Whatever we call it - and both names are right - The Bronze or Heroic Age mingled together - this was the time when almost all Greek myths were born, when heroes and monsters lived, when gods helped or cursed humans in more or less direct relationships.
History books name this time the Mycean civilization, and in classical Greece it had already faded away in the shades of prehistory, leaving traces in memory of bards and wandering minstrels only. The first great hero of this world is Perseus, the legendary founder of Mycenae, and the Perseid dynasty, grand-grandfather of Heracles, among others.
One of the first striking things in Greek mythology is the precision where events took place. In almost every story we've got exact geographical location when important things happened. It is so in Perseus’ case, and we can trace his steps on map, and follow the imaginary journey.
Let's go on a virtual journey with Perseus, the first European hero
Argos
He was born in Argos in Peloponnese, now - one of the oldest cities in Europe, and one of the strongholds of Mycean world (c. 1600 BC – c. 1100 BC). His mother, Danae, was the only child of king of Argos, Arcisius. The king was warned by the oracle at Delphi that he would one day be killed by his grandson.
On hearing the news, Arcisius imprisoned Danae in a tower without roof, making sure - nobody gets there; Zeus could, however, and came upon her as a shower of gold. She gave birth to Perseus.
Seriphos
Next, the king decides to cast Danane and baby Perseus into the sea in a wooden chest. The mother and son are found on the coast of the island of Seriphos, in western Cyclades, by fisherman called Dictys. He brings up Perseus as his own son. Dictys brother, Polydectes is a king of the settlement.
Polydectes, probably years later, found out whom he got on the island - Danae, daughter of the king of the famous Argos! He started the courtship; alas, Perseus took dislike in this marriage idea and was openly hostile to the king.
The ruler uses a cunning trick to mischief Perseus. He pretends an upcoming marriage with Hippodamia (quite important person itself in Greek mytho-history) and asks all guests to come with a horse as a pre-wedding gift. Perseus has no horse, and asks Polydectes what he would like from him, instead.
And here the myth enters a grand spectrum. Perseus is obliged to bring the head of Gorgon Medusa.
Samos
It looks like he is not sure what or who Gorgons are, as he finds himself in Deicterion on Samos, where images of all three Gorgons are displayed. The goddess Athena leads him there, we are told, because she has her own business with Medusa, and is keen to get rid of her.
In preparation for the journey, Athena gives the hero-to-be a polished shield and explains not to ever look at Medusa directly, only in the shield's reflection. Great messenger of gods and between gods and humans, Hermes, gives Perseus an adamantine sickle to cut off the Gorgon's head. We can guess, it is a gift from his father, Zeus.
Perseus still needs few items - it seemed to be a hefty expedition: pair of winged sandals, a magic wallet for the decapitated part, and a cap of invisibility. The problem occurs - nobody knows exactly where to look for the female monsters. Athena heard that the Graeae could help, who knew the whereabouts of Stygian Nymphs, and those could perhaps reveal the secret dwelling of Gorgons; reluctantly, though.
Mount Atlas
The Graeae lived at the foot of Mount Atlas. There, the three old crones have their thrones. It is Hermes who guides Perseus across the sea and land to their abode.
The old sisters look like gray swans but with human heads, and arms under their wings. Creeping up behind them Perseus snatches the only eye and tooth they have among them, and demands the location of his consecutive informants, the Stygian nymphs, named in other sources, the Nymphs of the North.
Graeae
by Chip Breitwieser, Wrath of the Gods, source: www.mythweb.com
Somewhere in the North
The nymphs, in some accounts of the myth, are those who give him his special aids. In others these are the gifts of the gods themselves: Hermes (winged sandals), Zeus (adamantine sickle) and Hades (cap of invisibility). The enigmatic nymphs tell Perseus where the Gorgons reside.
Hyperborea
The hero, guided by Hermes, sets for the mysterious Land of Hyperborea - the land beyond the North Wind. Surprisingly, he founds a great hospitality there and sheer kindness of the Hyperboreans, those who - as the story states - are always happy and joyous. They invite him to their feast, with maidens dancing around a sacred fire, lyrical music, and delicious mead.
According to yet another sources it is those folks who get Perseus the gifts mentioned above. Hyperboreans definitely know where the Gorgons live, as it is somewhere in their land.
Arriving at the exact coordinates, he enters a cave and comes upon sleeping Stheno, Euryale and Medusa. By looking at Medusa's reflection in his polished shield, he safely cuts her head off. Immediately from her neck springs out Pegasus ("he who sprang") and Chrysaor ("bow of gold"), believed to be the issue of Poseidon and Medusa's earlier sexual encounter.
Stheno and Euryale chase after Perseus for a while but cannot find him; he's got the invisibility cap on.
Perseus holding Medusa's head
by Antonio Canova on pope Pius VII's demand, Vatican Museum
Mount Atlas - Libya - Egypt
On his way back, Perseus turns the titan Atlas to stone (he was inhospitable to him before) with the aid of Medusa's head, of course; he flies across Libyan desert and Egypt, pausing for refreshment at Chemmis, mysterious floating island, where he establishes some undefined cult.
