Sylum Inspiration: Perseus

Vampire Council: Hunter

There is a lot of myth and legend surrounding Perseus’ life.

Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danaë, who by her very name, was the archetype of all the Danaans. Danaë was the daughter of Acrisius, King of Argos. Disappointed by his lack of luck in having a son, Acrisius consulted the oracle at Delphi, who warned him that he would one day be killed by his daughter’s son with Zeus. In order to keep Danaë childless, Acrisius imprisoned her in a bronze chamber, open to the sky, in the courtyard of his palace:   This mytheme is also connected to Ares, Oenopion, Eurystheus, etc. Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, and impregnated her. Soon after, their child was born; Perseus—”Perseus Eurymedon, for his mother gave him this name as well” (Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica IV).

Fearful for his future, but unwilling to provoke the wrath of the gods by killing the offspring of Zeus and his daughter, Acrisius cast the two into the sea in a wooden chest. Danaë’s fearful prayer, made while afloat in the darkness, has been expressed by the poet Simonides of Ceos. Mother and child washed ashore on the island of Serifos, where they were taken in by the fisherman Dictys (“fishing net”), who raised the boy to manhood. The brother of Dictys was Polydectes (“he who receives/welcomes many”), the king of the island.

More on the Myth see the

Some of the myth is true, his mother was Danaë; his father though is unknown.  Her husband Acrisius threw mother and son into the sea, and they were found by Dictys, and only Perseus survived.  He was raised to be a fisherman, content with life, until the war between two kingdoms destroyed his home, killing his family.

He made his way to Aethiopia, where he fell in love with Andromeda.  The king offered his daughter’s hand if he was to slay the rival king, and bring back the queen’s head.  The journey faced many challenges, but when he returned he discovered that Andromeda had married another.  Legend has it he tossed the queen’s head at the family’s feet, turning them to stone.<

The truth is he pretty much destroyed the city on his way out.

He set out to take up his father’s craft when he met Methos, who offered him another opportunity.