What is Polydectes's true motive in sending Perseus to kill Medusa?
In Mythology
Who killed Medusa?
The Greek hero Perseus killed Medusa. He took his reflecting mirror and shined it to Medusa. Then, she cut off her head and she threw it into a nearby pond.
Why did Perseus kill Medusa?
Medusa was a dangerous monster, her gaze turned everything to stone. King Polydectes wanted Perseus out of the way so he could try and seduce Perseus' mother Danaë. So Polydectes sent Perseus on this dangerous mission, but with the help of Hermes and thena he went through with it. He cut off h…er head! (MORE)
Which characters are in perseus and Medusa?
okay here's all that I know... Perseus - the hero medusa - the non-human demon/monster the 3 grey sisters - they only have one eye and one tooth between them and Perseus steals it from them in order to be told where medusa's lair is two gods/godesses - the donors who give perseus his shoes and swor…d to kill medusa. perseus' mum - she is captured by the evil king evil king ( can't remember name!!) - is in love with perseus' mum but she refuses to marry him so he captures her. thats all of them, i think:) (MORE)
How did Perseus kill Medusa?
Since Perseus could not look into Medusa's eyes or he would turn to stone he used a shiny shield. He looked into the shield to see the reflection of her to know where she was without turning to stone. He then carefully came up from behind and cut off her head.
Who killed Perseus?
No one killed Perseus. He was one of the few greek heroes that wasn't murdered, mauled or cursed by the gods. He died of old age with his wife Andromeda.
How was Medusa killed by Perseus?
Perseus chopped off Medusa's head. Because her gaze could turn mento stone, he used her reflection in his shield and swung his swordbackhanded, which she obviously wasn't expecting.
Why did Perseus need the head of Medusa?
Perseus was asked by King Polydectes to kill Medusa. Correction. King Polydectes had proposed a "fake" marriage to rid of Perseus so he could marry Perseus's mother. He asked all the men on the island to contribute a gift, Perseus couldn't give anything because the king had taken him and his mother… in, so Perseus said he would kill Medusa and bring the head back as a gift and payback for what the king had done for him. (MORE)
Who assisted perseus in his attempt to kill medusa?
The Medusa affair was a very touchy subject among st the Olympians. As Medusa had been a lover of Poseidon she was (sort of) 'under his protection'. but as she and Poseidon had made love in a temple of Athena she was cruelly cursed. Now Athena could not curse Poseidon as he was one of the big three… Olympians and out-ranked her. But she had every right to curse Medusa and did so. As Athena had this right, Poseidon could not revoke the curse on Medusa but was obligated to let the condition stand. This was not the first time Poseidon and Athena had had a confrontation and there was a bit of a standing feud between them. (See the legend of the patronage of Athens) Because of all of this Zeus' hands were tied; because of Athena he could not remove Medusa's curse, because of Poseidon he could not put the poor girl out of her misery as he would have liked to. So let's go to a side issue for a moment. Zeus had an intimate affair with Danae, the only child of Acrisius, King of Argos, and got her pregnant. As Acrisius had been told in prophesy that he would be killed by his grandson, he wasn't to crazy to find out that he now had one. Now he didn't dare kill a lover and a child of Zeus so instead he nailed them up in a chest in threw them into the sea. Apparently killing them in this way made it the responsibility of Poseidon rather than Zeus, as Poseidon had no interest in this affair. The mother and child didn't die however, they were washed up on the shore of some small island kingdom where they were taken in by a local fisherman. (So maybe Poseidon did care a little bit after all.) The child of Danae was Perseus. Now the local king Polydectes fell in love with Danae and sought to marry her. Perseus however, discerning that Ploydectes wasn't an entirely noble person, sought to protect his mother from him. Polydectes then evised a ploy and took tribute of his subjects demanding a horse from each one. Perseus being the son of a fisherman (or so he thought) didn't have a horse to give so instead promised his services. Polydectes sent him on an impossible task -- to kill Medusa. And Perseus being the foolish testosterone drive youth he was -- agreed. So while Perseus was out wandering about thinking about how he was to accomplish such a ridiculous a task, he was (indirectly) met by the Olympians and given instructions and 'implements' to help complete the task. From Zeus he was given adamantine sword , From Athena he was given a polished shield, From Hermes he was given the winged sandals, From Hades he was given the Helm of Darkness. Now if we could just pause for a moment and consider the significance of each of these. The sword and the shield are elite in being made of adamantine and being polished but they are not items of any historical renowned. The winged sandals are a very personal item to Hermes; are the means by which he performs his particular duties, so the loan of them to Perseus is a much more incredible commitment by the Gods. Even so, they do not compare to the loaning of the Helm of Darkness by Hades. Hades is one of the Big Three of the Olympians and his Helm is one of the primordial weapons that he and his brothers employed in the War against the Titans; the powers by which they captured and held power over the cosmos. Just as Zeus had his thunder-bolts and Poseidon had his Trident so Hades had the Helm of Darkness. Now Zeus once let Athena (a warrior goddess) hurtle a thunder-bolt, but Poseidon never let anybody else touch his trident, so Hades giving the Helm of Darkness to mortal Perseus is an incidence that is definitively unheard of, near unbelievable. Perhaps, taking into consideration the unique power of the helm (it gave invisibility) the act suggests the covert nature that Perseus' mission was to have; how important it was to keep it secret from Poseidon. After being thus armed Perseus seeks out the Graeae, sisters of the Gorgons, to demand the whereabouts of the Hesperides, the nymphs tending Hera's orchard. The Hesperides provide Perseus with a knapsack in which to safely store Medusa's head. (MORE)
Why did they kill Medusa?
