Greek Mythology: Greek Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, Heroines, Monsters, And Classic Greek Myths Of All Time by Lance Hightower

Author:Lance Hightower [Hightower, Lance]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Make Profits Easy LLC
Published: 2015-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7: The Heroes

The stories of the heroes of Ancient Greece have been handed down orally and have been written about extensively in works by Homer, Hesiod and others, but these ancient heroes, like all heroes, inspire us to do better, to be better, to think of others before ourselves, and to have courage in the face of all obstacles. They are kings and commoners, mortals and demi-gods, and each trial gives a lesson in morality, making us dig deep into our own souls to find what integrity and strength we possess.

The Prophecy of Perseus

Perseus is perhaps the most illustrious of the Greek heroes, noted for his remarkable feats of bravery and his noble sense of morality. He believed his mortal half made him weak, but in the end he discovered that his human side is what made him stronger.

King Acrisius of Argos had visited the Oracle at Delphi and was told that this beautiful daughter, Danae would have a male child who would eventually kill him. The king knew the Oracle was always true, so he devised a plan to make certain that Danae never had any children. He locked her in a bronze house underground, where no man would ever see her, and in this way, he assured that she would never bear children.

But Zeus had other plans for Danae. There was a small patch of roof in the bronze house that allowed air and light to enter, and through this opening, Zeus entered in the form of gold fluttering down into her room. He declared his love for the girl and so it was that she bore Perseus, son of Zeus and the great-great grandfather of Heracles.

The king discovered her secret and told her that one day this boy would kill him, but because he is the son of Zeus, he could not take his life. He would not have that death on his hands for it would anger the mighty God of Thunder. So he locked them into an ark and threw them into the sea. If they died, he reasoned, it would be the fault of the God Poseidon. But unbeknownst to the king, the ark went aground and the two were rescued and cared for by a fisherman and his wife.

Perseus grew into a strong young man, who one day entered the games of the city, where his father had also gone to watch the games. He took his turn at throwing the discus, and when the wind took it, it blew into the crowd and struck his father, King Acrisius, and killed him. And so it was that the prophecy of the Oracle was fulfilled.

But Perseus would have many more adventures and challenges thrown at him before he returned with his future wife, Andromeda of Aethiopia, to what he considered his home on the Island of Serifos.

Perseus and Medusa

“And so it came to pass that Danae and the child, Perseus, came to set upon the coast of the Island of Serifos, where stand the palaces of two kings: Dictys and Polydectes.

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