Perseus

Zeus transformed in the form of golden rain enters the room where Akrisios had imprisoned Danae, attic krater 490-480 BC. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danae. The father of Danae, king Akrisios of Argos had received an oracle, that the son of his daughter would kill him.
Akrisios, afraid that the oracle would come true, imprisoned Danae in an underground room and made sure that no man would come near her. Zeus, who was charmed with the beauty and virtues of Danae, transformed in the form of golden rain, entered her prison. Danae after this event brought to the world a male boy, Perseus.

Akrisios gives instructions to the artisan how to build the chest for his daughter Danae and her son Perseus, attic hydria 490 BC.

Danae tried to hide the child from her father, but Akrisios soon learnt it and put his daughter and the child in a wooden box and threw it to the sea. The waves carried the box to the island of Seriphos, where the fisherman Diktys brought it to the land with his net and took Danae and Perseus under his care. The brother of Diktys, king of Seriphos, Polydektes, who had a passion for Danae, sent Perseus, to bring him the head of Medusa, one of the three Gorgons.

Perseus is trying to catch the eye from the Graiae, pyxis 425 BC.

Perseus, with the help of Athena, reached Libya, where he found the Graiae, the three women who were sharing a single eye and a tooth and were sisters of the Gorgons. Perseus following the instructions of goddess Athena, took possession of the eye and the tooth and forced the Graiae to show him the way to the Nymphs. The Nymphs equipped him for his mission with the winged sandals, the helmet of Hades, which was making the wearer invisible and the magic bag.

Perseus with the help of Athena is beheading Medusa, attic vase 450 BC, New York

Perseus with his flying sandals reached the shores of Oceanus, where he found the Gorgons sleeping. Because the glance of the Gorgons turned the men to stone, Perseus using his shield as a mirror, with a quick blow of his sword which god Hermes had given him, cut the head of the Gorgon Medusa and threw it in his magic bag. Immediately from the neck sprang the winged horse Pegasus. The other two Gorgons, pursued Perseus, who thanks to his helmet escaped and went to Ethiopia.

Perseus is leaving with the head of the Gorgon Medusa in his magic bag, while the body of the Gorgon is falling to the ground and Athena follows him behind, attic hydria 460 BC.

At Ethiopia, he rescued Andromeda from the sea monster, sent by the god Poseidon. Perseus killed the monster and returned with her to Seriphos.

Perseus is looking the princess Andromeda, who is tighten up in the poles for the sea monster ketos, attic krater 440 BC.

Perseus learning that during his absence king Polydectes was forcing his mother to marry him, he took the head of Medusa out of his magic bag and turned him and his friends to stones. Perseus put on the throne the brother of Polydektes, Diktys and gave the presents of the Nymphs to god Hermes. The head of Medusa he presented to goddess Athena, who put it in the middle of her shield. Perseus with his wife Andromeda and his mother returned to Argos.

The shield of Athena made by Pheidias with the head of Medusa in the center.

In the meantime, king Akrisios, who was afraid of the oracle, in order to avoid Perseus had gone to Larissa in Thessaly. When Perseus found Akrisios, he gave him his word that he was not intending to harm him and persuaded him to return to Argos. Before their departure, Perseus took part in the games and by accident killed Akrisios, when he threw the discus. He buried the body of his grandfather with honors, but because he did not want to succeed him in his throne, he made an agreement with Megapenthes, son of Proetos, to exchange the kingdoms, and took Tyrins in exchange for Argos. Later, he built Mykenae.