Perseus, son of Zeus, killed Medusa because she turned people to stone -- essentially, because she was a murderer.
Who killed Medusa and why?
Perseus is the one who killed Medusa. Perseus killed her because king Polydectes sent him on a quest to cut off Medusa's head and bring it to him as a plot to get Perseus out of the way .
How do you kill Medusa?
you cant look her straight in the eye because you would turn to stone so youd have to look in a mirror and slice her head off
In what Greek myth did Perseus fight Medusa?
This sory starts with King Acrisius, who is afraid of getting a grandson by his daughter Danae. She is visited by Zeus and gives birth to Perseus. Acrisius puts these two in an old boat on the Mediterranean, hoping the will drown. Eventually they find themselves in the palace of King Polydectes, who… wants to get rid of Perseus (now a grown man) in order to woo Danae. So he sends Perseus on a misson to kill Medusa, the terrible monster. and so on. (MORE)
When was Medusa killed?
In order to offer a date of her demise, she would have had to exist, and she didn't. The story of Medusa is one that is told to offer as allegory to the concept of man overcoming adversity, fear and the wilderness. The monsters the founder-king heroes slayed were all indicative of darkness and power…s of nature. Medusa, for example, represented the dangers of the sea (since she was connected to Poseidon). (MORE)
Where was Medusa when Perseus killed her?
Medusa was in North Africa.
Answer 2: .
She was asleep in her cave, wherever that was.
Why did Perseus' father send him away?
Perseus father did not send him anywhere. Perseus father was Zeus and his mother was princess Danaë. Danaë's father, king Acrisius, had been told by an oracle, that if he got a grandson Acrisius wold be killed by him. So he locked his daughter in a windowless tower in order to prevent her f…rom meeting any man. But Zeus, being divine got in and fathered Perseus. Acrisius was frightened and sent Danaë and the baby out on the sea in a leaky boat. But they landed on an island and the story started. (MORE)
What is the theme of Perseus and Medusa?
One theme is predestination..
The grandfather of Perseus, Acrisius, had been told by an oracle the his grandson would kill him. HE did everything not to get a grandson, then trying to get the grandson, Perseus, out of the way. Perseus spent his life far from Acrisius. Yet in the end Perseus killed …Acrisius by throwing a discus. (MORE)
When did Perseus and Medusa begin?
That story and the rest of the Greek myths are age old, nobody knows how old. They were first put in writing by authors Homer and Hesiod in the 8th century BC.
Who helped Perseus slay Medusa?
While nobody was there to help in the physical slaying of Medusa, Perseus gained a great deal of tools to help him do so. Hermes gave him winged sandals that Athena made because she hated Medusa, and a sickle given to him by Hermes. Athena also gave him a shield and Hades allowed him to borrow his H…elmet of Invisibility. He gained the location of Medusa from the Hyperboreans only because he promised to destroy their only eye between them if they didn't. The Helmet of Invisibility was used to sneak up on Medusa, the shield was used as a reflection device so that he did not directly look at her (and thus turn to stone), the sandals were used to reach the island, and the sickle was used to decapacitate her. In a different version, Hermes came and gave him the Athena made flying sandals, he gained the location of the Nymphs who knew the location of Medusa by the Hyperboreans, and he was told how to defeat Medusa by these Nymphs (called the Gray Ones). The Gray Ones promised to help him only if he came back and slept with them afterwords. They were also the ones who gave him the polished bronze shield, the sickle-shaped sword (as opposed to the sickle in the other version), and a Cap of Darkness (this version's Helmet of Invisibility). The way he defeats Medusa in this version is the same though. (MORE)
Why did Athena send a man to kill Medusa?
