Perseus with the head of medusa is a bronze sculpture made by benvenuto cellini in the period 15451554. His description of the tribes in the sahara belongs to the most reliable parts of his histories. The myth of perseus and medusa is one of the best thrillerlike tales in greek mythology with a promising plot that gets more complicated as the story progresses, this myth has a typical hollywoodlike scenario with the main character not being born yet at the moment when his destiny was determined. Olympus in the form of a stream of gold, which poured through the roof of the chamber, and soon danae had a baby named perseus. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. This differentiated comprehension activity will support learners in reading and responding to questions on a text. Mellon foundation, the institute of museum and library services, the national endowment. The hero wears a chiton, winged cap and high boots, and holds a sickleshaped blade harpe in his hand. The prerogatives of the spartan kings in declaring war and leading the army 5556. Ks2 myths and legends focused reading skills comprehension pack.
To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. Engage and motivate students with this highinterest, leveled text from perseus and medusa. He beheaded the gorgon medusa for polydectes and saved andromeda from. Perseus with the head of medusa the metropolitan museum. But there are no k mirror dating either to the f an earlier time,34 and the vers.
The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. Medusa presents a new and different look at the myth of perseus and medusa and its interpretation. Perseus collection herodotus search for documents in search only in herodotus. In the histories, he describes the expansion of the achaemenid empire under its kings cyrus the great, cambyses, and darius i the great, culminating in xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. Paintings and sculptures of the moment of beheading or medusa s portrait itself are famous all over the world.
The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek, tr. Medusa column bases of basilica cistern in constantinople. Fearing that, he hid his daughter danae in a chamber underground. Polydectes held perseus to his rash promise and demanded the head of the only mortal gorgon, medusa, whose gaze turned people to stone. The first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that 1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works 2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may lose their renown. His family line was descended from zeus and he wanted a son to carry on the family line. Herodotus, the earliest greek historian in the proper sense of the term, and the father of history, was according to his own statement, at the beginning of his work, a native of halicarnassus, a doric colony in caria, which at the time of his birth was governed by artemisia, a. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading perseus and the monstrous medusa heroes in training book 12. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus.
The myth of perseus and medusa, according to pindar and apollodorus, started with a quest. The textual sources for cellinis perseus and medusa. According to the persian story, perseus was an assyrian who became a greek. All search options view abbreviations home collectionstexts perseus catalog research grants open source about help. The story of perseus greek mythology see u in history. Later authors such as herodotus and pausanias place the gorgons abode in libya.
Media in category perseus by antonio canova vatican city the following 22 files are in this category, out of 22 total. The myth of perseus and medusa is an important example of morality at work in ancient greece, and this quizworksheet combo will help test your understanding of these. Histories book 2 page 15 perseus then came to joppa at the end of his wandering. The metropolitan museum of art, new york, fletcher fund, 1967 67. One of the most known art work is the medusa shield. The histories, however, is one of those books where an audiobook helps. Once upon a time, on the island of seriphus there was an evil king named polydectes. Perseus is a nonprofit enterprise, located in the department of the classics, tufts university. According to hesiods theogony, the gorgons were the sisters of the graiai and lived in the utmost place towards the night by the hesperides beyond oceanus. Perseus compared to moses and the danites of jaffa by john r. Perseus was the greek hero who killed the gorgon medusa, and claimed andromeda, having rescued her from a sea monster sent by poseidon. He has been called the father of history, and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a wellconstructed and vivid. Perseus was the undesirable grandchild of the king acrisius, who wanted him deadbut accidentally just left him alive to float to a new beach.
Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9. However, now that perseus had his beloved andromeda by his side, he feared nothing and noone. The two immortal sisters pursued perseus with fury, but the hero escaped with his prize using hermes winged boots and hades helmet of invisibility. Suidas medusa there is a story told in hellas that before xerxes set forth on his march against hellas, he sent a herald to argos, who said on his coming so the story goes, men of argos, this. Herodotuss history is an account of the grecopersian wars 499479 bce and the story of the growth and organization of the persian empire. The audiobook gives you a good pace and forcemarches you through to the end. Perseus had no horse to give, so he asked polydectes to name the gift. He was, alongside cadmus and bellerophon, the greatest greek hero and slayer of monsters before the days of heracles. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. In fact, though no fault of mccaughrean herself this is one of the inevitable weaknesses of the book. Perseus persia medusa medes andromeda medes cassiopia kassu or caspian.
