News Article: Medusa’s Head Releases Seriphos from Dictator

By Serena Ing and Jeanine Kim, Ms. Sesky’s First Period

June 2, Ancient Times                                             

Perseus bringing back Medusa's head

SERIPHOS -   Rejoice, for the long-awaited defeat of the tyrant, Polydectes, has come! The feat was accomplished by the amazing hero, Perseus, yesterday. Perseus used Medusa’s head to overcome the dictator of Seriphos after Polydectes tried to forcefully marry Danae, Perseus’s mother. Polydectes had tried to kill Perseus by sending him on a mission to kill the gorgon, Medusa, who is infamous for her ability to turn one to stone with a mere glance. Perseus had to overcome many obstacles in his mission to acquire Medusa’s head. By using his bravery and wits, along with a few gifts from the gods, he succeeded in his mission.

Perseus’s life was exciting from birth. He was born to Zeus and Danae after Danae’s father, Acrisius, locked her in a tower due to a prophecy involving his death. After Perseus was born, he and Danae ended up living on the island, Seriphos. The ruler of the island, Polydectes, became infatuated with Danae, but Perseus defied the dictator and refused to let him come near her, let alone marry her. Polydectes threw a fake wedding and was furious when Perseus didn’t bring a wedding gift. Perseus felt a bit of guilt and promised Polydectes that he would bring him the head of Medusa, a nearly impossible feat. Fortunately for our hero, the gods, Athena and Hermes, decided to help him, gifting him with a mirror shield, winged sandals, a sword, and some advice. On further questioning of the mission, Hermes stated, “We helped Perseus because he was a demigod worthy of defeating the gorgon. He is strong for a mortal.” To start his journey, Perseus needed to locate the Nymphs of the North, who would be able to tell him how to get to Medusa’s lair and be able to provide him with objects necessary for his journey. Perseus managed to trick the Graeae to tell him where the nymphs’ location. The Graeae were three strange women who shared one eye. While they were passing the eye between them, Perseus stole it and demanded that they tell him where the nymphs lived in exchange for their eye. After returning the Graeae’s eye, Perseus set off to find the Nymphs of the Norht. The nymphs gave him the Cap of Darkness to make Perseus invisible and a magic wallet to put Medusa’s head in once he possessed it. With these items in hand, Perseus traveled to the lair of the gorgons. After donning the winged sandals and the Cap of Darkness, Perseus steadied the sickle in his hand and the shield in his other. Then he began to approach Medusa as she and her sisters slumbered on. Just as Medusa’s sisters began to stir, due to Perseus’s movement, Perseus decapitated Medusa and flew away to safety. Perseus then returned to Seriphos, only to find his mother had been forced to work in court of Polydectes as a handmaiden after refusing to marry the dictator. Enraged, Perseus stormed into Polydectes’s castle, confronted him and his loyal servants with Medusa’s head, and turned Polydectes and his followers to stone, releasing the citizens of Seriphos from their selfish leader.

Perseus had many adventures on the way back to Seriphos. Perseus met a beautiful princess, Andromeda, who was chained to a stone as a sacrifice. Andromeda’s mother had boasted to the god, Poseidon, about how her daughter, Andromeda, possessed such great beauty that it surpassed that of the Nereids, sea nymphs that were loyal followers of the sea god. Poseidon was enraged at the woman and commanded that her daughter must suffer the consequences of her mother’s vanity. This led to her being sacrificed to a sea monster. Fortunately, our hero saved the day and the damsel in distress by turning the sea monster into stone as it approached its human offering. Perseus asked for Andromeda’s hand in marriage and she happily agreed. They flew away and were wed soon after.

            In the beginning, Perseus had been shipped away from his grandfather because he was the subject of a prophecy from the oracle of Apollo. She had stated that Acrisius’s daughter, Danae, would have a son, Perseus, that would later kill him. Acrisius feared his own death and sent Danae and Perseus away. However, by taking these measures, Acrisius only sealed his fate. After finding Andromeda, Perseus stopped in Larisa to participate in some games. In one of them, he threw a discus, and it strayed from its original path. Unknowingly and accidentally, the thrown discus had hit and killed his own grandfather, fulfilling the prophecy. Perseus has saved many by accomplishing his mission to eliminate Medusa and bring back her head. Not only did it rid Seriphos of its horrible leader, but it rid the world of the horrible monster Medusa. When questioned about his accomplishments, Perseus merely told reports, “Look, I just wanted to see my mom safe and happy. When someone close to you is threatened, you do whatever you can to protect them. And if you think something is impossible, it will be impossible. So think again. Anything is possible if you put your mind and heart into it.”