Perseus

Updated: Wikipedia source

Perseus

In Greek mythology, Perseus (US: , UK: ; Greek: Περσεύς, translit. Perseús) is the legendary founder of the Perseid dynasty. He was, alongside Cadmus and Bellerophon, the greatest Greek hero and slayer of monsters before the days of Heracles. He beheaded the Gorgon Medusa for Polydectes and saved Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus. He was a demigod, being the son of Zeus and the mortal Danaë, as well as the half-brother and great-grandfather of Heracles (as they were both children of Zeus, and Heracles's mother was Perseus's granddaughter).

Infobox

Abode

Seriphus, then Argos

Symbol

Medusa's head

Parents

Zeus and Danaë

Siblings

Several paternal half-siblings

Consort

Andromeda

Children

Perses, Heleus, Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Electryon, Mestor, Cynurus, Gorgophone, Autochthe

Tables

· Mythology › <i>Suda</i>

Preceded byAcrisius

Preceded byAcrisius

Regnal titles

Preceded byAcrisius

Regnal titles

King of Argos

Regnal titles

Succeeded byMegapenthes

Preceded byMegapenthes

Preceded byMegapenthes

Regnal titles

Preceded byMegapenthes

Regnal titles

King of Tiryns

Regnal titles

Succeeded byElectryon

Preceded bynone(founder)

Preceded bynone(founder)

Regnal titles

Preceded bynone(founder)

Regnal titles

King of Mycenae

Regnal titles

Succeeded byElectryon

Regnal titles
Preceded byAcrisius	King of Argos	Succeeded byMegapenthes
Preceded byMegapenthes	King of Tiryns	Succeeded byElectryon
Preceded bynone(founder)	King of Mycenae	Succeeded byElectryon

· Descendants

Children

Children

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Children

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Perses

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Alcaeus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Sthenelus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Heleus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Mestor

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Electryon

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Cynurus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Gorgophone

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Autochthe

Grandchildren

Grandchildren

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Grandchildren

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Achaemenid Persians

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Amphitryon, Anaxo, Perimede

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Eurystheus, Alcyone, Medusa

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Hippothoe

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Alcmene, Stratobates, Anactor, Gorgophonus, Phylonomus, Celaeneus, Amphimachus, Lysinomus, Archelaus, Chirimachus, Licymnius

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Aphareus, Leucippus, Tyndareus, Icarius

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Third Generation Descendants

Third Generation Descendants

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Third Generation Descendants

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Melas, Argius, Oeonus, Iphicles

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Admete, Perimedes, Alexander, Iphimedon, Eurybius, Mentor

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Taphius

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Heracles, Iphicles, Oeonus, Melas, Argius,

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Idas, Lynceus, Peisus; Hilaeira; Castor and Pollux, Helen, Clytemnestra, Timandra, Phoebe, Philonoe; Penelope, Perileos, Thoas, Iphthime, Aletes, Imeusimus, Damasippus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Fourth Generation Descendants

Fourth Generation Descendants

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Fourth Generation Descendants

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Iolaus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Pterelaus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Heraclides, Iolaus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Mnesileos; Anogon; Cleopatra Alcyone; Iphigenia, Electra, Orestes, Chrysothemis, Laodice, Aletes, Erigone, Helen; Ladocus; Telemachus, Poliporthes, Acusilaus, Italus

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Fifth Generation Descendants

Fifth Generation Descendants

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Fifth Generation Descendants

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Leipephilene

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Chromius, Tyrannus, Antiochus, Mestor, Chersidamas, Eueres, Comaetho

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Leipephilene

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

Medon, Strophius; Tisamenus, Penthilus; Persepolis, Latinus, Poliporthes

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War

–

Descendants of Perseus and Andromeda Before the Time of Heracles to the Aftermath of the Trojan War
Children	Perses	Alcaeus	Sthenelus	Heleus	Mestor	Electryon	Cynurus	Gorgophone	Autochthe
Grandchildren	Achaemenid Persians	Amphitryon, Anaxo, Perimede	Eurystheus, Alcyone, Medusa	–	Hippothoe	Alcmene, Stratobates, Anactor, Gorgophonus, Phylonomus, Celaeneus, Amphimachus, Lysinomus, Archelaus, Chirimachus, Licymnius	–	Aphareus, Leucippus, Tyndareus, Icarius	–
Third Generation Descendants	–	Melas, Argius, Oeonus, Iphicles	Admete, Perimedes, Alexander, Iphimedon, Eurybius, Mentor	–	Taphius	Heracles, Iphicles, Oeonus, Melas, Argius,	–	Idas, Lynceus, Peisus; Hilaeira; Castor and Pollux, Helen, Clytemnestra, Timandra, Phoebe, Philonoe; Penelope, Perileos, Thoas, Iphthime, Aletes, Imeusimus, Damasippus	–
Fourth Generation Descendants	–	Iolaus	–	–	Pterelaus	Heraclides, Iolaus		Mnesileos; Anogon; Cleopatra Alcyone; Iphigenia, Electra, Orestes, Chrysothemis, Laodice, Aletes, Erigone, Helen; Ladocus; Telemachus, Poliporthes, Acusilaus, Italus	–
Fifth Generation Descendants	–	Leipephilene	–	–	Chromius, Tyrannus, Antiochus, Mestor, Chersidamas, Eueres, Comaetho	Leipephilene		Medon, Strophius; Tisamenus, Penthilus; Persepolis, Latinus, Poliporthes	–

References

"Even thus endured Danaë in her beauty to change the light of day for brass-bound walls; and in that chamber, secret as
Eurymedon: "far-ruling"
Homeric Hymns
Perseus and Andromeda descendants (the Perseids) include seven sons: Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electry
See article Catasterismi.
Laodice may be the daughter of Agamemnon mentioned by Homer, who is generally equated with Electra.
Kerenyi, Karl, 1959. The Heroes of the Greeks (London: Thames and Hudson) p. 75.
Brittanica
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Perseus-Greek-mythology
The Greek Myths
Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin
Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Griechischen
Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch
Documents in Mycenaean Greek
https://archive.org/details/documentsinmycen0000vent
Histories
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hdt.+7.61.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Histories
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hdt.+7.150.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Antigone
Anthology of Classical Myth: Primary sources in translation
Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.1514
https://topostext.org/work/126#4.1502
Journal of Biblical Literature
https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3264132
Pherecydes of Athens frag. 11
https://sites.exeter.ac.uk/ogdens-dragonsdens/the-classical-dragon/perseus-medusa/pherecydes/
Apollodorus, 2.4.3
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2..4.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Lives of the Necromancers
https://archive.org/details/livesnecromance04godwgoog
Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.1–235
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Ov.+Met.+5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0028:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.1505 ff.
https://topostext.org/work/126#4.1502
Pausanias, 2.16.2
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.16.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Apollodorus, 2.4.4
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.4.4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.177
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Ov.+Met.+5.177&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0028:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Pausanias, 2.16.3
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.16.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Pausanias, 2.15.4, 2.16.2–3 & 2.18.1
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.15.4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:book=:chapter=&highlight=Perseus
Hesiod, Megalai Ehoiai fr. 246
pros-teichisas
http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.4.4
Suida, s.v. mu, 406
http://www.poesialatina.it/_ns/greek/testi/Suda/Lexicon.html
[no title cited]
The Review of English Studies
https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fres%2FVI.21.65
"Perseus Constellation," 2022, n.p.
"Perseus Mythology," 2022, n.p.
Melville, Herman. Moby Dick, Prospero Classics. Chapter 82, 1851.