The Gorgon’s Head – Summary

Acrisius, King of Argos received a dreadful oracle from Delphi. According to the priestess of Delphi,
he will not have a son but a grandson from whose hands he will be killed. Frightened, King Acrisius
hid his only daughter Danae from the sight of all men. Danae was locked up inside a house of bronze
sunk underground. Zeus entered into the underground chamber in the form of a shower of gold
through the roof partly opened. He appeared in front of Danae and in an instant Danae conceived a
baby. Later, Danae had given birth to a boy named Perseus. She kept her baby a secret from her
own father. But days have come and King Acrisius learned about her secret. The King ordered his
people to have a chest built for Danae and child Perseus. Danae and her child were put inside the
chest and sent adrift in the sea. It bobbed in the waves until it reached the Island of Seraphos where
a fisherman named Dictys noticed the chest and took it. When he opened it, he saw Danae and
Perseus. The kind Dictys let them in their house to live together with his wife. Dictys’ brother, King
Polydectes was captivated by Danae’s beauty and married her. Polydectes felt jealous over the love
that Danae was giving to Perseus. To get rid of Perseus, Polydectes sent him on a dangerous
adventure that put his life in peril. The mission was to kill Medusa, one of the three Gorgons. She has
snaky hair and metal-scaled skin. Looking straight into Medusa’s eye can turn mortals into stone.
Despite the danger, Perseus agreed to embark on the adventure in order to get his own name glory.
Hermes gave him a sword. He was also given a shield by Athena. Hermes added that Perseus
needed also the winged sandals, the helmet of invisibility, and the magic wallet. Those three essential
things were all in the possession of the Nymphs of the North. Getting there was not easy. In order to
get to the Nymphs of the North, Perseus has to go first to the Gray Women who only could tell the
direction. Perseus went to the three gray women, snatched the eye of the women, and threatened not
to return it unless they give him the direction pointing to the Nymphs of the North. As soon as the
direction was given, Perseus headed to the Island of Gorgons. He was instructed by Athena, telling
him that Medusa was the one lying closest to the seashore. With one swift of his sword and with the
help of his shield as a mirror, Medusa was beheaded and her head was put inside the magic wallet.
While Perseus was making his way back home, he noticed a beautiful lady chained on the cliff. He
asked her name and why she was hanged. No reply was given by the lady. Perseus insisted the lady
respond. She said her name was Andromeda, daughter of Ethiopian King Cepheus and Queen
Cassiopeia. Andromeda told Perseus that her mother boasted that she was the most beautiful of 50
lovely daughters of Nereus. As revenge for the mother Cassiopeia, Andromeda suffered the
punishment. At any moment, then, the serpent was on its way to devour Andromeda. Perseus told
Andromeda’s parents that he would save their daughter on the condition that they will allow him to
marry her. The king and queen agreed at once and Andromeda was saved from death. He took
Andromeda to his homeland. On a platform, within full view of the balcony, sat the mighty King
Polydectes, amid his evil counselors, and with his flattering courtiers in a semicircle around about
him. Monarch, counselors, courtiers, and subjects, all gazed eagerly toward Perseus. King
Polydectes not believing that Perseus has the head of Medusa threatened to behead Perseus if he
doesn't show him and his people. And, suddenly holding up the head, not an eyelid had time to wink
before the wicked King Polydectes, his evil counselors, and all his fierce subjects were no longer
anything but the mere images of a monarch and his people. They were all fixed, forever, in the look
and attitude of that moment! At the first glimpse of the terrible head of Medusa, they whitened into
marble! And Perseus thrust the head back into his wallet and went to tell his dear mother that she
need no longer be afraid of the wicked King Polydectes. In the midst of that all, they went to Larissa
there was a discus-throw competition going on. Perseus joined in and when it was his turn to throw
the discus, he threw it mightily and accidentally hit an old man in the audience. It was learned that his
grandfather, King Acrisius, was the one hit by the discus.
 Script
Narrator:
Acrisius, King of Argos received a dreadful
oracle from Delphi. According to the priestess
of Delphi, “You will not have a son but a
grandson from whose hands you will be killed”.
Frightened, King Acrisius hid his only daughter
Danae from the sight of all men. Danae was
locked up inside a house of bronze sunk
underground. Zeus entered into the
underground chamber in the form of a shower
of gold through the roof partly opened. He
appeared in front of Danae and in an instant
Danae conceived a baby. Later, Danae had
given birth to a boy named Perseus. She kept
her baby a secret from her own father. But
days have come and King Acrisius learned
about her secret.
King Acrisius:
“Put them in a chest and toss them into the
sea!”
Narrator:
The King ordered his people to have a chest
built for Danae and child Perseus. Danae and
her child were put inside the chest and sent
adrift in the sea. It bobbed in the waves until it
reached the Island of Seraphos where a
fisherman named Dictys noticed the chest and
took it. When he opened it, he saw Danae and
Perseus. The kind Dictys let them in their
house to live together with his wife. Dictys’
brother, King Polydectes was captivated by
Danae’s beauty and married her. Polydectes
felt jealous over the love that Danae was giving
to Perseus. To get rid of Perseus, Polydectes
sent him on a dangerous adventure that put his
life in peril.
