| Lesson 12 Part 1; Medusa and Perseus | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 29 2005, 06:36 PM (45 Views) | |
| Dark Mistress | Apr 29 2005, 06:36 PM Post #1 |
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HoM Professor/DE Leader
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Posted Image Lesson 12 Part 1 Medusa and Perseus Good morning class today we will be finishing up with our section on the 12 Olympians and I will be sharing with you one of my favorite myth in Greek Mythology. The story of Medusa and Perseus. The Oracle of Apollo warned King Acrisius of Argos that his daughter Danae would give birth to a son who would one day kill him. To avoid this he imprisoned his daughter in a tower. Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, which she caught in her lap. Nine months later she gave birth to a son, named Perseus. Upon discovering that his daughter had given birth to a son, he locks them both in a wooden chest and threw it into the sea. The chest drifted until it reached the shore of the Island Seriphos. A group of fisherman led by a man named Dictys, found the chest and opened it to find a frightened woman and child. Dictys was the brother of Polydectes, the King of the island, and promised her she would be well treated. Danae over time became like a daughter to Dictys and his wife. Perseus over time became strong and handsome. His mother Danae caught the eye of King Polydectes who wanted to marry her. Unfortunately with Perseus in the way to protect his mother this would never happen. King Ploydectes devised a plan to get Perseus out of the way. Perseus was ordered to bring him the head of the Gorgon Medusa. The Gorgon’s were three sisters who lived at the end of the world, beyond the sea, in the Kingdom of Night. Two of the sisters were immortal, but Medusa was mortal as any human. Originally they had been beautiful maidens; Medusa herself had beauty that was so great she would constantly ward off Poseidon’s advances. Poseidon being totally furious transformed the three sisters into hideous monsters, with live snakes in place of their hair and hideously deformed bodies. Medusa’s face remains beautiful, and anyone who looked upon her would be turned to stone. Perseus prayed in the temple to his half-sister Athena. She appeared to him and gave him her polished shield, so he could see Medusa’s reflection in the shield when he took off her head, and not look her directly in the face. Hermes lends Perseus his winged sandals to transport him to the end of the world. Athena advised Perseus to visit the fountain nymphs and they would give him three gifts that he would need to accomplish his task. They gave him the cap of darkness (to make him invisible), a sword with a diamond edge (Gorgon hide is very tuff), and a bag to carry the head in. Perseus would need to approach the three Gray Sisters. These old women had one eye that they passed around to each other. Perseus snuck in wearing the cap of darkness, as he came closer to the sisters he asked where he could find the Gorgons. They sisters would not cooperate with him because he was invisible and demanded to know where he was. He told the sisters that he was in a place where the tallest of the sisters could see him. As they past the eye to her, he snatched it from them. He told the sisters that if they did not tell him where they Gorgons lived he would throw the eye into the sea. Desperate to get the eye back they told Perseus everything he needed to know. He then threw the eye into the dirt, and flew away as the sister angrily searched in the dirt for the eye. http://msms.essortment.com/perseusgorgonm_rzzi.htm We will stop here for today. Stay tuned for part 2. Homework: 2pts each, in complete sentences please. 1. Why did King Acrisius lock his daughter in the tower? 2. What did he do when he found out that she gave birth to a son? 3. Who found the chest? 4. Why did King Polydectes want to get rid of Perseus? 5. What task was Perseus given? 6. Where do the Gorgon’s live? 7. How many are there? 8. What do they look like? 9. What happens when you look at Medusa? 10. Who are Perseus’s father and mother? 11. What gift did Athena give her brother? 12. What 3 gifts did the fountain nymphs give Perseus? 13. Describe the Gray sisters? 14. How did Perseus trick the sisters into telling him where he could find the Gorgon’s? 15. Way did Poseidon turn the Gorgon sisters into hideous monsters? 16. Was Medusa mortal or immortal? 17. What gift did Hermes give Perseus? |
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| Lexi | May 14 2005, 03:19 PM Post #2 |
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Headmistress/Gryffindor Head of House
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Elsbeth Gryffindor Posted Image [size=7]Excellent work! 38pts to Gryffindor! You received an additional point for giving the names of Medusa's sisters, also 3 pts for the picture[/size] That picture is awesome. Scared me at first when I scrolled down the page. Wasn't expecting that. lol |
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2:32 AM Jul 11