PERSEUS Acrisius, an ancient king of Argos, had been warned by an oracle that he should perish by the hand of his grandson. On discovering, therefore, that his daughter Danae had given birth to a son, Acrisius endeavored to escape his fate by setting both mother and child adrift on the sea. They were saved, however, by the help of Jupiter; and Perseus, the child, grew up at the court of Polydectes, king of Seriphos, an island in the Aegean Sea. On reaching manhood, Perseus was sent by Polydectes to fetch the head of Medusa, one of the Gorgons. This dangerous task he accomplished with the help of Apollo and Minerva, and on his way home he rescued Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus, from a sea-monster. Perseus then married Andromeda, and lived some time in the country of Cepheus. At length he returned to Seriphos, and turned Polydectes to stone by showing him the Gorgon's head; he then went to the court of Acrisius, who fled in terror at the news of his grandson's return. The oracle was duly fulfilled, for Acrisius was accidentally killed by a quoit thrown by Perseus.

1. THE ARK

Haec narrantur a poetis de Perseo. Perseus filius erat Iovis, maximi deorum; avus eius Acrisius appellabatur. Acrisius volebat Perseum nepotem suum necare; nam propter oraculum puerum timebat. Comprehendit igitur Perseum adhuc infantem, et cum matre in arca lignea inclusit. Tum arcam ipsam in mare coniecit. Danae, Persei mater, magnopere territa est; tempestas enim magna mare turbabat. Perseus autem in sinu matris dormiebat.

These things concerning Perseus are told from the poets. Perseus was the son of Jove, greatest of the gods; his uncle was called Acrisius. Acrisius wanted to harm Persus his nephew; for he feared the boy because of the oracle. Therefore he seized Perseum now an infant and locked him in a wood ark with his mother. Then the threw the ark into the sea. Dana, Perseus's mother, was greatly afraid; for a large storm upset the sea. And Perseus was sleeping in his mother's lap.

2. JUPITER SAVES HIS SON

Iuppiter tamen haec omnia vidit, et filium suum servare constituit. Tranquillum igitur fecit mare, et arcam ad insulam Seriphum perduxit. Huius insulae Polydectes tum rex erat. Postquam arca ad litus appulsa est, Danae in harena quietem capiebat. Post breve tempus a piscatore quodam reperta est, et ad domum regis Polydectis adducta est. Ille matrem et puerum benigne excepit, et iis sedem tutam in finibus suis dedit. Danae hoc donum libenter accepit, et pro tanto beneficio regi gratias egit.

Nevertheless Jupiter saw all these things, and decided to save his son. Therefore he made the sea calm, and led the ark to the island Seriphus. Polydectes was king of this island then. After the ark approached the coast, Dana was taking rest in the sand. After a short time she was found by a certain fisherman, and was taken to the house of king Polydectis. He received the mother and child with kindness, and led them to a safe house in his territory. Dana gladly accepted this gift, and gave thanks to the king for such kindness.

3. PERSEUS IS SENT ON HIS TRAVELS

Perseus igitur multos annos ibi habitabat, et cum matre sua vitam beatam agebat. At Polydectes Danaen magnopere amabat, atque eam in matrimonium ducere volebat. Hoc tamen consilium Perseo minime gratum erat. Polydectes igitur Perseum dimittere constituit. Tum iuvenem ad se vocavit et haec dixit: "Turpe est hanc ignavam vitam agere; iam dudum tu adulescens es. Quo usque hic manebis? Tempus est arma capere et virtutem praestare. Hinc abi, et caput Medusae mihi refer."

Therefore Perseus lived there many years, and had a blessed life with his mother. But Polydectes loved Dana greatly, and wanted to lead her into marriage. This plan howerver was not pleasing to Perseus. Therefore Polydectes decided to send Perseus away. Then he called the the young man to him and said this: "It is shameful to lead this lazy life; you have been a young man for a long time now. Why do you remain here? It is time to take up arms and show courage. Leave here, and bring back the head of Medusa to me."

