Perseus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Perseus

35 passages from 14 ancient authors that tell of Perseus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. An oracle warned Acrisius his grandson would kill him, so baby Perseus and mother Danae were exiled. Full myth: quest, Medusa's slaying, family & fate. For the story in one place, read our article on Perseus.

Hesiod (2)

Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 150–239The shield of Heracles: war, Lapiths and Centaurs, the harbour, Perseus (150-239)The shield's decoration continues with Pursuit, Flight, Tumult and Panic, deadly Fate dragging a dead man, twelve snake heads, and boars and lions glaring at one another. Other scenes show the Lapiths fighting the Centaurs, Ares in his golden chariot with Athena, the gods on Olympus where Apollo plays the lyre and the Muses sing, and a harbour with dolphins and a fisherman. Perseus, wearing the cap of Hades and carrying the Gorgon's head, flies above the shield while the Gorgons pursue him, and beyond him men fight for and against a town.
Hesiod, Theogony 265–304Iris, the Harpies, the Graiai, Gorgons and Echidna (265-304)Thaumas and Electra have Iris and the Harpies, and Phorcys and Ceto have the Graiai and the Gorgons. Poseidon lies with Medusa, and when Perseus cuts off her head Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus spring forth; Chrysaor has the three-headed Geryon, whom Heracles kills. The section ends with Echidna, the monstrous child of Ceto and Phorcys, half nymph and half huge snake, who lives in a cave in Arima.

Homer (2)

Homer, Iliad 19.74–153Achilles ends his wrath; Agamemnon's speech on AteAchilles calls an assembly, and even those who had stayed in the camp come, last of all the wounded Agamemnon. Achilles says that the quarrel over the girl has brought no good to anyone, declares that he ends his wrath, and bids the Achaeans arm. Agamemnon says that Ate, the eldest daughter of Zeus, blinded him, as she once blinded Zeus himself when Hera tricked him over the birth of Heracles, and he offers the promised gifts.
Homer, Odyssey 3.404–497The sacrifice to Athena; departure for SpartaAt dawn Nestor sacrifices a heifer with gilded horns to Athena, and his youngest daughter Polycaste bathes Telemachus. Nestor gives him a chariot and horses and sends his son Peisistratus with him. They drive all day, spend the night at Pherae with Diocles, and reach the wheat plain of Lacedaemon on the next day.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.4.1–5Perseus: Danae, Medusa and AndromedaAn oracle tells Acrisius that his daughter's son will kill him, so he shuts Danae in a brazen chamber, but she bears Perseus to Zeus and is cast into the sea with him in a chest. On Seriphus, Polydectes sends Perseus to fetch the Gorgon's head; with help from Hermes and Athena he gets the nymphs' gear from the Phorcides and beheads Medusa, from whom Pegasus and Chrysaor spring. He rescues Andromeda from a sea monster, turns Polydectes to stone, and accidentally kills Acrisius with a discus at Larissa, so fulfilling the oracle. The section ends with Perseus's descendants and the birth of Eurystheus.

Pindar (2)

Pindar, Pythian Odes 10.1–72Pythian 10: for Hippocleas — Perseus and the HyperboreansPindar praises Thessaly and the Aleuadae and Hippocleas, victor in the boys' double foot-race, and prays that his house may prosper. He tells how Perseus, favoured by Athena, feasted among the Hyperboreans, killed the Gorgon Medusa and turned the islanders of Seriphus to stone. He ends by praising Thorax of Larissa and by saying that men cannot climb to heaven but may reach the furthest limit allowed them.
Pindar, Pythian Odes 12.1–32Pythian 12: for Midas — Perseus, Medusa and the flutePindar praises Acragas and Midas, flute-player and Pythian victor, and tells how Perseus cut off the head of Medusa and blinded the brood of Phorcus, freeing his mother from Polydectes. He says that Athena made the many-voiced music of the flute to echo the lament of the Gorgons, and gave it to mortals for their contests. The ode ends with the reflection that without toil there is no success, and that fortune is unforeseen.

Aeschylus (1)

Aeschylus, Libation Bearers 783–837Second stasimon: prayer to Zeus and Hermes for the deedThe Chorus pray to Zeus and to the gods of the house to help Orestes in the deed that he now has to do. They call on Orestes to be bold and to cry 'Father' when his mother cries 'Son', and to strike with the heart of Perseus. They pray that the old curse on the house may be ended.

