As perseus grew up, king polydectes fell in love with danae. Perseus in greek mythology greek legends and myths. By accident, they say, perseus 1 killed his grandfather, the man who had sent him and his mother into exile. A new classical dictionary of greek and roman biography, mythology and. Perseus was considered as one the most famous and popular heroes in greek culture. He received a mirrorlike shield to take on his journey. Like most of the mythological heroes, the genealogy of perseus makes him the son of a god and a mortal. Livy s only surviving work is commonly known as history of rome or ab urbe condita, from the founding of the city, which was his career from his midlife, probably 32, until he left rome for padua in old age, probably in the reign of tiberius after the death of augustus. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Perseus mythology article about perseus mythology by. A power struggle among the gods both hinders and helps him along the way, and perseus even manages to find true love when he rescues the breathtakingly beautiful princess andromeda from the horrors of a bloodthirsty sea monster. Whether you paid attention to your lessons about greek mythology during 10th grade, or youre a big fan and avid reader of rick riordan and his bestselling percy jackson series, we bet youre quite familiar with the tale of medusa and the great hero perseus. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.
We had pick a god or goddess from the book, research them and write a summary and opinion piece about them. He wrote, in two books, a history of the wars of rome, from the time of the kings to the closing of the temple of janus under augustus 25 b. Ab urbe condita, livy books xxi and xxv the second punic war 1 of 23 translations. During 1 the year a fleet of greek ships under the command of the lacedaemonian cleonymus sailed to the shores of italy and captured the city of thuriae in the sallentine country. The story of perseus begins in the greek kingdom of argos, at a. Senate, dedicated the shrine of the mother of the gods,notei. Perseus was thought to exist several generations before the famous heracles hercules.
Antonio canova, benvenuto cellini, edward burne jones, paul reubens, and more have created paintings or sculptures based on the story of perseus and medusa. The stories and pictures from ancient greek mythology are based. The adventures of perseus have been told, and retold, over the millennia, and even today his story regularly appears on the big screen. His mother was danae, the daughter of acrisius, the king of argos. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 2 rev. Furius, one of the two naval commanders, sailed there with ten ships. His history of rome became a classic in his own lifetime and exercised a profound influence on the style and philosophy of historical writing down to the 18th century. So he decided to stick his daughter in a little wood boat and cast her out to the ocean. In greek mythology this may hold true, but the origins of medusa can be tracked back to africa. Perseus is best known for beheading the gorgon medusa, a snakehaired lady who can turn anybody who looks at her into stone.
Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 10, chapter 28. Perseus how the two legends get confused feats above humantiy perseus was basically like the average greek. Perseus 1 was, as a child, cast into the sea in a chest together with his mother, whom zeus had visited in the form of a stream of gold when she was held isolated. The myth of her abduction represents her function as the personification of. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 10 perseus. And i expect every one of my loyal subjects to contribute a gift to the bride price, he said, looking meaningfully at perseus. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 1 perseus. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 10, chapter 40. Greek mythology books meet your next favorite book. Then he aimed a stroke down at medusas throat and athena guided his hand. A dictionary of greek and roman antiquities 1890, augur a dictionary of greek and roman antiquities 1890, colo. Perseus, famous greek demigod, the slayer of medusa and.
The sea was infested by fleets of greek pirates who made descents on the coast round antium and laurentum and entered the mouth of the tiber. Perseus was one of the oldest out of all of the greek mythological heroes. Perseus on his winged sandals hovered above them, looking, however, only at the shield. Fascination with perseus battle with medusa continued long after ancient greek and roman times. But the story is long, lets start with the beginning. Livy, latin in full titus livius, born 5964 bc, patavium, venetia now padua, italydied ad 17, patavium, with sallust and tacitus, one of the three great roman historians. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 10 rev. He is best known for having slain the gorgon medusa, which resulted. My 6th grade teacher used this book in our greek history social studies unit. Home collectionstexts perseus catalog research grants open source about help. Perseus life was a very interesting one, full of adventures. Allen and greenoughs new latin grammar for schools and colleges, construction of cases. His reputation and character quickly turned him into a local hero of argos a place in peloponese, greece. Their second son, electryon, later became king of mycenae and it was his daughter, alcmene, who gave birth to heracles, the greatest hero in greek mythology.
Graecia liberata and the role of flamininus in livys fourth. The goddess of crafts and war had her own reasons for wishing to see the gorgon vanquished, so she was eager to advise perseus. He was known for his vigorous strength, incredible bravery and slaying two of the most ferocious monsters, known as medusa, the youngest of the gorgons, and cetus, the sea monster of poseidon. The adventures of perseus part 2 greek mythology ep. It describes the specific gods and goddess of mount olympus and shares a few stories related to these gods. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 24 rev. Each book covers a character from mythology and brings the tale to life through illustrations and storytelling, with inspiration from ancient art and literature. Perseus, in greek mythology, the slayer of the gorgon medusa and the rescuer of andromeda from a sea monster. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 2 perseus.
