Perseus and Medusa, A Myth from Ancient Greece About A Prophecy, Monstrous Battles, and A Well-Deserved Happily Ever After; Episode 3 of Fireside Folklore with Hades

[intro music fades out]

Hades: Greetings, dreamers of the divine and pursuers of potent tales! You've traversed the veil of the celestial cosmos and landed at the portal of our third episode of "Fireside Folklore with Hades". This is the podcast where we ignite the embers of time-honored stories and chilling folklore, reverberated and whispered through the crevices of history.

Guiding you through these riveting tales, I remain your humble host, Hades, the Sovereign of the Underworld, your keeper of secrets, and the maestro of the mysterious.

Joining me on this enchanting expedition are my esteemed co-hosts. My luminous consort, Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, whose radiance eclipses even the brightest star. And of course, our astute kinsman, Hermes, the Herald of the Gods and, crucially for me, the Psychopomp. No need to fret if that term appears a bit complex – Hermes is in essence our otherworldly escort, shepherding souls between dimensions and aiding us in traversing these captivating narratives.

This evening, we embark on our next adventure, plunging into the heart of ancient Greece to excavate the terrifying tale of Perseus and Medusa. So huddle close, let the mesmerizing dance of the flames paint spectral silhouettes, and brace yourselves for a spine-chilling voyage into the realm of whispered secrets and eerie folklore. Friends, let the storytelling begin!Persephone: Hello everyone. It’s great to be here with you again, and we’re so glad you could join us to hear the tale of Perseus and Medusa.

Hermes: It’s a suspenseful one for sure, filled with jealousy, heroism, and love. 

Zeus: And me, of course! 

Persephone: [chuckles] Oh, Dad!

Hades: Indeed, Zeus, what Greek tale would be complete without your... 'spark' of divine intervention? 

Zeus: Come now, brother. I’m just lightening the mood! 

Hades: [chuckles] On that note, Hermes, my good man, please give us some fun facts about Greece. 

Hermes: Absolutely! I’d be happy to share the fun facts I learned about Greece. 

1.    Greece is made up of many islands, most of which are uninhabited. Depending on how big an island has to be, Greece consists of anywhere between 1,200 and 6,000 islands! More intriguingly is the fact that only about 200 of them are actually inhabited! That means there are a whole lot of places in Greece which are waiting to be explored! Who knows? One may yet hold ancient relics of the gods. 

2.    Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games, an event that began in Olympia in 776 BC, as part of a religious festival to honor Zeus. The original games only had one event - a footrace. Today's Olympics, with countless sports and athletes from all over the world, shows just how much the Games have expanded since their ancient Greek beginnings.

3.    The First Robots: Yes, you heard it right! The ancient Greeks had a form of robots. The Greek engineer Hero of Alexandria created simple machines that could move on their own, like a wind-powered organ and a coin-operated machine. He is often credited as one of the first inventors of the robot.

Hades: Now that was fascinating! So Hermes, tell us whether this engineer became inspired by Hephaestus and his protector robot of Crete known as Talos, or if it was the other way around. 

Hermes: [laughs] Ah, Hades, your questions are as labyrinthine as the maze built by Daedalus himself. As much as I relish a conundrum, I'd hate to draw the ire of any god, even one as warm-hearted as Hephaestus, by misattributing his divine inspiration. Let's just say, the dance of ideas between the mortal Hero and our divine Hephaestus is as intertwined as the threads of the Fates themselves.

Hades: [laughs] Well said, Hermes, well said. Now, without further ado, let me introduce our very own Hephaestus, who will be lending his resilient and resourceful spirit to the role of Perseus in our tale today. Hephaestus, are you ready to wield the mighty Harpe and face down the formidable Gorgon?

Hephaestus: [laughs] Well, Hades, it's certainly a change from the forge and anvil. But I suppose I've always had a knack for handling dangerous materials. So, why not a Gorgon's gaze? I'm ready to step into the sandals of Perseus and give it my all. Let's bring this epic tale to life!

Hades: Excellent! Joining you will be our lovely Demeter playing the role of the princess Danae; as well as our sister Hestia and the titans Themis and mother Rhea as the three Grey sisters; Poseidon playing the role of the jealous King Polydectes; Zeus, Athena, and Hermes playing themselves; and the cast lending their voices to play the rest of the roles as necessary. Now let us begin our tale. 

This story starts in the city of Argos where King Acrisius ruled. He had no sons, only a daughter by the name of Danae. In a moment of despair at this turn of events, King Acrisius traveled to the oracle of Delphi to get advice about what to do. When he arrived there, the voice of the Oracle said, 

Hades [Add echo]: From thy seed, a grandson's birth,
 Shall end thy reign upon this Earth.
 Beware, Acrisius, of Danae's son,
 For by his hand, thy life is done.

