gorgons to avenge the death of the sister were fruitless.

The conqueror pursued his way through the air, and from the blood which dropped from the head of the slain Gorgon he carried with him, arose the innumerable serpents which have for ages infested the sandy deserts of Lybia.

"Where western waves on furthest Lybia beat,

Dreadful Medusa fixed her horrid seat.

'Twas from this monster, to afflict mankind,

That nature first produced the snaky kind:

On her at first their forky tongues appeared,

From her their dreadful hissings first were heard."

Ovid

Chrysaor, who married Callirhoe, one of the Oceanides, sprung with his golden sword from those drops of blood, as well as the winged Pegasus, which flew directly through the air, and stopping on the Mount bearing the same name, became a favorite with the Muses.

In the meantime young Perseus pursued his flight through the air, across the deserts of Lybia. The approach of night compelled him to seek a brief shelter with Atlas, monarch of Mauritania.

"The victor Perseus, with the Gorgon head,

O'er Lybian sands his airy journey sped.

The gory drops distilled as swift he flew,

And from each drop envenomed serpents grew.

The mischiefs brooded on the barren plains,

And still the unhappy fruitfulness remains.

Thence Perseus, like a cloud, by storms was driv'n,

Thro' all the expanse beneath the cope of heaven.

The jarring winds unable to control,

He saw the southern and the northern pole:

And eastward thrice, and westward thrice was whirled,

And from the skies surveyed the nether world.

But when grey ev'ning showed the verge of night,

He feared in darkness to pursue his flight.

He poised his pinions, and forgot to soar,

And sinking, closed them on th' Hesperian shore:

Then begged to rest, till Lucifer begun

To wake the morn, the morn to wake the sun.

Here Atlas reigned of more than human size,

And in his kingdom the world's limit lies.

Here Titan bids his wearied coursers sleep,

And cools the burning axle in the deep.

The mighty monarch, uncontrolled, alone,

His sceptre sways; no neighb'ring states are known.

A thousand flocks on shady mountains fed,

A thousand herds o'er grassy plains were spread:

Her wondrous trees their shining stores unfold,

Their shining stores too wondrous to be told;

Their leaves, their branches, and their apples, gold.

Then Perseus the gigantic prince addressed,

Humbly implored a hospitable rest:

If bold exploits thy admiration fire,

(He said), I fancy, mine thou wilt admire:

Or if the glory of a race can move,

Not mean my glory, for I spring from Jove."

Ovid.

He went to his palace, expecting to meet with an hospitable reception from Atlas, by announcing himself the son of Jupiter, but he found himself grievously deceived. It occurred to the recollection of Atlas, that an ancient tradition had announced that his gardens were to be plundered of their fruits by one of the sons of the King of Heaven; and not only did he rudely refuse to shelter him, but offered violence to his person, and attempted to slay him.

Finding himself unable to contend with so powerful a foe, Perseus was obliged to have recourse to the head of Medusa, and Atlas was instantly changed into a large mountain, which bore the same name in the deserts of Africa.

"At this confession Atlas ghastly stared,

Mindful of what an oracle declared,

That the dark womb of time concealed a day,

Which should, disclosed, the gloomy gold betray:

All should at once be ravished from his eyes,

And Jove's own progeny enjoy the prize.

For this, the fruit he loftily immured,

And a fierce dragon the strait pass secured;

For this, all strangers he forbade to land,

And drove them from the inhospitable strand,

To Perseus then: 'Fly quickly, fly this coast,

Nor falsely dare thy acts and race to boast.'

In vain the hero for one night entreats;

Threat'ning he storms, and next adds force to threats.

By strength not Perseus could himself defend,

For who in strength with Atlas could contend?—

'But since short rest to me thou wilt not give,

A gift of endless rest from me receive.—'

He said, and backward turned, no more concealed

The present, and Medusa's head reveal'd.

Soon the high Atlas a high mountain stood;

His locks, and beard, became a leafy wood:

His hands and shoulders into ridges went,

The summit head still crowned the deep ascent:

His bones a solid, rocky hardness gained:

He thus immensely grown (as fate ordained),

The stars, the heavens, and all the gods sustained.

As Perseus pursued his journey, after inflicting this just punishment upon his foe, across the territories of Lybia, he discovered on the coast of Ethiopia, the beautiful Andromeda, exposed to the fury of a sea-monster, which for some time had ravaged the country, and to appease which, the oracle of Jupiter Ammon had declared,

nothing could avail, excepting the exposure of the maiden to its anger. At this moment, when the monster was going to destroy her, Perseus saw, and was captivated with her beauty.

He offered Cepheus, her father, his aid in delivering her from danger, provided he would give the maiden to him in marriage, as a reward for his exertions.

"Chained to a rock she stood; young Perseus stayed

His rapid flight, to view the beauteous maid.

So sweet her form, so exquisitely fine,

She seemed a statue by a hand divine,

Had not the wind her waving tresses shewed

And down her cheeks the melting sorrows flowed.

Her faultless form the hero's bosom fires,

The more he looks, the more he still admires.

Th' admirer almost had forgot to fly,

And swift descended, fluttering, from on high."

Ovid.

This princess had been promised in marriage to Phineus, her uncle, when Neptune sent a sea-monster to ravage the country, because Cassiope, her mother, had boasted herself fairer than Juno and the Nereides.

