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Updated: May 23, 2025
Show us the head!" shouted the people; and there was a fierceness in their cry, as if they would tear Perseus to pieces, unless he should satisfy them with what he had to show. "Show us the head of Medusa with the snaky locks!" A feeling of sorrow and pity came over the youthful Perseus. "O King Polydectes," cried he, "and ye many people, I am very loath to show you the Gorgon's head."
The chest floated towards Seriphus, where it was found by a fisherman who conveyed the mother and infant to Polydectes, the king of the country, by whom they were treated with kindness. When Perseus was grown up Polydectes sent him to attempt the conquest of Medusa, a terrible monster who had laid waste the country.
His brother Polydectes had put him away from the palace, but Dictys did not grieve for that, for he was happy minding his sheep upon the hillside, and he was happy in his little but of wattles and clay. "Polydectes, the king, was seldom spoken to about his brother, and it was years before he knew of the mother and child who had been brought to live in Dictys's hut.
He was half afraid after he had said the words, for all laughed louder than ever, and Polydectes loudest of all, while he said: "You have promised to bring me the Gorgon's head. Then never appear again in this island without it. Go!" Perseus saw that he had fallen into a trap, but he went out without a word.
The evil counselors whispered bad advice in the king's ear; the courtiers murmured, with one consent, that Perseus had shown disrespect to their royal lord and master; and the great King Polydectes himself waved his hand and ordered him, with the stern, deep voice of authority, on his peril, to produce the head. "Show me the Gorgon's head or I will cut off your own!" And Perseus sighed.
They were all fixed, forever, in the look and attitude of that moment! At the first glimpse of the terrible head of Medusa, they whitened into marble! And Perseus thrust the head back into his wallet, and went to tell his dear mother that she need no longer be afraid of the wicked King Polydectes.
At last Polydectes became furious, and while Perseus was away at sea, he took poor Danæ away from Dictys, saying, "If you will not be my wife, you shall be my slave." So Danæ was made a slave, and had to fetch water from the well, and grind in the mill. But Perseus was far away over the seas, little thinking that his mother was in great grief and sorrow.
"Perseus," said King Polydectes, smiling craftily upon him, "you are grown up a fine young man. You and your good mother have received a great deal of kindness from myself, as well as from my worthy brother, the fisherman, and I suppose you would not be sorry to repay some of it." "Please, your Majesty," answered Perseus, "I would willingly risk my life to do so."
'Villain and tyrant! he cried; 'is this your respect for the Gods, and thy mercy to strangers and widows? You shall die! And because he had no sword he caught up the stone hand- mill, and lifted it to dash out Polydectes' brains.
The evil counselors whispered bad advice in the king's ear; the courtiers murmured, with one consent, that Perseus had shown disrespect to their royal lord and master; and the great King Polydectes himself waved his hand and ordered him, with the stern, deep voice of authority, on his peril, to produce the head. "Show me the Gorgon's head or I will cut off your own!" And Perseus sighed.
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