THE QUEST OF PERSEUS
Medusa and her two sisters were named the Gorgons. The sisters had
always been plain and even terrible to see, but Medusa had once been
fair to look upon.
When she was young and beautiful her home was in a northern land where
the sun never shone, so she begged Athene to send her to the south
where sunshine made the long days glad. But the goddess refused her
request.
In her anger Medusa cried, ‘It is because I am so beautiful that you
will not let me go. For if Medusa were to be seen who then would wish
to look at Athene.’
Such proud and foolish words might not be suffered by the gods, and the
maiden was sharply punished for her rash speech. Her beautiful curly
hair was changed into serpents, living serpents that hissed and coiled
around her head. Nor was this all, but whoever so much as glanced at
her face was at once turned into stone.
Terrible indeed was Medusa, the Gorgon, whose head Perseus had vowed
to bring as a gift to Polydectes. She had great wings like eagles and
sharp claws instead of hands.
Now as Perseus wandered down to the shore after he had defied the king,
his heart began to sink. How was he even to begin his task? He did not
know where Medusa lived, nor did any one on the island.
In his perplexity he did as his mother had taught him to do; he prayed
to Athene, and lo! even as he prayed the goddess was there by his
side. With her was Hermes, the fleet-footed, wearing his winged sandals.
‘The gods will aid you, Perseus,’ said Athene, ‘if you will do as they
bid you. But think not to find their service easy. For they who serve
the gods must endure hardship, and live laborious lives. Will this
content you?’
Perseus had no fears now that he knew the gods would help him, and with
a brave and steadfast heart he answered, ‘I am content.’
Then Pluto sent to the lad his magic helmet, which made whoever wore
it invisible. Hermes gave to him the winged sandals he wore, so that
he might be able to fly over land and sea, while Athene entrusted to
him her shield, the dread Ægis, burnished bright as the sun. The shield
was made from the hide of a goat, but the Hellenes thought of it as the
great storm-cloud in which Zeus hid himself when he was angry. For it
was the shield of her father Zeus that Athene used.
Upon Medusa herself Perseus would not be able to cast a glance lest he
be turned to stone, but looking at the shield he would see her image as
in a mirror.
The lad was now armed for his quest, but not yet did he know whither it
would lead.
But Athene could direct him. She said that the abode of the Gorgons was
known to none save three sisters called the Grææ. These sisters had
been born with grey hair, and had only one eye and one tooth between
them, which they used in turn. Their home was in the north, in a land
of perpetual darkness, and it was there that Perseus must go to learn
the dwelling-place of the Gorgons. So at length the lad was ready to
set out on his great adventure.
On and on, sped by his winged sandals he flew, past many a fair town,
until he left Greece far behind. On and on until he reached the dark
and dreary land where the Grææ dwelt. He could see them now, the three
grey sisters, as they sat in the gloom just outside their cave.
As Perseus drew near, unseen by them, because of his magic helmet, the
sisters were passing their one eye from hand to hand, so that at that
moment all three were blind.
Perseus saw his chance, and stretching out his hand seized the eye.
They, each thinking the other had it, began to quarrel. But Perseus
cried, ‘I hold the eye in my hand. Tell me where I may find Medusa and
you shall have it back.’
The sisters were startled by a voice when they had neither seen nor
heard any one approach; they were more startled by what the voice said.
Very unwilling were they to tell their secret, yet what could they do
if the stranger refused to give back their one eye? Already he was
growing impatient, and threatening to throw it into the sea. So lest he
should really fling it away they were forced to tell him where he would
find the Gorgon. Then Perseus, placing the eye in one of the eager,
outstretched hands, sped swiftly on his journey.
As he reached the land of which the Grææ had told him, he heard the
restless beating of the Gorgon’s wings, and he knew that his quest was
well-nigh over.
Onward still he flew, and then raising his burnished shield he looked
into it, and lo! he saw the images of the Gorgons. They lay, all three,
fast asleep on the shore.
Unsheathing his sword, Perseus held it high, and then, keeping his gaze
fixed upon the shield, he flew down and swiftly cut off Medusa’s head
and thrust it into a magic bag which he carried slung over his shoulder.
Now as Perseus seized the terrible head, the serpents coiled around the
Gorgon’s brow roused themselves, and began to hiss so fiercely that the
two sisters awoke and knew that evil had befallen Medusa.
They could not see Perseus, for he wore his magic helmet, but they
heard him, and in an instant they were following fast, eager to avenge
the death of their sister.
For a moment the brave heart of the hero failed.
Was he doomed to perish now that his task was accomplished?
He cried aloud to Athene, for he heard the Gorgons following ever
closer on his path. Then more swiftly sped the winged sandals, and soon
Perseus breathed freely once again, for he had left the dread sisters
far behind.