"In me the son of thundering Jove behold,

Got in a kindly shower of fruitful gold,

Medusa's snaky head is now my prey,

And through the clouds I boldly wing my way.

If such desert be worthy of esteem,

And, if your daughter I from death redeem.

Shall she be mine? Shall it not then be thought,

A bride, so lovely, was too cheaply bought?

For her, my arms, I willingly employ,

If I may beauties, which I save, enjoy."

Ovid.

Cepheus consented to bestow his daughter upon Perseus, and immediately the hero raised himself in the air, flew towards the monster, as it advanced to devour Andromeda, and plunging his dagger in his right shoulder, destroyed it. This happy event was attended with great rejoicings, and the nuptials of Andromeda with Perseus, soon followed.

The universal joy, was, however, quickly interrupted: for Phineus, dissatisfied with thus losing his promised bride, entered the palace with a number of armed men, and attempted to carry her off. In vain did the father and mother of Andromeda interfere.

"Chief in the riot, Phineus first appeared,

The rash ringleader of this boisterous herd,

And brandishing his brazen pointed lance,

'Behold,' he said, 'an injured man advance,'

Stung with resentment for his ravished wife,

Nor shall thy wings O Perseus, save thy life;

Nor Jove himself, tho' we've been often told

He got thee in the form of tempting gold.

His lance was aimed, when Cepheus ran and said;

'Hold, brother, hold, what brutal rage has made

Your frantic mind so black a crime conceive?

Are these the thanks that you to Perseus give?

This the reward that to his worth you pay,

Whose timely valour saved Andromeda?

Nor was it he, if you would reason right,

That forced her from you, but the jealous spite

Of envious Nereids, and Jove's high degree,

And that devouring monster of the sea,

That, ready with his jaws wide gaping stood,

To eat my child, the fairest of my blood.

You lost her then when she seemed past relief,

And wish'd, perhaps, her death, to ease your grief

With my afflictions; not content to view

Andromeda in chains, unhelped by you,

Her spouse and uncle, will you grieve that he

Exposed his life, the dying maid to free?

And shall you claim his merit? Had you thought

Her charms so great, you should have bravely sought,

That blessing on the rocks where fixed she lay;

But now let Perseus bear his prize away.

By service gained, by promised faith possessed;

To him I owe it, that my age is blest

Still with a child: nor think that I prefer

Perseus to thee, but to the loss of her."

Ovid.

A fierce contest ensued, and Perseus must have fallen a victim to the fury of Phineus, had he not employed the same arms which had proved so successful against Atlas.

"Fierce Phineus now repents the wrongful fight,

And views his varied friends, a dreadful sight;

He knows their faces, for their help he sues,

And thinks, not hearing him, that they refuse,

By name lie begs their succour, one by one,

Then doubts their life, and feels the friendly stone.

Struck with remorse, and conscious of his pride,

Convict of sin he turn'd his eyes aside;

With suppliant mien to Perseus thus he prays,

'Hence with the head, as far as winds and seas

Can bear thee: Hence; oh! quit the Cephan shore

And never curse it with Medusa more;

That horrid head which stiffens into stone,

Those impious men who daring death, look on:

I warred not with thee out of hate or strife,

My honest cause was to defend my wife,

First pledged to me; what crime could I suppose

To arm my friends, and vindicate my spouse?

'Twas thine to conquer by Minerva's power,

Favoured of heaven, thy mercy I implore,

For life I sue, the rest to thee I yield:

In pity from my sight remove the shield!'

Phineus turned to shun the shield,

Full in his face the staring head he held,

As here and there he strove to turn aside,

The wonder wrought, the man was petrified,

All marble was his frame, his burned eyes,

Dropped tears which hung upon the stone like ice;

In suppliant posture, with uplifted hands

And fearful look, the guilty statue stands."

Ovid.

He but showed the head of the Gorgon to his adversaries, and they turned to stone in the very attitudes they were when they first beheld it. The friends of Cepheus, however, and those who assisted Perseus, were saved from the same fate by a previous warning of Perseus.

Soon after this memorable adventure, Perseus went to Seriphos, and arrived there at the very moment that his mother Danae sought the altar of Minerva, to save herself from the violence of Polydectes; Dictys, who had preserved her and Perseus from the sea, had attempted to defend her from her enemy, and Perseus therefore sensible of his merit and of his humanity, placed him on the throne of Seriphos, after he had employed Medusa's head to turn the wicked Polydectes

into stone, with those of his court who were accomplices in his guilt.

When these celebrated exploits were finished, Perseus felt a desire to return to his native country, and arrived with his mother and Andromeda on the Peloponnesian coast, as some funeral games were being celebrated in honour of the deceased King of Larissa. Here he sought to signalise himself in throwing the quoit, but in this he was attended by an evil fate, and had the misfortune to kill a man with a quoit which he had thrown in the air: this proved to be Acresius, who thus met the fate the oracle had decreed, and to avoid which, he had been guilty of the barbarous act of throwing his daughter and her son into the sea.

This unfortunate murder preyed upon the spirit of Perseus, and though by the death of Acresius he was entitled to the throne of Argos, he refused to accept it, fearing it would constantly remind him of the parricide he had committed; and exchanged his kingdom for the maritime coast of Argolis.

The time of the death of Perseus is unknown, it is universally agreed however, that he received divine honours like the rest of the ancient heroes.