Why, exactly, athena had it in for medusa is not entirely clear. Perseus is the granddaddy of all the greek heroes, coming before theseus, heracles, odysseus, and the rest. The likeliest explanation is that the gorgon, while still a beautiful young maiden, had profaned one of athenas temples. Perseus 1 beheaded medusa 1, and later founded the city of mycenae, where he became king. Perseus and andromeda lived for many years and had seven children. Perseus is a major hero from greek mythology best known for his clever decapitation of medusa, the monster who turned all who looked at her face into stone. The two were rescued by fishermen and settled on the island of. Her most popular image became that of her defeat in the myth of perseus. Book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book vii book viii. In italy the consul marcellus recovered salapia, which was betrayed to him, and gained forcible possession of two places belonging to the samnites marmoreae and heles. He is best known in greek mythology as the slayer of medusa, one of three female creatures, or gorgons, with hair said to be made of poisonous snakes. Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. With a single sweep of his sword he cut through her neck and, his eyes still fixed on the shield with never a glance at her, he swooped low enough to seize the head.
Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of various cities across greece, particularly the city of athens, from which she most likely received her name. He put it out that, instead, he planned to seek the hand of another maiden, one hippodameia. Perseus is one of the greatest heroes spoken of in greek mythology, for perseus was the famed vanquisher of the gorgon medusa. These famously include the slaying of the sea monster cetus which led to the rescuing of. The king of the island, polydectes, was the fishermans brother. The general lesson of many greek myths sexual or not is simply that the gods are huge, immature jerks. Ab urbe condita, ab urbe condita libri dritter band buch vibuch x 1 of 42 editions. Perseus perseus facts and information on the greek hero. In a lot of ways, perseus is the dude that all mortal heroes have to measure up to. Perseus to win the war and become absolute master of greece.
This book is compilation of various greekroman myths. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 24, chapter 10. Greek mythologyheroesperseus wikibooks, open books for. Arcisius, perseus grandfather, had asked an oracle if he would ever have any kids. A roman summary of mythological stories, the fabulae of hyginus first century bcefirst century ce says that he was killed by a rival king, megapenthes, with whom he had previously exchanged kingdoms tiryns and argos. He beheaded the gorgon medusa for polydectes and saved andromeda from the sea monster cetus. He wanted to get rid of perseus before he married danae, so he asked perseus to slay the gorgon medusa and bring back her head as a trophy. Polydectes asked perseus to slay and behead the gorgon medusa and bring back her head as his gift. When he began this work he was already past his youth. When a prophecy revealed to acrisius that his grandson would kill him, acrisius imprisoned his daughter danae to keep her chaste. A dictionary of greek and roman antiquities 1890, adlecti. Greek mythology, body of stories concerning the gods, heroes, and rituals of the. The book history of rome, sometimes referred to as ab urbe condita is a monumental history. Greek mythology are books about or based on the ancient greek myths as well as.
Over the years, many famous artists have taken on the subject. Picture of athena and perseus roman and greek gods and. He was, alongside cadmus and bellerophon, the greatest greek hero and slayer of monsters before the days of heracles. The king couldnt leave the little baby perseus or his daughter alive but he dare not kill the child of zeus or his daughter, this might bring the wrath of the gods upon him. Livy was abridged, in antiquity, to an epitome, which survives for book 1, but. The only son of zeus and danae and, thus, a halfgod by birth perseus was one of the greatest heroes in greek mythology, most renowned for beheading the only mortal gorgon, medusa, and using her severed head capable of turning onlookers into stone as a mighty weapon in his subsequent adventures. As an infant he was cast into the sea in a chest with his mother by acrisius, to whom it had been prophesied that he would be killed by his grandson. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Like many other literary men, his life was contemplative, rather than active. He was favoured by the gods because, in his quest to defeat medusa, he was given a. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Each guest should have a present for the celebration, but perseus had nothing to give.
Antoninus liberalisand by the 1stcenturyad roman poet ovid in book ix of. Medusa was found a new home in greek mythology, and she differed considerably from her original, libyan goddess persona. Iris my greek goddess paperback march 16, 2017 by james r surber author 1. The picture of athena and perseus from ancient greek mythology depicts a scene from a myth about the goddess and the character that was associated with her in a story, or myth. The only thing that set him above humanity was that he was a demigod, and therefore had a bit of the favor of the gods. Perseus is the second of the four books in the heroes series, which debuted in the fall of 2004 with the release of. Perseus is the first book in the early myths collection, a series of childrens picture books on greek myth. First stage final defeat of antiochus arraignment of scipio africanus the bacchanalia in rome and italy perseus and demetrius perseus and the states of greece the third macedonian war the third macedonian war.
Perseus receives weapons and wisdom from hermes and athena. Flamininus swore the gods to witness the treachery of the magnetes 35. Their eldest child, perses, became the first king of the persians, and the founder of that great race. She becomes the queen of the underworld through her abduction by hades, the god of the underworld. Athena or athene, often given the epithet pallas, is an ancient greek goddess associated with wisdom, handicraft, and warfare who was later syncretized with the roman goddess minerva. Many heroes have been mentioned to be the youngsters of gods, and positively they have been mentioned to be plenty greater than you or i.