4. PERSEUS GETS HIS OUTFIT

Perseus ubi haec audivit, ex insula discessit, et postquam ad continentem venit, Medusam quaesivit. Diu frustra quaerebat; namque naturam loci ignorabat. Tandem Apollo et Minerva viam demonstraverunt. Primum ad Graeas, sorores Medusae, pervenit. Ab his talaria et galeam magicam accepit. Apollo autem et Minerva falcem et speculum dederunt. Tum postquam talaria pedibus induit, in aera ascendit. Diu per aera volabat; tandem tamen ad eum locum venit ubi Medusa cum ceteris Gorgonibus habitabat. Gorgones autem monstra erant specie horribili; capita enim earum anguibus omnino contecta erant. Manus etiam ex aere factae erant.

When Perseus heard this, he left the island, and after coming to the continent, sought Medusa. He looked in vain for a long time; for he did not know the nature of the place. Finally Apollo and Minerva showed the way. First he arrived at Graeas, sister of Medusa. He received from her winged shows and a magic helmet. And Apollo and Minerva gave him a sickle and a mirror. Then after he placed the winged shoes on his feet, he ascended intothe air. He flew threw the air a long time; finally he came to the place where Medusa lived with the other Gorgons. But the Gorgons were monsters of a horrible appearance; for their heads were entirely covered with snakes. Also their hands were made of brass.

5. THE GORGON'S HEAD

Res difficillima erat caput Gorgonis abscidere; eius enim conspectu homines in saxum vertebantur. Propter hanc causam Minerva speculum Perseo dederat. Ille igitur tergum vertit, et in speculum inspiciebat; hoc modo ad locum venit ubi Medusa dormiebat. Tum falce sua caput eius uno ictu abscidit. Ceterae Gorgones statim e somno excitatae sunt, et ubi rem viderunt, ira commotae sunt. Arma rapuerunt, et Perseum occidere volebant. Ille autem dum fugit, galeam magicam induit; et ubi hoc fecit, statim e conspectu earum evasit.

The most difficult thing was cutting off the head of a Gorgon; for its sight turned men into stone. For this reason Minerva gave a mirror to Perseus. He therefore turned his back, and looked into the mirror; in this way he came to the place where Medusa slept. Then with his scythe he cut off its head with one stroke. The other Gorgons were immediately awoken from their sleep and when they saw the matter, were moved with anger. They took up arms, and wanted to kill Perseus. But he while he was fleeing, put on his magic helmet; and when he did this, immediately escaped from their sight.

6. THE SEA-SERPENT

Post haec Perseus in finis Aethiopum venit. Ibi Cepheus quidam illo tempore regnabat. Hic Neptunum, maris deum, olim offenderat; Neptunus autem monstrum saevissimum miserat. Hoc cottidie e mari veniebat et homines devorabat. Ob hanc causam pavor animos omnium occupaverat. Cepheus igitur oraculum dei Hammonis consuluit, atque a deo iussus est filiam monstro tradere. Eius autem filia, nomine Andromeda, virgo formosissima erat. Cepheus ubi haec audivit, magnum dolorem percepit. Volebat tamen civis suos e tanto periculo extrahere, atque ob eam causam imperata Hammonis facere constituit.

After this Perseus came into the territory of Ethiopia. A certain Cepheus was reigning there at that time. Once he offended Neptune, god of the sea; and Neptune sent a very savage beast. Every day it came from the sea and devored men. For his reason terror seized the minds of everyone. Cepheus therefore consulted the oracle of the god Hammon, and was commanded by the god to hand over his daughter to the beast. And his daughter named Andromeda, was a very beautiful maiden. Cepheus when he heard this, felt great sorrow. He nevertheless wanted his citizens delivered from such danger, and for this reason he decided to do what Hammon commanded.

7. A HUMAN SACRIFICE

Tum rex diem certam dixit et omnia paravit. Ubi ea dies venit, Andromeda ad litus deducta est, et in conspectu omnium ad rupem adligata est. Omnes fatum eius deplorabant, nec lacrimas tenebant. At subito, dum monstrum exspectant, Perseus accurrit; et ubi lacrimas vidit, causam doloris quaerit. Illi rem totam exponunt et puellam demonstrant. Dum haec geruntur, fremitus terribilis auditur; simul monstrum horribili specie procul conspicitur. Eius conspectus timorem maximum omnibus iniecit. Monstrum magna celeritate ad litus contendit, iamque ad locum appropinquabat ubi puella stabat.

