PERSEUS

The story of Perseus and Andromeda derives from Greek mythology and contains very deep wisdom on the interactions of male and
female energy. Perseus is one of the greatest heroes of Greek Mythology. He was the son of mighty Zeus and mortal Danae. He is best
known as the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa, a fearsome monster, and as the rescuer of the Ethiopian princess Andromeda. Perseus is also
said to be an ancestor of Hercules and the Asian race of the Persians. He was praised as a brave man, a good son and an honorable king.

Discover the myth of Perseus and Andromeda

The birth of Perseus

The story starts when the Oracle of Delphi warns Acrisius, King of Argos, that his own grandson would kill him. Fearing that this
prophecy would come true, he locks his only daughter, Danae, into an underground bronze chamber, to keep her away from all men.
However, Zeus the all mighty saw the girl and fell in love with her. He then took the form of a golden rain to get into the bronze chamber
and seduce Danae. From this union, Danae gave birth to a son whom she named Perseus.

When king Acrisius heard the baby crying and realized he had a grandson, his first thought was to kill the unfortunate boy and his
mother. But he couldn't do as he feared he would cause the anger of Zeus. So he cast his daughter and grandson into a wooden chest and
set them into the wild sea to get drowned.

However, Zeus saw the desperate woman and asked Poseidon to calm the sea water. Indeed, the sea calmed down and after a few days,
Danae and his new-born son landed on the island of Serifos. There Dictys, a fisherman and brother of the island's king, found them and
took them to his home, where they would be safe.

Perseus grew up into a fine young man under the care of the kind fisherman Dictys. In the meanwhile, King Polydectes began to be
inflamed by passion for Danae, who was still a charming lady although many years had passed since her youth. Danae, however, did not
wish this marriage. Polydectes thought that the presence of Perseus was an obstacle for Danae and that is why she didn’t wish to get
married. So he decided to set up a plan to get rid of this annoying youth.

He challenged Perseus to dare a difficult task, to kill the fearsome Gorgon Medusa and bring back her head. Gorgon Medousa was a
terrible monster with snakes in her head and she could turn into stone everyone that looked her face. By killing Medousa, Perseus would
prove his braveness, as fits to the son of Zeus. Polydectes was sure that Perseus would not survive this dangerous task.

Killing Medusa

What Polydectes had not known was that Perseus was beloved by the gods. To help him, god Hermes gave him a curved sword and a pair
of winged sandals (other versions of the myth say that Hermes did not give Perseus a pair of winged sandals but a white winged horse)
while Athena gave him a mirror of polished bronze and a cap from Hades that could make invisible anyone who would wear it. With
these divine aids, Perseus started his long journey to the cave of Medousa, somewhere in Africa.

He indeed found lying in her deep cave. Since he was wearing the winged sandals, he could fly around her and since he was wearing the
magical cap of Hades, he was invisible. In order to avoid looking Medousa directly to her face and thereby being turned into a stone,
Perseus approached Medousa looking at her reflection in the mirror and cut off her head with the sword of Hermes. So easily then, the
brave and intelligent Perseus managed to complete this difficult task!

Saving Andromeda

As he was flying over Africa in his return home, Perseus encountered Atlas the Titan, a mythical giant, who challenged him. In their
confrontation, Perseus used Medousa's head to turn the Titan into stone. Perseus continued his journey home and, as he passed the
kingdom of Ethiopia, he came upon the beautiful and helpless maiden Andromeda, chained to the rocks waiting to be devoured by a sea
monster.

The beautiful Andromeda was the daughter of the Ethiopian king Cepheus and queen Cassiopeia. One day, the vain queen had bragged
that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, the sea nymphs. The sea nymphs fell angry to hear that and
complained to Poseidon, the god of the sea. A furious Poseidon unleashed the sea monster Cetus to frequently ravage the coast and
devastate the land of Ethiopia in order to avenge the insult to his wards, the Nereids. The desperate king Cephus appealed Zeus, who
suggEsted the sacrifice of Andromeda as the only way to appease the wrathful Poseidon.
Thus it was that our hero Perseus found himself face to face with the beautiful Andromeda chained helplessly onto the rocks, awaiting
her doom. Perseus immediately fell in love with the lovely maiden and promptly killed Cetus the beast, who had been licking his lips at
the prospect of having a delicious meal.

Perseus took Andromeda to her father Cepheus and asked for her hand in marriage. This infuriated Andromeda's uncle Phineus, to
whom the maiden was already promised. During the ensuing quarrel, Perseus turned Phineus into a stone by showing him the head of
the Gorgon Medousa.

Back to Serifos

A happily married Perseus returned to the island of Serifos with his wife, Andromeda, only to find Polydectes still pursuing his unwilling
mother, Danae. Poor Polydectes soon joined the list of stone statues, thanks to the skillful use of the head of Medousa. After that, Perseus
made Dictus the fisherman king of the island, to thank him for his kindness and generosity all these years. A grateful Perseus gave his
flying sandal, mirror and magical cap to god Hermes. He also gave his great trophy, the head of Medousa, to goddess Athena.