Aristophanes (1)

Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae 1001–1135Episode: Andromeda and EchoBound to the plank, Mnesilochus plays the chained Andromeda and sings a lament, and Euripides answers from hiding in the part of Echo, repeating his words until the Scythian archer is baffled. Euripides then enters as Perseus to rescue the captive, but the Scythian refuses to let him loosen the prisoner and threatens him with a sword, and Euripides leaves.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.8.1–4.10.7Heracles: birth and early deedsThe historian begins with the difficulty of reporting Heracles' deeds worthily and with the claim that myth should not be scrutinised too sharply. He traces the hero's descent from Perseus and Zeus, tells how Hera delays the birth of Heracles so that Eurystheus is born first, and how Heracles as a baby strangles the two serpents she sends. As a young man he frees Thebes from the tribute owed to Erginus king of the Minyans, kills Erginus, burns the palace of the Minyans and razes the city of the Orchomenians, and marries Megara, daughter of Creon.

Ovid (5)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.1–148Perseus' wedding feast: the battleWhile Perseus is telling his story at the wedding feast, her former suitor Phineus bursts into the hall with an armed band and claims Andromeda. Perseus pleads that Phineus did nothing when she was chained to the rock, but Phineus hurls a spear, and a fierce battle begins, in which many are killed. Perseus kills many, but the numbers against him are too great.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.149–249Phineus turned to stonePerseus, outnumbered, calls to his friends to avert their eyes, and shows the Gorgon's head to one after another of his enemies, and each is turned to stone in whatever attitude he was in. Phineus, seeing his friends become statues, begs for mercy and turns away, but is changed to stone himself. Perseus then goes to Seriphos and turns King Polydectes, who had mocked him, to stone.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.663–801Perseus and AndromedaPerseus sees Andromeda, chained to a rock to be devoured by a sea-monster because her mother Cassiope boasted of her beauty. He strikes the monster from the air with his sword, kills it, and wins Andromeda, and her parents agree to the marriage. He lays the Gorgon's head on a bed of seaweed, which turns to coral, and sets up altars to Athena (Minerva), Hermes (Mercury) and Zeus (Jupiter). At the wedding feast he tells how Medusa won her serpent hair.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.563–662Cadmus and Harmonia; Perseus and AtlasCadmus and Harmonia, grieving at their misfortunes, go away from Thebes, and Cadmus, remembering the serpent he killed, is turned into a serpent, and Harmonia follows him. Perseus, flying over Libya with the head of Medusa, comes at nightfall to the kingdom of Atlas, who has been told that a son of Zeus (Jupiter) would steal his golden apples, and who refuses him shelter. Perseus holds up the head of Medusa, and Atlas is turned into the mountain that holds up the sky.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.250–337Athena visits the Muses; PyreneusAthena (Minerva), having helped Perseus, visits the Muses on Mount Helicon and sees the spring that Pegasus made with his hoof. One of the Muses tells how King Pyreneus once offered them shelter in a storm and then tried to rape them, and fell to his death when he leapt from a tower thinking he could fly. The Muses then speak of the nine daughters of Pierus, who had challenged them to a singing contest, and Athena sits down to listen.