The the king set the certain day and prepared everything. When the day came, Andromeda was led to the shore, and was tied up to the cliffs in sight of everyone. Everyone deplored her fate, and did not hold back tears. But suddenly, while they were waiting for the beast, Perseus came running; and when he saw the tears, he asked the reason for the sorrow. They explained the entire matter to him and showed him the girl. While these things happened, a terrible growl was heard; at the same time a beast of a horrible sight was seen nearby. His sight struck great fear into everyone. The beast hastened with great speed to the shore, and was now approaching where the girl was standing.

8. THE RESCUE

At Perseus ubi haec vidit, gladium suum eduxit, et postquam talaria induit, in aera sublatus est. Tum desuper in monstrum impetum subito fecit, et gladio suo collum eius graviter vulneravit. Monstrum ubi sensit vulnus, fremitum horribilem edidit, et sine mora totum corpus in aquam mersit. Perseus dum circum litus volat, reditum eius exspectabat. Mare autem interea undique sanguine inficitur. Post breve tempus belua rursus caput sustulit; mox tamen a Perseo ictu graviore vulnerata est. Tum iterum se in undas mersit, neque postea visa est.

But Perseus when he saw these things, drew his sword, and after putting on the winged shoes, was taken up into the air. Then he immediately made an attack upon the beast, and he gravely wounded its neck with his sword. The beast when it felt them wound, gave off a horrible growl, and without delay its entire body sunk into the water. Perseus while flying around the coast, waited for its return. Meanwhile the sea was filled with blood all over. After a short time the beast again raised its head; nevertheless soon it was wounded more seriously by Perseus. Then it sank into the waves again and was not seen afterward.

9. THE REWARD OF VALOR

Perseus postquam ad litus descendit, primum talaria exuit; tum ad rupem venit ubi Andromeda vincta erat. Ea autem omnem spem salutis deposuerat, et ubi Perseus adiit, terrore paene exanimata erat. Ille vincula statim solvit, et puellam patri reddidit. Cepheus ob hanc rem maximo gaudio adfectus est. Meritam gratiam pro tanto beneficio Perseo rettulit; praeterea Andromedam ipsam ei in matrimonium dedit. Ille libenter hoc donum accepit et puellam duxit. Paucos annos cum uxore sua in ea regione habitabat, et in magno honore erat apud omnis Aethiopes. Magnopere tamen matrem suam rursus videre cupiebat. Tandem igitur cum uxore sua e regno Cephei discessit.

10. POLYDECTES IS TURNED TO STONE

Postquam Perseus ad insulam navem appulit, se ad locum contulit ubi mater olim habitaverat, sed domum invenit vacuam et omnino desertam. Tris dies per totam insulam matrem quaerebat; tandem quarto die ad templum Dianae pervenit. Huc Danae refugerat, quod Polydectem timebat. Perseus ubi haec cognovit, ira magna commotus est; ad regiam Polydectis sine mora contendit, et ubi eo venit, statim in atrium inrupit. Polydectes magno timore adfectus est et fugere volebat. Dum tamen ille fugit, Perseus caput Medusae monstravit; ille autem simul atque hoc vidit, in saxum versus est.

11. THE ORACLE FULFILLED

Post haec Perseus cum uxore sua ad urbem Acrisi rediit. Ille autem ubi Perseum vidit, magno terrore adfectus est; nam propter oraculum istud nepotem suum adhuc timebat. In Thessaliam igitur ad urbem Larisam statim refugit, frustra tamen; neque enim fatum suum vitavit. Post paucos annos rex Larisae ludos magnos fecit; nuntios in omnis partis dimiserat et diem edixerat. Multi ex omnibus urbibus Graeciae ad ludos convenerunt. Ipse Perseus inter alios certamen discorum iniit. At dum discum conicit, avum suum casu occidit; Acrisius enim inter spectatores eius certaminis forte stabat.