In Argos again

The whole family finally decided to leave Seriphos and return to Argos, keeping it a secret from King Acrisius. There, one day, Perseus
took part in a sport competition. While throwing the discus, he accidentally struck his grandfather and instantly killed him. The old
prophecy had come true, no matter how Acrisius tried to avoid it.

After the death of Acrisius, the Kingdom of Argos naturally passed on to Perseus, who thought himself unworthy of it, since he had
caused his grandfather's death, even by accident. So he gave away the kingdom of Argos to Megapenthes, in exchange for Megapenthes'
kingdom of Tiryns.

Perseus and his wife Andromeda happily settled in Tiryns and became the parents of seven sons and one daughter. According to
Mythology, the descendants of Perseus ruled Mycenae, the most powerful town of Peloponnese in the Mycenaean times. Another great
Greek hero, Heracles, was also a descendant of Perseus while his son Perses is said to have traveled in far away Asia to become the
ancestor of a new race, the Persians.
 MEDUSA

Medusa was one of three sisters born to Phorcys and Ceto known as the Gorgons. According to Hesiod's Theogony, the Gorgons were the
sisters of the Graiai and lived in the utmost place towards the night by the Hesperides beyond Oceanus. Later authors such as Herodotus
and Pausanias place the Gorgons' abode in Libya. The Gorgon sisters were Sthenno, Euryale, and Medusa; Medusa was mortal while
her sisters were immortal.

Beyond the Gorgon's birth, there is little mention of the Gorgons as a group, but Medusa has several myths about her life and death. The
most famous of these myths concern her death and demise. In Hesiod's Theogony, he recounts how Perseus cut off the head of Medusa
and from her blood sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, Chrysaor being a golden giant and Pegasus the famous white winged-horse.

Perseus & Medusa

The myth of Perseus and Medusa, according to Pindar and Apollodorus, started with a quest. Perseus was the son of Danae and Zeus,
who came to Danae in the form of a golden spring. It was foretold to Danae's father, Acrisius the King of Argos, that Danae's son would
kill him. So Acrisius locked his daughter away in a bronze chamber, but Zeus transformed into a shower of gold and impregnated her
anyway. Acrisius, not wanting to provoke Zeus, hurled his daughter and grandson in a wooden chest into the sea. The mother and son
were rescued by Dictys on the island of Seriphos. It was Dictys who raised Perseus to manhood, but it was Dictys' brother Polydectes, the
king, who would send him on a life-threatening quest.

Polydectes fell in love with Perseus' mother and wished to marry her but Perseus was protective of his mother since he believed
Polydectes to be dishonorable. Polydectes contrived to trick Perseus; he held a large banquet under the pretense of collecting
contributions for the marriage of Hippodamia, who tamed horses. He requested that his guests bring horses for their gifts but Perseus
did not have one. When Perseus confessed that he had no gift, he offered any gift the king would name. Polydectes seized his opportunity
to disgrace and even get rid of Perseus and asked for the head of the only mortal Gorgon: Medusa.

MEDUSA WAS A FORMIDABLE FOE, SINCE HER HIDEOUS APPEARANCE WAS ABLE TO RENDER ANY ONLOOKER INTO
STONE.

Medusa was a formidable foe, since her hideous appearance was able to render any onlooker into stone. In some variations of the myth,
Medusa was born a monster like her sisters, described as girded with serpents, vibrating tongues, gnashing their teeth, having wings,
brazen claws, and enormous teeth. In later myths (mainly in Ovid) Medusa was the only Gorgon to possess snake locks, because they
were a punishment from Athena. Accordingly, Ovid relates that the once beautiful mortal was punished by Athena with a hideous
appearance and loathsome snakes for hair for having been raped in Athena's temple by Poseidon.

Perseus, with the aid of divine gifts, found the Gorgons' cave and slayed Medusa by beheading her. Most authors assert that Perseus was
able to behead Medusa with a reflective bronze shield that Athena gave to him while the Gorgon slept. At the beheading of Medusa,
Pegasus and Chrysaor (Poseidon's and her children) sprang from her severed neck. Simultaneously with the birth of these children,
Medusa's sisters Euryale and Sthenno pursued Perseus. However, the gift bestowed upon him by Hades, the helmet of darkness, granted
him invisibility. It is unclear if Perseus took Pegasus with him on his following adventures or if he continued to utilize the winged sandals
Hermes gave him. Pegasus' adventures with both the hero Perseus and Bellerophon are classic tales from Greek mythology.

