1. Mythic Heroes – ‘cluster’ specifications Common Features of Legends Miraculous birth, early threats Disinheritance and/or powerful enemy Quest(s) – impossible tasks requiring strength and courage Helpers – often divine Warrior mentality Inability to manage women Difficulty controlling passions Egocentricity

2. Perseus – Legends of Argos

3. Acrisius, King of Argos Daughter was Danae Oracle foretold that Danae’s son would kill Acrisius So Acrisius hid her away in a Bronze (or Ivory) tower (or vault) Zeus visited her as a shower of gold and she had a son, Perseus

5. Acrisius set Danae & child adrift locked in a wooden box They come to shore on Seriphos Are rescued by Dictys, a fisherman and brother of the King of Seriphos, Polydectes Perseus boasted that he would bring the head of Medusa to the King

6. Medusa, one of 3 Gorgons

7. Perseus had help Athena 3 Graeae (with one eye and one tooth) – representatives of old age Nymphs offered cap of Hades (invisibility) winged sandals, and leather pouch Hermes offered a sword

8. In beheading Medusa Pegasus & Chrysaor were created Serpents of Africa from her blood

9. Perseus then travels home By way of the West and encounters Atlas By way of Ethiopia and encounters Andromeda, Cassiopeia, and Cepheus Cassiopeia had angered the Nereids (nymphs of the sea, daughters of Nereus, old man of the sea) Neptune sent floods as punishment Andromeda was to be sacrificed to Ceto, sea monster, to save the people of Joppa

17. After the monster was slain… Battle at the wedding with Phineus, uncle of Andromeda Return to Seriphos – taking care of Polydectes, made Dictys king Perseus and Andromeda returned to Argos Acrisius killed accidently at athletic games when Perseus threw the discus Descendant of Perseus - Hercules Finally, heavenward…

23. Minerva & the Muses

24. Calliope tells story of Ceres, her daughter Proserpina, and Pluto’s abduction of Proserpina

25. Ascalaphus tattles on Proserpina’s eating in the underworld and becomes a screech-owl The companions who were with Proserpina when she was abducted become Sirens – half bird/half women and beautiful singers

26. Ceres teaches agricultural arts to Triptolemus, of Eleusis (near Athens), and he teaches mankind. Story of Lyncus, King of Scythians, who tried to kill Triptolemus. Ceres turned him into a Lynx.

27. Final Tale of Minerva – the contest with Arachne

30. Arethusa helps Ceres find her daughter and later we learn her story…pursued by the water god Alpheus, assisted by Diana, she changed into an underground stream. He followed and mingled his waters with hers.