Symbols on the pages represent readinglevel ranges to help differentiate instruction. Apollodorus, the library book 2 theoi classical texts library. But pindar and hesiod in the shield say of perseus. Use the accompanying powerpoint with this resource as a visual aid to retelling the greek myth of perseus and medusa. Herodotus, the histories, book 1, chapter 1, section 0.
Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. It was foretold to danaes father, acrisius the king of argos, that danaes son would kill him. Perseus is not intimidated by the grey women and their eyeball, or by hermess complicated directions, or by medusa, or by a winged horse sprouting out of medusa. Thus have i traced their lineage according to the greek story.
Starting with a look at the nature of myths and a recounting of the story, the book looks at the myth and the explanations which have arisen to explain it. She is famed for her snakelike hair and her gaze, which turns those who look at her to stone. Herodotus covers the empires geography, social structure, and history before describing the events which led to xerxes invasion of greece and the greek citystates uniting to defeat his army. Mar 02, 2012 herodotus, histories book 7 page 61 perseus, the son of danae wanting to establish for himself his own kingdom, despised that of the medes. He beheaded the gorgon medusa for polydectes and saved andromeda from the sea monster cetus. Perseus has been most recently funded by the alpheios project, the andrew w. He and melia, daughter of ocean, had sons, phoroneus, and aegialeus.
Hdt prefers the greek version, which makes the dorians egyptians and traces their family back only as far as perseus 53. Perseus and the monstrous medusa heroes in training book 12 kindle edition by holub, joan, williams, suzanne, phillips, craig. Furious, perseus took medusa s head out of the bag and turned the king and all of the wedding guests to stone. If i asked for this girl as perseus, son of jupiter and that danae, imprisoned in the brazen tower, whom jupiter filled with his rich golden shower. Histiaeus goes to sardis, where artaphrenes accuses him of being. Perseus killed the serpent and claimed the girl, andromeda, as his wife. Perseus and the legends of argos 549 gorgon and came bearing the head with hair of writhing snakes, for the islanders a stony death. Greek and roman arabic germanic 19thcentury american renaissance richmond times italian poetry. He took medusa s head and andromeda back to the polydectes and discovered that the king was forcing danae to marry him. Histiaeus flees to chios, where he is accepted after initial mistrust 2.
Herodotus, histories book 7 page 61 perseus, the son of danae wanting to establish for himself his own kingdom, despised that of the medes. The goddess stands slightly larger than perseus and looks directly at medusa without registering any harmful effect from her petrifying power. The histories also known as the persian wars is the only work herodotus is known to have produced. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. He cannot deceive artaphrenes, who compares him to the maker of a shoe that aristagoras has put on. The story of perseus long ago, king acrisius of argos learned from an oracle that he would one day be killed by his grandson. The perseus project has been supported by various funders throughout its history. Perseus was one of the most celebrated heroes of greek mythology. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. In the portrayal of the constellation perseus holds medusa s severed head under his left arm, or is sometimes depicted holding the head up by his left hand, the star algol, or beta perseus, is positioned on this head. As usual, herodotus narrative looks more reliable when he describes the recent past.
Home collectionstexts perseus catalog research grants open source. She actively participates in the slaying of the monster by helping perseus to hold medusa immobile, an unusual act rarely seen in other representations of this episode where athena is present. He took medusas head and andromeda back to the polydectes and discovered that the king was forcing danae to marry him. Here, the mythological hero perseus triumphantly presents his trophy, medusa s head, to the world. Yet, though the rest are wary of this, there is a great city called khemmis chemmis, in the theban district, near the new city. Perseus and the legends of argos oxford university press. Perseus, athena and head of medusa, apulian redfigure krater c4th b. The gorgons head rests in a round sack kibisis slung across his shoulder. Cambyses becomes king of the persian empire 530522 bc. The myth of perseus and the medusa the story of perseus and the medusa is featured in the book entitled greek gods, heroes and men by caroline h. An eleventh man had a vote, chosen by lot to be polemarch note of athens, and by ancient custom the athenians had made his vote. Medusa lies behind him, beheaded with blood flowing from the raw stump of her neck. The three gorgons, of whom only medusa was mortal, were of terrifying aspect, and those who looked upon their faces were turned to stone.