Medusa was once very beautiful but a man was sent out to kill her and she asked for Athena's protection but Athena refused and Athena cursed her. Medusa couldn't kill women so she was sent to a chamber (that is now hers) were no women could go. every man that ever went in there never came back ou…t. (MORE)
Why was Medusa killed?
Medusa was decapitated by the hero Perseus, who was sent to bring her head to King Polydectes of Seriphus as a wedding gift.
How does Perseus slay Medusa?
He uses the mirrored back of the Aegis to strike at Medusa without looking her in the eyes. He beheaded her, and then put the head in a sack.
How old was perseus when he killed Medusa?
he was at the age of 20 or 19 because he was very young .
Why did Perseus slay Medusa?
because Polydictus, an evil king, wanted to marry Perseus' mother, Danae. he knew Perseus would never allow it though so he told Perseus he would only be happy if he went and killed Medusa. He knew he would be killed on the way. But with the help of a god, goddess, and nymphs, he was successful. he …came back and the head turned Polydictus and his court into stone. (MORE)
What happened after perseus killed Medusa?
After he killed Medusa he flew on Pegasus trying to escape the Gorgan sisters then he saw a beautiful women named Princess Andromedda ( something like that ) and saved her because she was tied to a chain to be eaten by the sea monster Posiden sent and he rescued her and both fell in love.... made lo…ve... had babies... so on. (MORE)
Why did Polydectes ask Perseus to get the head of the gorgon Medusa?
Polydectes wanted Perseus mother, Danaë. Perseus found Polydectes was a bad guy and always tried to protect his mother from him. So Polydectes had to get Perseus out of the way.
Why did perseus father send him away?
Perseus's father was Zeus, who didn't send him anywhere, and was in fact practically present only at the moment that he was conceived.
What are the steps that Perseus must take to slay Medusa?
He must outsmart the Graiae who guarded the cave where Medusa slept. Then he must not meet Medusa's gaze which turned everyone to stone. The shiny shield that Athena had lent him he used as a mirror when beheading Medusa.
Who else did Perseus kill besides Medusa?
He kills the sea monster. It was sent by Poseidon to swallow Andromeda for a sacrifice to him. Perseus killed it and saved her by driving his sword in its mouth. He also by accident killed Acrisius, his father-in-law.
Who helps Perseus kill Medusa?
He looked in his shield so he did not look her straight in the eye then cut her head off.
Where did Perseus slay Medusa?
Perseus went to a cave where Medusa lived with her two other Gorgon sisters Stheno and Euryale. He received guidance from the Hesperides. The cave is assumed to be in Greece or on one of its islands.
Why does Perseus go on the quest to slay Medusa?
Its because he wants to take off her head so she can turn the guy who is trapping his mom into stone to save his mom.
What motivates the hero Medusa in the story of Perseus?
Medusa was not a hero- her actions were motivated by the fact that she was a monster.
What happened when perseus killed Medusa?
Medusa died: her children by Poseidon, Pegasus and Chrysaor escaped by her blood, her sister Gorgons woke and went after Perseus who ran from them who were immortal.
Why did Athena help Perseus defeat Medusa?
Medusa is one of the Three Gorgon sisters. She dated Poseidon, who has a fancy for sea monsters. Athena caught Medusa & Poseidon in her temple, the Parthanon. So she cast a spell on Medusa turning her into an ugly hag with snakes as hair. When Perseus went to hunt down Medusa Athena was happy to hel…p. Athena also wanted Medusa's head on her shield. (MORE)
Why did perseus have to approach Medusa with a mirror?
Perseus had to approach Medusa with a mirror because anyone who looked into her eyes would be turned into stone. If you look at her reflection, nothing would happen.
Who gave perseus the shield that was used to kill medusa. who had it to him given to him by?