Medusa Mosaic

Perseus now flew (either by Pegasus or winged sandals) with Medusa's head safely bagged, ever potent with its stony gaze. Perseus, on
his journey home, stopped at Ethiopia where the kingdom of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia was being tormented by Poseidon's
sea monster, Cetus. Poseidon's vengeance was being exacted on the kingdom for Cassiopeia's hubristic claim that her daughter,
Andromeda, (or she herself) was equal in beauty to the Nereids. Perseus slew the beast and won Andromeda's hand. Andromeda was
already betrothed, though, which caused a contestation to break out, resulting in Perseus using Medusa's head to turn her previous
betrothed to stone.

Before his return to his home of Seriphos, Perseus met the titan Altas, who he turned to stone with Medusa's head after some
quarrelsome words, thus creating the Atlas Mountains of North Africa. Also during the journey home, Medusa's head spilled some blood
on the earth which formed into Libyan vipers that killed the Argonaut Mospos.

Perseus returned home to his mother, safe from King Polydectes' advances, but Perseus was infuriated with Polydectes' trickery. Perseus
avenged himself by turning Polydectes and his court to stone with Medusa's head. He, then, gave the kingdom to Dictys. After Perseus
was finished with the Gorgon's head, he gave it to Athena, who adorned her shield and breastplate with it.
 Perseus and Medusa
Etymology

The word Gorgon derives from the ancient Greek word "γοργός" meaning "fierce, terrible and grim." The Gorgons' names each have a
particular meaning that helps to further describe their monstrousness. Sthenno from the ancient Greek "Σθεννω", is translated as
"strength, might, or force," since it is related to the Greek word: σθένος. Euryale is from the ancient Greek "Ευρυαλη" meaning "broad,
wide-stepping, wide threshing;" however her name may also mean "of the wide briny sea." This would be an appropriate name since she
is the daughter of ancient sea deities, Phorcys and Ceto. Medusa's name comes from the ancient Greek verb "μέδω" which is translated
as "to guard or protect." Medusa's name is extremely fitting as it is synonymous with what a Gorgon's head became representative of on
Athena's shield.

Representations in Art

The Gorgon image appears in several pieces of art and architectural structures including the pediments of the Temple of Artemis (c. 580
BCE) in Corcya (Corfu), the mid-6th century BCE, larger-than-life marble statue (that is now in the archaeological museum of Paros)
and the celebrated cup by Douris. The Gorgon became a popular shield design in antiquity along with being an apotropaic (warding off
evil) device. The goddess Athena and Zeus were often portrayed with a shield (or aegis) depicting the head of a Gorgon, who is typically
believed to be Medusa.

There are also several archaeological examples of the Gorgon's face being used on breastplates, in mosaics and even as bronze end pieces
on ship beams in the Roman period. Perhaps the most famous example of Medusa in art in antiquity was the Athena Parthenos statue
from the Parthenon which was made by Phidias and described by Pausanias. This statue of Athena depicts a Gorgon's face on the
goddess' breastplate. In Greek mythology there is, also, Hesiod's description of Hercules' shield which describes the events of Perseus
and Medusa.
 REFLECTION

If you’ve ever seen Mulan, and we know you have, you’re obsessed with “Reflection.” That’s just science. But have you ever asked
yourself why? Yes, it’s partially due to the infectious melody and smooth stylings of Lea Solonga, but it also because that song is seriously
about all of us. Here’s the proof.

♫ Look at me, I may never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter. Can it be I’m not meant to play this part? ♫

Mulan Refelction 1

We’re neither perfect brides or perfect daughters. We too have struggled to meet expectations put on us by others. It’s not a good feeling
to think you’ve let someone down.

♫ Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family’s heart. ♫

Mulan Reflection 2

An age-old battle, isn’t it friends? Trying to reconcile what you want with what others want for you.

♫ Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don’t know? ♫

Mulan Reflection 3

We’ve certainly looked in mirror and been like, whoa, is that us? Always take your makeup off before you go to sleep, ladies. Although
Mulan is talking mostly in metaphor at this point, her meaning is certainly not lost on us.

♫ Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I’ve tried. ♫

Mulan Reflection 4

Trying to hide who you are is the worst and it’s something no one should ever have to do. Mulan will eventually discover just that, but it
doesn’t make this part of the song easier to listen to.

♫ When will my reflection show, who I am, inside? ♫

Mulan Reflection 5

We’ve all wished that it was easier be to ourselves sometimes. Take puberty for example. That was especially rough. But we have a secret
(which we learned in part from this movie): we owe it not only to ourselves, but to everyone else, to be exactly who we are.

♫ When will my reflection show, who I am inside? ♫

Mulan Reflection 6

Our advice? As soon as this song is finished and you hit replay to belt it out at the top of your lungs, realize that it’s a wonderful power
ballad and that it’s also a magical spell that has made you uber confident and ready to face anything. It’s become a positive anthem!

Like the beautiful metamorphoses of caterpillar to butterfly, “Reflection” now speaks to your (and our) soul in a whole new way.