King Polydectes:
"you have grown up a fine young man. You
and your good mother have received a great
deal of kindness from me, as well as from my
worthy brother the fisherman, and I suppose
you would not be sorry to repay some of it."
Perseus:
“I would willingly risk my life to do so, your
majesty”
King Polydectes:
"Well, then," with a cunning smile on his lips "I
have a little adventure to propose to you, and
as you are a brave and enterprising youth, you
will doubtless look upon it as a great piece of
good luck to have so rare an opportunity of
distinguishing yourself. Bring me the head of
the Gorgon Medusa with the snaky locks; and I
depend on you, my dear Perseus, to bring it to
me.”
Perseus:
"I will set out tomorrow morning"
Narrator:
Despite the danger, Perseus agreed to embark
on the adventure in order to get his own name
glory. Hermes gave him a sword. He was also
given a shield by Athena. Hermes added that
Perseus needed also the winged sandals, the
helmet of invisibility, and the magic wallet.
Those three essential things were all in the
possession of the Nymphs of the North.
Getting there was not easy. In order to get to
the Nymphs of the North, Perseus has to go
first to the Gray Women who only could tell the
direction. Perseus went to the three gray
women, snatched the eye of the women, and
threatened not to return it unless they give him
the direction pointing to the Nymphs of the
North. As soon as the direction was given,
Perseus headed to the Island of Gorgons. He
was instructed by Athena, telling him that
Medusa was the one lying closest to the
seashore. With one swift of his sword and with
the help of his shield as a mirror, Medusa was
beheaded and her head was put inside the
magic wallet. While Perseus was making his
way back home, he noticed a beautiful lady
chained on the cliff.
Perseus:
“Why are you chained, milady?”
Andromeda:
“My name is Andromeda, the daughter of the
Ethiopian King Cepheus and Queen
Cassiopeia”
Narrator:
“Andromeda told Perseus that her mother
boasted that she was the most beautiful of 50
lovely daughters of Nereus. As revenge for the
mother Cassiopeia, Andromeda suffered the
punishment. At any moment, then, the serpent
was on its way to devour Andromeda. Perseus
told Andromeda’s parents that he would save
their daughter on the condition that they will
allow him to marry her. The king and queen
agreed at once and Andromeda was saved
from death. He took Andromeda to his
homeland. On a platform, within full view of the
balcony, sat the mighty King Polydectes, amid
his evil counselors, and with his flattering
courtiers in a semicircle around about him.
Monarch, counselors, courtiers, and subjects,
all gazed eagerly toward Perseus. King
Polydectes not believing that Perseus has the
head of Medusa”
King Polydectes:
"Show me the Gorgon's head or I will cut off
your own!"
Perseus:
*sighs*
King Polydectes:
"This instant," repeated Polydectes, "or you
die!"
Polydectes:
“Behold it then!”
Narrator:
“And, suddenly holding up the head, not an
eyelid had time to wink before the wicked King
Polydectes, his evil counselors, and all his
fierce subjects were no longer anything but the
mere images of a monarch and his people.
They were all fixed, forever, in the look and
attitude of that moment! At the first glimpse of
the terrible head of Medusa, they whitened into
marble! And Perseus thrust the head back into
his wallet and went to tell his dear mother that
she need no longer be afraid of the wicked
King Polydectes. In the midst of that all, they
went to Larissa there was a discus-throw
competition going on. Perseus joined in and
when it was his turn to throw the discus, he
threw it mightily and accidentally hit an old man
in the audience. It was learned that his
grandfather, King Acrisius, was the one hit by
the discus. “
Flow
Chapter 1 (King Chapter 2 (King Chapter 3 (Perseus,
Acrisius, Danae, Zeus, Polydectes, Danae, Andromeda, King
Perseus, Dictys) Perseus, Athena, Polydectes, King
 Oracle Hermes, 3 gray women, Acrisius)
 King Acrisius holds Medusa)  Perseus sees
her daughter captive  King Polydectes Andromeda
 Zeus impregnates married Danae and  Saving Her
Danae was jealous of  They get Married
 King Acrisius threw Perseus  King Polydectes
them in a chest to  Sending Perseus to forced Perseus to
the sea behead Medusa show the head of
 Dictys let them stay  Athena and Hermes Medusa
and raised Perseus giving him his  Discus-throw
like his own equipment competition
 3 gray women  King Acrisius Death
 Perseus beheading
Medusa
Characters
 King Acrisius  Hermes  Andromeda
 Perseus  Athena  Ethiopian King
 Danae  King Polydectes Cepheus
 Dictys  Medusa  Queen Cassiopeia
 Zeus  3 gray women  Priestess of Delphi

Roles
Carinea
Dictys Lopez Naelga
Hermes Ethiopian King Cepheus Gray woman
Queen Cassiopeia
Ellamil Salmasan
Zeus King Polydectes Sabaybay
Athena
Jumarang Barba Andromeda
King Acrisius Medusa
Sagud
Librando Guiama Priestess of Delphi
Perseus Danae