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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Perseus Biography PERSEUS, in Greek legend, the son of Zeus and Dannaë, daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos. An oracle foretold that a son of Dannaë would cause the death of Acrisius, and he accordingly imprisoned her in a tower of brass, but Zeus rescued her and made her his bride. Four years later Acrisius discovered the marriage union and learned that a babe had been born, when he promptly ordered that the mother and child should be secured and thrown into the sea. Under the direction of Zeus, the chest floated safely to one of the Cyclades, the island of Seriphus, where Perseus was protected by the king of the island under promise that he would slay the Gorgon Medusa and bring her head to him. In this he was aided by Hermes and Athena, who protected him from danger, while the Nymphs lent assistance in his Herculean task. After reaching the dwelling of Medusa near Tartessus, he cut off her head with the sickle furnished by Hermes, and on his return liberated the beautiful Andromeda from a sea monster. Later he rescued his mother from Polydectes by turning the latter into stone. At the funeral games, celebrated in honor of the king's father, an arrow thrown by Perseus struck Acrisius, and thus he was the innocent cause of his grandfather's death. Shortly after he became king of Tiryns, and in the course of time founded the cities of Mycenæ and Midea. Perseus was celebrated and worshiped as a hero, not only in Greece, but in Asia Minor and Egypt. Many of the splendid figures of ancient art were dedicated to him, and after his death he was assigned to a place among the stars. The Teachers' and Pupils' Cyclopædia, Vol. III (Kansas City: Bufton Book Co., 1909) 1406.
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