wish to know more of the subject, you should read Gayley's _The Classic
Myths in English Literature_, Guerber's _Myths of Greece and Rome_, or
the books by Kingsiey, Cox, Church, and Francillon mentioned earlier.




PERSEUS


_Acrisius, an ancient king of Argos, had been warned by an oracle that he
should perish by the hand of his grandson. On discovering, therefore,
that his daughter Danae had given birth to a son, Acrisius endeavored to
escape his fate by setting both mother and child adrift on the sea. They
were saved, however, by the help of Jupiter; and Perseus, the child, grew
up at the court of Polydectes, king of Seriphos, an island in the Aegean
Sea. On reaching manhood, Perseus was sent by Polydectes to fetch the
head of Medusa, one of the Gorgons. This dangerous task he accomplished
with the help of Apollo and Minerva, and on his way home he rescued
Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus, from a sea-monster. Perseus then married
Andromeda, and lived some time in the country of Cepheus. At length he
returned to Seriphos, and turned Polydectes to stone by showing him the
Gorgon's head; he then went to the court of Acrisius, who fled in terror
at the news of his grandson's return. The oracle was duly fulfilled, for
Acrisius was accidentally killed by a quoit thrown by Perseus_.


1. _THE ARK_

Haec narrantur a poetis de Perseo. Perseus filius erat Iovis, maximi