Perseus
The son of Zeus, Perseus belongs in the first rank of Greek heroes. Indeed to some he was a greater hero even than Heracles. With the help of Hermes and Athena he slew the Gorgon Medusa, conquered a mighty sea monster and won the hand of the beautiful princess Andromeda. This volume tells of his end...
| Main Author: | Ogden, Daniel. |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
London ; New York :
Routledge,
2008.
|
| Physical Description: |
xxiv, 194 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm. |
| Series: |
Gods and heroes of the ancient world.
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| Subjects: |
| Summary: |
The son of Zeus, Perseus belongs in the first rank of Greek heroes. Indeed to some he was a greater hero even than Heracles. With the help of Hermes and Athena he slew the Gorgon Medusa, conquered a mighty sea monster and won the hand of the beautiful princess Andromeda. This volume tells of his enduring myth, its rendering in art and literature, and its reception through the Roman period and up to the modern day. This is the first scholarly book in English devoted to Perseus' myth in its entirety for over a century. With informatino drawn from a diverse range of sources as well as varied illustrations, the volume illuminates the importance of the Perseus myth throughout the ages. -- from back cover. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 154-181) and index. Why Perseus? -- 1. Introducing Perseus -- Key Themes -- 2. The family saga -- The family saga on stage -- The impregnation of Danae -- The chest and its mythological comparanda -- Acrisius' motivations and the feud with the line of Proetus -- Perseus' childhood -- Polydectes' trick -- The war against Dionysus -- The death of Perseus -- Overview -- 3. Medusa and the Gorgons -- The origins of the Gorgon-head and of the Medusa story -- The development of the quest narrative: Aeschylus and Pherecydes -- Perseus' equipment -- Where did the Gorgons live? -- Gorgon weaponry -- The corruption and punishment of Medusa -- The female groups: Gorgons, Graeae, Nymphs, Hesperides and Nereids -- Athena, Perseus, Bellerophon and the dragons -- Perseus and Jason: quest narrative and myths of maturation -- Overview -- 4. Andromeda and the Sea-monster -- The origins of the Andromeda tale -- The tragic Andromeda -- The imperial Andromeda -- The catasterisms -- Eros and eroticism -- From Arcadia to India: Black Andromeda? -- The kētos: a natural history -- The Andromeda tale in context: Hesione and the dragons -- Folktale comparanda -- Overview -- 5. The use and abuse of Perseus -- Perseus in the Argolid -- Perseus in Seriphos and Larissa -- Perseus in Athens and Sparta -- Perseus in Persia -- Perseus in Egypt -- Perseus in the Macedonian and Helenistic dynasties -- Perseus in Rome and Italy -- Perseus in Roman Asia Minor -- Perseus rationalised -- Overview -- Perseus Afterwards -- 6. Perseus after antiquity -- From Fulgentius to Freud: three ages in the allegorisation of the Medusa tale -- The Christian Perseus: St George and Princess Sabra, Roger and Angelica -- Burne-Jones' Perseus Series -- Overview -- Conclusion: The personality of Perseus. The son of Zeus, Perseus belongs in the first rank of Greek heroes. Indeed to some he was a greater hero even than Heracles. With the help of Hermes and Athena he slew the Gorgon Medusa, conquered a mighty sea monster and won the hand of the beautiful princess Andromeda. This volume tells of his enduring myth, its rendering in art and literature, and its reception through the Roman period and up to the modern day. This is the first scholarly book in English devoted to Perseus' myth in its entirety for over a century. With informatino drawn from a diverse range of sources as well as varied illustrations, the volume illuminates the importance of the Perseus myth throughout the ages. -- from back cover. |
| Physical Description: |
xxiv, 194 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm. |
| Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 154-181) and index. |
| ISBN: |
9780415427241 041542724X 9780415427258 0415427258 9780203932131 0203932137 |