Pausanias (7)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 7.10.1–12Achaia: Callicrates and betrayal as the ruin of GreecePausanias opens with a list of Greek betrayals from the Ionian revolt to Alexander's successors, to show that treachery has always plagued Greece. He then tells how Callicrates completed the subjection of the Achaeans to Rome after the fall of Perseus of Macedon. A Roman commissioner, prompted by Callicrates, claimed that the Achaean generals had favoured Perseus, and over a thousand Achaeans were sent to Rome without trial. They were distributed among the cities of Etruria, and in the seventeenth year about three hundred survivors were released.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.16.1–7Mycenae: Perseus, the Argive kings, the Lion Gate and the tombsPausanias lists the Argive kings from Argos and Triopas to Danaus and Lynceus, the division between Acrisius and Proetus, and the death of Acrisius by Perseus’ quoit. He gives accounts of why Perseus founded Mycenae, and of how the Argives later destroyed it. He describes the surviving walls with the lion gate, the Persea fountain, the treasuries of Atreus and the graves of Agamemnon and his companions, with Clytemnestra and Aegisthus outside the walls.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.18.1–9Argos: the road from Mycenae, the tomb of Thyestes and the kings of ArgosOn the road to Argos are a shrine of Perseus, the tomb of Thyestes with its ram, the sanctuary of Mysian Demeter, the river Inachus and an altar of the Sun. Pausanias explains the division of the Argive kingdom among the lines of Anaxagoras, Bias and Melampus, then the rule of Orestes and Tisamenus and the return of the Heraclids, who drove out Tisamenus and the descendants of Nestor.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.21.1–10Argos: the market-place, the death of Pyrrhus and the head of MedusaIn and around the Argive market-place Pausanias notes the tomb of Cerdo, a temple of Asclepius, the tomb of Hypermnestra, the sanctuary of Trumpet Athena and the grave of Epimenides. He describes the marble building where Pyrrhus was cremated, the mound said to hold the Gorgon’s head with two rationalising accounts of Medusa, and the grave of Gorgophone. He ends with the stone trophy over the tyrant Laphaes and the sanctuary of Latona with the story of Chloris.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.23.1–10Athens Acropolis: Leaena the lioness, Diitrephes, the Satyrs and the Wooden HorsePausanias tells how Hippias tortured Leaena, Aristogiton’s mistress, and why the Athenians set up a bronze lioness, then describes the statue of Diitrephes pierced with arrows and his sack of Mycalessus. A digression on archery, a stone where Silenus rested, and Euphemus’ account of the Isles of the Satyrs follows. He also lists Myron’s Perseus, Praxiteles’ Brauronian Artemis, the bronze Wooden Horse and statues of Epicharinus, Oenobius and Phormio.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 5.18.1–8Olympia: the Chest of Cypselus, second and third fieldsPausanias describes the second field of the chest, with Night nursing Death and Sleep, Justice and Injustice, Idas and Marpessa, Alcmena, Menelaus and Helen, Medea, the Muses, Atlas and Hercules, and Perseus pursued by the Gorgons. The third field shows armies meeting, which he reads as the migration of Melas to Corinth.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.15.1–5Cleonae and Nemea; Mycenae and the early Argive legends of Inachus and PhoroneusOn the road to Argos Pausanias describes Cleonae, with its Athena by Scyllis and Dipoenus and the tomb of Eurytus and Cteatus, and the Nemean region: the lion’s cave, the temple of Nemean Zeus, the grave of Opheltes and Mount Apesas. He then begins the Argive legends, covering Inachus, the dispute of Poseidon and Hera over the land, and Phoroneus, who first gathered mankind.

Nonnus of Panopolis (8)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 47.496–593Book 47: An Argive taunts Dionysos; Hera arms PerseusAn Argive mocks Dionysos, setting Perseus the Gorgon-slayer against him and urging him to go back to Thebes. Hera, taking the shape of the seer Melampus, urges Perseus to defend Argos, and Argos's heroes muster. Dionysos arms his Bacchants and Satyrs and protects himself with a gem against the Gorgon's gaze.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 47.594–741Book 47: Dionysos fights Perseus; Hermes ends the war; Argos honours the godPerseus and Dionysos trade boasts and fight, and Hera fights unrecognised. Dionysos grows to touch the sky, but Perseus turns Ariadne to stone with the Gorgon's head. As Dionysos is about to sack Argos, Hermes restrains him, promises that Ariadne will be placed among the stars and reconciles the two sons of Zeus. Hera returns to Olympos and Melampus persuades the Argives to honour Dionysos with a festival.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 25.80–193Book 25: The feats of Perseus and Minos set against those of DionysosThe poet continues the comparison with Perseus, setting his sea-monster, Polydectes and Andromeda against Dionysos' defeat of the Giants. He contrasts Minos' conquest of Megara, won through Scylla's love, with a victory won by hard fighting, and turns to Heracles, whose Nemean lion was matched by the boy Dionysos with his team of lions.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 25.0–79Book 25: The poet's invocation; Dionysos set beside PerseusThe poet invokes the Muse and Thebes, announcing that he will sing only the last year of the war, and says he will measure the valour of Dionysos against that of the sons of Zeus. He begins with Perseus, who beheaded the Gorgon and then fled, and contrasts him with Dionysos, who defeated whole armies and fought the river.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 18.268–368Book 18: Staphylos' exhortation; Dionysos returns to a house in mourningStaphylos goes on to compare Dionysos with Zeus, Ares and Perseus as slayers of monsters and urges him to destroy Deriades. Dionysos sends the herald Pherespondos to offer Deriades peace or war. On his return he finds that Staphylos has died, reads the news in the faces of Methe, Botrys and Pithos, and speaks to the mourning household.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 30.243–326Book 30: Athena shames Dionysos back into the fightDeriades presses forward as Dionysos withdraws, until Athena, sent by Zeus, shames him for fleeing, comparing him with Perseus and Aiacos, and urges him back to the battle. Inspired, Dionysos kills and wounds many Indians and scatters several tribes, and the Indians fall back.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 31.0–69Book 31: Hera appeals to Persephone against DionysosHera, jealous at the Indian defeat and the sight of Perseus' trophies, goes down to Persephone in Hades. She tells her that Dionysos will displace Zagreus and Demeter's honour and that Zeus has wronged them both, and asks her to arm the Furies against him.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 13.393–463Book 13: Samothrace, Thrace and CyprusEmathion's men come from Samothrace under the giant Ogyros, and Oiagros of Thrace leaves his infant son Orpheus on Calliopeia's knees. The Cyprians come under Litros and Lapethos. The poet tells how a dolphin carried Aphrodite to the island and names its towns.

