What is the myth of Medusu and Perseus?

Answer 1

Perseus, was the son of Zeus and Danae, who was the daughter of the king of Argos.

The king, greedy of his power, feared that he would be overthrown, so he visited the oracle regularly. He was told that his own grandson would kill him and claim his throne. To prevent this, he locked his daughter in a tall tower and killed anyone who came to claim her hand. Zeus, seeing her plight, visited her as a shower of gold, and eventually impregnated her. Her father, fearing the prophecy, put her and her child in a cask and set them onto the sea to die. Poseidon took pity on them and placed them gently on the shores of Seriphos.

The king of that land wanted Danae for himself, but she did not want him, and Perseus acted as her protector. SO to get rid of the meddlesome boy, Polydectes had a massive feast, inviting everyone, on the condition that they bring a horse. Since Perseus and his mother and foster father were fishermen, they had no horses to give, so the rash Perseus offered the king any gift he asked for. The king, wasting no time, asked for Perseus to deliver to him the head of the Gorgon, Medusa.

With some help from his divine family, Perseus was able to slay the monstrous Medusa by using the mirrored back of the Aegis to see her with. Then he used Hades' Helm of Invisibility to escape from the remaining immortal Gorgons (Medusa was the only mortal).

On his way home (using the winged sandals of Hermes), he saw a beautiful woman being sacrificed to the Cetus (a giant fish). Her name was Andromeda and she was being sacrificed because her mother, Cassiopeia, claimed she was more beautiful than the Nereids (inciting Poseidon's wrath). Perseus slew the monster and claimed Andromeda for his bride. Phineas, the man to whom Andromeda had previously been promised, challenged Perseus. The hero produced the head of the slain Gorgon and turned his challenger to stone.

On his return to Seriphos, he discovered that Polydectes, the king, had taken his mother as a slave and was forcing her to work against her will. Polydectes was surprised that Perseus lived and refused to believe that he had accomplished his task. So Perseus produced the head of Medusa and turned Polydectes and his court into stone as well. He placed Dictys, the brother of the king, on the throne and he took Danae as his wife and consort.

Perseus did eventually slay Acrisius, king of Argos, but he did not claim the throne. Instead he went on to found the kingdom of Mycenae, and he is considered by many to be the progenitor of the Classical Greeks. Many references to later Greeks called them "Danaans" after his mother Danae.