Athene gave him the Aegis, the shield of Zeus. The shield was made for Zeus by Hephaestos.
Why could perseus only kill medusa?
Perseus was one of the earliest heroes of myth. As a demigod, he had power and resources other mortals didn't have, making him ideal for monster-slaying. Of course, he was sent on the mission with the intention that it would kill him.
How do perseus and Athens use medusas head?
Even in death, the head of the Gorgon could petrify anyone who looked into its eyes. Perseus just wielded the head itself, like a weapon. Athena had the head mounted to the front of the Aegis.
Why can't Perseus look at Medusa?
Perseus can't look at Medusa because she will turn him into a stone statue but, Perseus can look at Medusa, he can just used a polished bronze shield to deflect the petrifying glaze.
Was perseus rewarded for killing Medusa?
Indirectly. You see, he was given the task by Polydectes, King of Seriphos, with the intention that the Gorgon would kill him, and then Polydectes could have his way with Perseus' mother, Danae. But he was able to kill Medusa, and in turn was able to save Andromeda from the Cetus, slew her intended …huband, then returned to Seriphos where he slew Polydectes and saved his mother. He made his foster father Dictys king and he made Danae his queen. Later, he returned to Argos where he fulfilled the prophecy that he would kill his grandfather, Acrisius, making himself king of Argos. (MORE)
How does Perseus face Medusa?
In Greek myth, Perseus is given a mirrored shield as a gift from one of the Gods. Because when you look at the Medusa it is said you turn to stone, Perseus could look into his shield and he would see Medusa without actually looking at her, and could kill her.
Why could perseus kill Medusa?
Perseus used a short sharp sword given to him by hermes (messenger god) and a shield used as a mirror, given to him by athena (god of war strategy and wisdom). Perseus looked at Medusas reflection with the shield and took of her head with the sword.
Why should Perseus not kill Medusa?
So that he could return her head to the king, showing proof that he conquered the gorgon and the king's "instructions". Personally, I guess it's also a use of a weapon.
Where did Medusa fight perseus?
Actually, Perseus fought Medusa, not the other way around. Using gifts from the gods, he went to her home and was able to sneak up on her and slice her head off with a sword. Other than that one part, the details of the myth of Medusa, including where she lived, vary from one version to another. Acc…ording to the Greek historian Diodorus, Medusa and her two sisters, known as the Gorgons, lived in the Gorgades, a group of islands in the AEthiopian Sea (which is actually on the other side of the African continent from what we now call Ethiopia).. Some stories locate Medusa's home in a cave on the island of Cisthene in the Red Sea.. The Aenid says that the Gorgons lived in the entrance of the Underworld. (MORE)
Who told Perseus to decapitate Medusa?
There are several versions of the myth. In one, Polydectes, the ruler of the island that Perseus and his mother, Danaë lived one, desperately wanted to marry Danaë, but didn't want her son around. Hence, he hatched a plot in which he would invite a bunch of people over for a wedding celebra…tion, including Perseus. As dictated by custom, everyone brought a gift for the bride-to-be, except for Perseus, since he had nothing to give. He was deeply embarrassed by this, and declared that he would give the king anything he wanted. Therefore, the king told Perseus that he wanted nothing more than the head of Medusa. In another version (but at the same wedding celebration), Perseus declared that he himself would get the head of Medusa as a gift for Polydectes. In both, Polydectes was hoping that Perseus would not make it back alive. (MORE)
How does perseus manage to kill Medusa?
He slays her without looking at her by gazing at her reflection in his shield
Why did Medusa have to fight perseus?
Medusa never got the chance to fight Perseus; in myths he came upon her while she slept and he cut off her head and fled as her sisters woke.
Where was perseus when he fought medusa?
Medusa the gorgon lived together with her two sisters atthe end of the world beyond the ocean in the kingdom of Night
What is the purpose for perseus and medusa?
There was no purpose for either Medusa or Perseus. Medusa was the only mortal Gordon (dreadful female creatures) whose eyes turned people to stone. That is all there was to her. She probably liked to just mind her own business. Perseus was sent to kill her and fetch her head by a king. The king want…ed to get rid of him and thought he would be killed by Medusa. Perseus managed to kill her thanks to the help of the gods Zeus, Hermes and Athena. (MORE)
What are the divine gifts Perseus receives as he sets out on his quest to kill Medusa?
What are the divine gifts Perseus receives as he sets out on hisquest to kill Medusa