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Perseus: Shivani Baisiwala Janvi Chawla
Perseus: Shivani Baisiwala Janvi Chawla
Shivani Baisiwala
Janvi Chawla
Ovid’s Metamorphoses
• Perseus’ story is told in the
Metamorphoses
–Book 4 has the stories of Perseus and
Atlas and of Perseus and Andromeda
–Book 5 contains the story of Perseus
and Phineas
Parentage
• Perseus (Περσεύς) was the son of Jupiter and Danaë,
daughter of Acrisius (King of Argos) and Eurydice
• Acrisius (monstrous mortal) went to the oracle to
find out what the future of his throne would be.
Instead of hearing happy news, he was told that a
child from his daughter was destined to kill him.
As a result, he imprisoned Danae in a
tower. However, Zeus appeared in the
form of shower of gold, and nine months
later, Perseus arrived.
Parentage
• Apollodorus
indicated another
version of Perseus'
conception, writing
that the real father
was Proëtus, brother
and rival of Acrisius.
• Proëtus had seduced
his niece, so that
Danaë became
pregnant
Perseus and Medusa