Aratus (2)

Aratus, Phaenomena 571–737Risings and settings of the constellationsAratus tells which constellations set and which rise as each sign of the Zodiac rises, from the Crab to the Twins, among them Ophiuchus, Boötes, Orion, Cetus, Cepheus, Cassiepeia and Perseus. In explaining why Orion flees when the Scorpion rises, he tells how Orion offended Artemis in Chios and was killed by the Scorpion. The section ends by turning to the Moon's phases as a guide to the month.
Aratus, Phaenomena 116–265Justice leaves the earth; Auriga, Andromeda and PerseusThe Maiden Justice leaves the earth as the Golden, Silver and Bronze Races succeed one another, and takes her place in the sky. Aratus then places the Twins, the Crab and the Lion, and describes Auriga with the Goat and the Kids, the Bull and the Hyades, and the family of Cepheus: Cepheus, Cassiepeia and Andromeda. He continues with the Horse and the spring Hippocrene, the Ram, the Deltoton and the Fishes, and with Perseus and the Pleiades, whose seven names are given.

Bacchylides (1)

Bacchylides, Epinicians (Odes of Victory) 12.1–14.23Odes 12–14: Pytheas of Aegina and the Aeacidae; Cleoptolemus of ThessalyOde 12 asks Cleio to guide the poet to Aegina and to a wrestler's victory at Nemea, but only its opening survives. Ode 13, for Pytheas of Aegina, shows Heracles, the descendant of Perseus, mastering the Nemean lion, praises Aegina and her heroes Peleus, Telamon, Achilles and Ajax, and tells how Achilles' anger let the Trojans drive the Greeks to their ships until Ajax stopped Hector. It ends with praise of the trainer Menander and of the host Lampon. Ode 14 reflects that fortune can crush or exalt a man before honouring Cleoptolemus of Thessaly and the domain of Poseidon Petraios.

Lycophron (1)

Lycophron, Alexandra 1369–1474Alexandra 1369–1474: The conquerors to come, Cassandra's closing complaint, and the slave's last wordsCassandra foretells a succession of later conquerors, beginning with a Zeus called Lapersios who will burn the foe's dwellings and with whom she will die. Next come the son of a man slain in a net, leading a host of many tongues, a Phrygian who avenges his brothers, a giant of the seed of Perseus who walks over the sea and sails over the land, and at last a tawny lion sprung from Aeacus and Dardanus who will quiet the tumult and make the Argive chiefs cower before the wolf-leader of Galadra. She complains that the god who sought her bridal has discredited her words, though he will make her oracles true, and then returns to her prison. The slave ends by telling Priam that he has reported her speech as he was commanded, and prays that god turn her prophecies to a fairer issue.

Parthenius of Nicaea (1)

Parthenius of Nicaea, Love Romances 16.1–17.6Laodice and Acamas; Periander and his motherLaodice falls in love with the young Acamas, who has come with Diomedes to ask for Helen; with the help of Philobia and Perseus she is put at his side at a banquet and bears him Munitus, who later dies of a snake bite. Periander's mother loves him and takes the place of an imagined lady in his bed. When he reveals her by a hidden light he is held back from killing her, and from then on he is a madman and a savage tyrant.