The most beautiful and delightful of all myths are those that have come down to us in the remains of the literature and the art of ancient Greece and Rome; they are also the most important to us, for many of the great masterpieces of English literature and of modern art have been inspired by them and cannot be understood and appreciated by one ignorant of classical mythology.
Of this mythology the Fabulae Faciles give but a small part. If you wish to know more of the subject, you should read Gayley's The Classic Myths in English Literature, Guerber's Myths of Greece and Rome, or the books by Kingsiey, Cox, Church, and Francillon mentioned earlier.
PERSEUS
Acrisius, an ancient king of Argos, had been warned by an oracle that he should perish by the hand of his grandson. On discovering, therefore, that his daughter Danae had given birth to a son, Acrisius endeavored to escape his fate by setting both mother and child adrift on the sea. They were saved, however, by the help of Jupiter; and Perseus, the child, grew up at the court of Polydectes, king of Seriphos, an island in the Aegean Sea. On reaching manhood, Perseus was sent by Polydectes to fetch the head of Medusa, one of the Gorgons. This dangerous task he accomplished with the help of Apollo and Minerva, and on his way home he rescued Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus, from a sea-monster. Perseus then married Andromeda, and lived some time in the country of Cepheus. At length he returned to Seríphos, and turned Polydectes to stone by showing him the Gorgon's head; he then went to the court of Acrisius, who fled in terror at the news of his grandson's return. The oracle was duly fulfilled, for Acrisius was accidentally killed by a quoit thrown by Perseus.
1. THE ARK
Haec nárrantur á poétís dé Perseó. Perseus fílius erat Iovis, máximí deórum; avus éius Acrisius appellábátur. Acrisius volébat Perseum nepótem suum necáre; nam propter óráculum puerum timébat. Comprehendit igitur Perseum adhúc infantem, et cum mátre in arcá lígneá inclúsit. Tum arcam ipsam in mare coniécit. Danaé, Perseí máter, mágnopere territa est; tempestás enim mágna mare turbábat. Perseus autem in sinú mátris dormiébat.
2. JUPITER SAVES HIS SON
Iuppiter tamen haec omnia vídit, et fílium suum serváre cónstituit. Tranquillum igitur fécit mare, et arcam ad ínsulam Seríphum perdúxit. Húius ínsulae Polydectés tum réx erat. Postquam arca ad lítus appulsa est, Danaé in haréná quiétem capiébat. Post breve tempus á piscátóre quódam reperta est, et ad domum régis Polydectis adducta est. Ille mátrem et puerum benígné excépit, et iís sédem tútam in fínibus suís dedit. Danaé hóc dónum libenter accépit, et pró tantó benefició régí grátiás égit.
3. PERSEUS IS SENT ON HIS TRAVELS
Perseus igitur multós annós ibi habitábat, et cum mátre suá vítam beátam agébat. At Polydectés Danaén mágnopere amábat, atque eam in mátrimónium dúcere volébat. Hóc tamen cónsilium Perseó minimé grátum erat. Polydectés igitur Perseum dímittere cónstituit. Tum iuvenem ad sé vocávit et haec díxit: "Turpe est hanc ígnávam vítam agere; iam dúdum tú aduléscéns es. Quó úsque híc manébis? Tempus est arma capere et virtútem praestáre. Hinc abí, et caput Medúsae mihi refer."