They do not admit that the forefathers of acrisius were in any way related to perseus, but say they were egyptians, as the greeks likewise testify. Medusa in ancient greek art essay the metropolitan. When autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. On his way home from defeating the gorgon medusa, perseus met a beautiful young woman named.
Perseus compared to moses and the danites of jaffa by john. The lightning thief perseus the invincible chimera in herman melvilles mobydick, melville writes, every one knows the fine story of perseus and andromeda. From the opening rhythmic figures to the soaring melodies, this dynamic and stunning work will command the attention of your audience and plunge them into a. He was the son of the argive princess danae who was locked away in a bronze chamber by her father akrisios acrisius who lived in fear of a prophecy that he would one day be killed by her son. Medusa was one of three sisters born to phorcys and ceto known as the gorgons. The kings of the dorians they say counting up to perseus, son of danae, and so omitting the god are rightly given in the common greek lists.
The story of perseus and medusa began in ancient greece. A king demands that perseus retrieve medusa s head. It is located in the loggia dei lanzi of the piazza della signoria in florence, italy. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is a record of his inquiry into the origins of the grecopersian wars, including a wealth of geographical and ethnographical information. The tale of perseus and medusa free stories online. The graphic novel details his assistance from the nymphs and hermes, perseus trickery with the gray witches to gain medusa s address, and his ultimate fight with medusa. Perseus launched one final attack and the monster was dead. Perseus approached medusa as she slept and beheaded her with eyes averted. Polydectes had taken perseus s mother and told perseus the only w. Herodotus has 364 books on goodreads with 123378 ratings.
Smiths dictionary of greek and roman biography and mythology. The rondanini medusa, a roman copy of the gorgoneion on the aegis of athena. All students can learn about setting using a classic mythology passage written at four reading levels. With the help of the gods, perseus obtained winged sandals, an invisible helm and a magical sword.
Medusa is one of the more unusual divine figures of ancient greece mythology one of a trio of gorgon sisters, medusa was the only sister who was not immortal. The egyptians shun using greek customs, and generally speaking the customs of all other peoples as well. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Reading herodotus, one can often get bogged down in the loops of geography, people, history, culture and meandre through miles of esoterica. Not even death, however, could quell medusa s power, and perseus had to keep her decapitated head in a special sack strong enough to contain it, called a kybisis. The provenance of the gorgons and perseus, who beheaded medusa, is still an. Jul 22, 2017 according to herodotus, persians where known as cephenes and cepheus was the king of aethiopia, it seems they confused two similar sounding words, kush nubia and kush kassu. Perseus was the son of danae and zeus, who came to danae in the form of a golden spring. King polydectes commanded he fetch the head of medusa.
Part of a complete english translation of herodotus. Andromeda was free and safe, in the arms of her adored and adoring hero. The sculpture stands upon a square base with bronze relief panels depicting the story of perseus and andromeda, similar to a predella on an altarpiece. It is in part a gripping and much revered tale of colossal confrontation between freedomloving greekspeaking peoples the athenians, spartans, and others and the seemingly unstoppable forces of the persians. I said up to perseus and did not take the descent from a yet higher point, because there is no name mentioned of a mortal father for perseus, as amphitryon is for heracles. Perseus and the monstrous medusa heroes in training book. The myth of perseus and medusa was one the most powerful inspiration for many artists in the ancient times, but it hasnt lost its artistic significance to the present day either. In greek mythology, perseus is the legendary founder of mycenae and of the perseid dynasty.
Furious, perseus took medusas head out of the bag and turned the king and all of the wedding guests to stone. Harding, published in 1906 by scott, foresman and company. The ten generals are of divided opinion, some urging to attack, others urging not to. It was foretold to danaes father, acrisius the king of. The story of perseus and medusa, an interpretation of its. Perseus is tricked into bringing back the head of the gorgon medusa but you dont need me to tell you how this particular quest will pan out.
Medusa solving the mystery of the gorgon stephen r. Medusa the quest of perseus differentiated reading. Ovids account of medusa s mortality tells that she had once been a woman, vain of her beautiful hair. The gorgon sisters were sthenno, euryale, and medusa. And first, dividing the city into three parts, he gave a share in the government to his brothers pantagnotus and syloson. They are particular elements in the myth of perseus that evoke the geography of the east. He then sought out the ancient graeae and stealing their single eye compelled them to reveal the location of the gorgons.
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