Joppa, Philistia
After that, he gets near the coast of Philistia, and catches a glimpse of a naked woman chained to a sea-cliff. It is near the town of Joppa, and it is princess Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopea , king and queen of ancient Aethiopia.
The reason of Andromeda punishment is her mother. Cassiopeia ("she whose words excel") boasted around of her and her daughter luminous beauty. It angered the Nereids, the nymph of the sea, and they reported it to Poseidon. The god of inland water, known for his uncompromising burst of wrath, sends flood upon the kingdom of Aethiopia.
Trying to save their kingdom, Cepheus and Cassiopeia consult an oracle. The only solution to safe the country from the disaster, the oracle said - is to sacrifice Andromeda to Cetus, the sea monster.
Perseus familiarized himself quickly with the story, and killed Cetus; thanks to Medusa's head, of course. Then he took Andromeda as his wife, though there was some disturbance at the wedding as she was already engaged with her uncle, Phineus. Perseus turn him at his squad into stones. The married couple set for the Seriphos island, where he left his mother expoused to the advantages of Polydectes.
Perseus, Andromeda and Cetus
Francois Lemoyne, 18th century, rococo, source: own collection
Seriphos
On arriving, he turns Polydectes and all his companions into stones - supposedly the circle of stones existed when the myth was first told. Dictys, his foster-father becomes a king of the island and Perseus decides to take his wife and mother to homeland Argos, along with a team of Cyclopes. But first he gives all the magic items back and Medusa's head to Athena, as offering. It proudly ends up on the goddess' shield, Aegis.
Argos
On the news of approaching Perseus, king Acrisius flees to nearby Larissa. They meet later by coincidence at a athletic games. Perseus strikes accidentally his grandfather with a discus - to death. Thus the prediction of the oracle is undeniably fullfilled.
...and finally
Mycenae
After the tragic accident, Perseus does not want to rule Argos, so he switches the throne with the king of Tiryns, but eventually decides to establish another settlement. The etymology says it was a mushroom (myces) he found at one place or his ornamental cap (also myces) dropped there and the name Mycenae is derived from it. The team of Cyclops built for him the great city wall, which we can admire to this day:
Lions Gate and Cyclopean masonry in Mycenae
source: Wikipedia
Myceane extended in grand design and wealth all strongholds of Bronze Age Greece, became sort of capital to the whole Mycean world and its fame was far-reaching. Perseus and Andromeda started the Perseid dynasty there. Their great-grandson, Heracles (and Perseus' half-brother, by means of Zeus involvement) is probably the most known Greek hero. He accomplished the Twelve Labors for Eurystheus, king of Tiryns, one of the main cities of Mycean world. Eurystheus was, by the way, also a grandson of Perseus and Andromeda. It is said, that another one, namely Perses, went to Aethiopia and became the ancestor of the emperors of Persia.
***
Almost half of the night sky in summer in the Northern Hemisphere is filled with constellations named after the characters of this myth. In August we've got the shower of Perseids in the Perseus constellation. Next to him lays Andromeda, as if awaiting his rescue. Directly above her is Cassiopeia, her mother, placed on Milky Way luminous path, and on her right is Cepheus, king of ancient Aethiopia. Far below Perseus and Andromeda, above the horizon, streches the sea monster, Cetus. Beside Andromeda is also the grand constellation of Pegasus. Oldest records of the myth (on pottery) show Medusa as winged monster, so it was later interpolation with Pegasus popping out of her head:
All these elements ask for a fascinating challenge in interpretation of this complex story, its allegories and symbology. But this is a tale for yet another time. For now we can reveal quite certainly, the Land of mythical Hyperborea was somewhere in British Isles...
The Journey of the first Greek Hero:
White line is the journey from Argos
Blue line is the return journey to Argos and Mycenae
source: Amthea's work on Google Earth maps
Blue line is the return journey to Argos and Mycenae
source: Amthea's work on Google Earth maps
The story about Perseus, Medusa and Andromeda should be considered as one of the most important myths in European lore. It describes the foundation of the first mainland European Bronze Age civilization. Perseus' story continues in Greek mythology and it survived and arrived to our times thanks to Homeric tradition. Perseus character is later related to such known figures such as Agamemnon, Helen of Troy, Iphigenia, Electra, Odysseus, Atreus, and of course Heracles.
And because of Perseus' extensive journey, linking European and Mediterranean coastline, he is the symbolic father-figure of European culture and Western civilization. Below is the loose genealogy of Perseus 'ancestors' and the Perseid dynasty.
© Paganrod, Amthea
National Archaeological Museum of Athens
And because of Perseus' extensive journey, linking European and Mediterranean coastline, he is the symbolic father-figure of European culture and Western civilization. Below is the loose genealogy of Perseus 'ancestors' and the Perseid dynasty.
Perseus genealogy
and
the Perseid dynasty
(click image to enlarge)
and
the Perseid dynasty
(click image to enlarge)
© Paganrod, Amthea
all rights reserved
12.08.2011
12.08.2011
