美杜莎BrassprisonTherewasonceakingofArgoswhohadadaughter:Danae.Shegrewup,andsodidtheking.ThepriestessPythiatoldhimthathisdaughter'ssonwouldleadtohisdeath.Topreventthisprophecyfromcomingtrue,helockedhisdaughterinabrassprison.TherewasonceakingofArgoswhohadadaughter:Danae.Shegrewup,andsodidtheking.ThepriestessPythiatoldhimthathisdaughter'ssonwouldleadtohisdeath.Topreventthisprophecyfromcomingtrue,helockedhisdaughterinabrassprison.DanaeisinBrassPrison.Shehadnoonetotalktoexceptheroldnurse.Shehadneverseenlandorsea.Shecouldonlyseetheblueskyabovetheopenwindoworthewhitecloudsdriftingby.Dayafterday,shesatunderthewindow,wonderingwhyherfatherhadleftherinthatlonelyplaceandifhewouldcometotakeherout.Astimepassed,Danaebecamemoreandmorebeautiful.Gradually,shewasnolongerachild,butatallandbeautifulwoman.Oneday,thegodZeuslookeddownfromtheclouds.Hesawherandfellinlovewithher.Zeusdescendedfromtheskyandalwaysturnedintoatallandhandsomeyoungmantovisittheimprisonedgirl,whogotmarriedandhadasonnamedPerseus.Despiteallthis,Danae'sfatherbegantothinkthatthewordsofthepriestessPittimightcometrue.DanaeusandhersonPerseuswerethrownintotheseainawoodenbox.Thekingthoughtthatiftheydiedtogether,theprophecywouldnotbefulfilled,buttheydidnotdie.Afterafewdaysatsea,theydriftedtoadistantislandandwerediscoveredbyawell-wisherwhohadbeenprovidingthemwithshelterandcareformanyyears.MagicsandalsThecruelkingoftheislandwantedtomarrythebeautifulDanae,butwhensherefused,heplottedtosendPerseusawayinretaliation.PerseuswasaskedtobringMedusa'shead.Medusaisoneofthethreeyokaisisterswithawoman-likebodyandface,butwithgoldenwings,terrifyingbrassclaws,andsnake-likehair.Anyonewholooksattheirfacewillinstantlyturntostone.WithoutweaponsandnotknowingwheretofindMedusa,Perseuscametotheshoretoplanhismission.Twomysteriouspeopletellhimwheretostart,whilehavingtogetdirectionsfromtheGreySisters.TheyalsotellhimthatheneedstocollectthreethingsfromtheWesternMaidenbeforechallengingMedusa.Herealizedthatthemysteriouspeopleweregods:AthenaandHermes,althoughhedidnotunderstandwhytheyhelpedhim.GraySistersThethreegraysistersaresooldthattheyforgettheirage,andnoonecancounthowmanyyearstheyhavelived.Thelonghairontheirheadshasbeengraysincebirth.Theyhaveonlyoneeyeandonetoothbetweenthem,whicharepassedbackandforthbetweeneachother.Perseusheardthemmutteringintheirhome,sohestoodthereandlistenedquietly.PerseusdeceivedthemintotellingtheoldwomanwheretolookfortheWesternmaiden.WesterngirlPerseusonceagainputonhiswingedsandalsandsetoff.Whenhearrivedinthewest,hesawthegirlsguardingatreefullofgoldenapples.Thegirlsdancedandsang.ThetreebelongstoQueenHera;Itwasgiventoherasaweddinggift,anditwasthegirls'responsibilitytotakecareofitandmakesurenoonetouchedthegoldenapple.Perseussteppedforwardandspoketothegirls.Assoonastheyheardabouthispredicament,theyreadilyagreedtohelphim.TheyofferfourthingstohelphimkillMedusa:asword,ashield,amagicbag,andaninvisibilitymagichat.Onceagain,heputsonhismagicsandalsandfliestofindMedusaandherwerewolfsisters.AterrifyinggorgonArmedwithaswordandabrightshieldonhisarm,Perseusbravelyflewforwardinsearchoftheterrifyinggorgon.Hewearsaninvisibilitycaponhishead,makinghimasinvisibleasthewind.Perseusskillfullyusedhisshiningshieldasamirrorandsawthereflectionoftheterrifyinggorgonwhilesleeping.Hequietlygotcloserandcloser,alwayswithhisbacktothemonster,alwaysstaringathisbrightshieldtoseewherethegorgonwas.Suddenlyhedrewhissword,sprintedquickly,andwithahardblow,cutMedusa'sheadoffhisshoulder.Blackbloodgushedoutofhernecklikeariver.Hequicklystickshisterribleheadintohismagicbagandjumpsintotheair.Heflewawayatlightningspeed.Withthehelpofmagicsandals,whentheyreachedsafety,thescreamsofMedusaSisterswereleftbehindthem.SeamonsterPhotocourtesyof(@)-grantedundercreativecommonslicence–attributionWhenPerseusreturnedhomeonthevastocean,hesawastrangevision.Hesawabeautifulgirltiedtoastonebythesea.Inthedistance,ahugeseabeastisswimmingtowardsher,readytodevourher.Heflewdownquicklytotalktoher,butbecausehewaswearinganinvisibilityhat,shecouldn'tseehimandhisvoicefrightenedher."Oh,saveme!Saveme!Shereachedouttothevoiceandcried.Perseuscouldseetheseamonstergettingcloser,sohetookthegorgon'sheadoutofhismagicbagandheldithigh,andsomethingincrediblehappened,andtheseamonsterturnedtostone.Perseusthenputsthegorgon'sheadbackinthebagsunderhiseyes.Hetookoffhisinvisibilitycapandhurriedlyspoketotheyounggirlhehadrescued.ShetoldhimthathernamewasAndromedaandthatshewasthedaughterofthekingandqueen.AndromedatellsPerseusthatshewassacrificedtotheseamonstertopunishhermother'svanity.Asthetwotalked,theking,queen,andmanylocalpeoplecametoseewhatwashappening.Asarewardforsavinghisdaughter,thekingagreedtomarryherdaughtertoPerseus.PerseusforgotabouthimandspentseveralmonthshappilywithAndromedaandherfamily.TimelyrescueDespitehishappiness,Perseusdidnotforgethismother.Onefinesummerday,heandAndromedareturntotheirhomeinabeautifulboat,becausewingedsandalscannottakehimandhisbrideintotheair.Theshiplandedontheplacewherethewoodenboxwascastmanyyearsago.Perseusandhisbridewalkedthroughthefieldstothetown.TheevilkingneverstoppedtryingtopersuadeDanaeutobecomehiswife,butshedidnotlistentohim.Themorehepleadedandthreatened,thelessshelikedhim.Finally,whenhefoundoutthatshecouldn'tmarryhim,heannouncedthathewasgoingtokillher.Itsohappenedthatjustthismorning,withaswordinhishand,hesetouttotakeherlife.Photocourtesyof(@)-grantedundercreativecommonslicence–attributionWhenPerseusandAndromedaarrivedintown,theysawhismotherfleetosafetyatthealtarofZeus.Thekingfollowedwiththeintentionofkillingher.WhenPerseussawthekingchasinghismotherlikeamadman,heagaintookMedusa'sheadfromhismagicbag."Ipromisedtobringyouagift,righthere!"Hesaid.Thekingsawit,andjustashestood,heturnedtostone,raisedhissword,andhadaterriblelookofangerandpassiononhisface.Hismotherwassafeandsound,andPerseusdecidedtheyshouldallreturntoArgos'home,sothethreeofthemsetsailthenextday.FatalthrowingDanae'soldfather,KingArgos,wasdistressedwhenheheardthatastrangeshipwaspassingbytheseawithhisdaughterandson.HerememberedPythia'sprophecyofhisdeath.Withoutwaitingtoseetheship