Hades: When King Acrisius got back from the Oracle, Danae greeted him with joy. 

Demeter: What did the Oracle say, Father? Will you find an heir?

Poseidon: You will betray me and have a son who kills me! 

Demeter: What? Never! I would never betray you, Father! 

Hades: But King Acrisius believed what he wanted to believe, and in an attempt to avoid the prophecy, he had an underground chamber constructed without any windows or doors. The only opening was a slit just wide enough for food and water to be slid in, then entombed the unfortunate Danae in it so that she couldn’t have any visitors.

Demeter: Is this how I will spend the rest of my life? What an unfortunate existence. I’d rather die! 

Hades: Suddenly, much to her amazement, a shower of gold flowed into her chamber. Mesmerized, she looked upon the miracle with awe, knowing that only a god could make such a thing happen.

Demeter: What is this? Who are you?

Zeus: Fear not, Danae. It is I, Zeus the lord of the skies.

Demeter: Zeus... the king of the gods?

Zeus: Yes, and I've come to bring you joy in your confinement.

Hades: And so, Zeus visited Danae in her tower, brightening her days with his presence. In time, Danae became pregnant with Zeus's child, and she gave birth to a son, Perseus. When King Acrisius discovered this, he was furious. To avoid the prophecy, he locked Danae and Perseus in a chest and cast them into the sea.

But Zeus watched over his son and Danae. He guided the chest to the island of Seriphos, where a fisherman, Dictys, found them and took them in. Here, Perseus grew into a strong and valiant young man.

Hephaestus: I will protect you, Mother. No harm will come to you as long as I'm here.

Hades: But as Perseus grew older, King Polydectes of the island took a liking to Danae. When Perseus opposed him, the King devised a clever plan.

Poseidon: Perseus, I desire to marry my daughter Hippodamia off to a great king to form an alliance. For her dowry, every man on this island must bring me a gift. Since you and your mother Danae have been living with my pathetic brother, a lowly fisherman for all these years, I suppose you have nothing to offer. 

Hades: Perseus, who had a desperate need to prove himself, said something reckless then. 

Hephaestus: I will go on a quest to bring back anything you desire. Name your price, King Polydectes.

Poseidon: I desire the head of the Gorgon Medusa.

Hephaestus: But that's impossible! No man can look upon Medusa and live.

Poseidon: Then I suppose Danae will have to become my wife, won't she?

Hades: With the sound of laughter behind him, Perseus left the gathering in great shame. He walked to the temple of Athena where he stopped to pray.

Hephaestus: Oh great and wise Athena, King Polydectes has sentenced me to death by demanding that I bring back the head of Medusa. As her mortal enemy, I pray that you will help me with this quest. 

Hades: Soon enough, Perseus found himself face-to-face with both Hermes and Athena. 

Hermes: You called? Father Zeus sends his tidings and has asked that I lend you my sword and winged sandals. These sandals will help you travel quickly across the land. 

Hephaestus: Thank you, brother Hermes. This will be quite helpful. 

Athena: You will also need my shield, which shines as brightly as the sun and can serve as a mirror. Without it, you cannot hope to slay Medusa. Be sure you only strike Medusa, for the other Gorgons are immortal. Medusa will look human, except for her horrifying face. The other Gorgons will have the feet and wings of birds. 

Hephaestus: Thank you so much, Sister Athena. 

Hades: And Perseus was about to jet off, not knowing where to go but having faith that he would succeed with the blessing of the gods on his side. 

Athena: [laughing] Not so fast, Perseus. You’ll also need this—the helm of darkness from Lord Hades himself. Wear this and you will become invisible. You’ll need to use this first at the cave of the Grey Sisters, old crones who share one single eye and tooth amongst themselves. Only they know where the Gorgons live. Then, when you reach the Gorgons’ lair, you’ll need the helm because as soon as you slay Medusa, her two other sisters will chase after you. Hermes’s sandals will help you fly swiftly, but the helm of invisibility will afford you added protection as you make your escape.

Hades: Once Hermes had told Perseus where the three Grey Sisters lived, he set off at once. He hovered over their cave, invisible, and waited until the sisters pulled out the eye and tooth to pass them to the next sister. Then, he swooped down and snatched them from mid-air.

Hestia: Where is the eye? Give me the eye! You had it last time!

Themis: Give me the tooth! You said I could have the tooth!

Rhea: No, I should have both the tooth and the eye! You always forget about me!

Hestia: No, I want the eye! Where is it? 

Hades: They argued back and forth until they finally realized that both the eye and the tooth had been taken by an unknown entity. At this realization, they all began to howl and bemoan their fate. 

Hestia, Themis, and Rhea: Oh! Whatever will we do? 

Hades: Perseus held the eye and tooth hostage, demanding the location of the Gorgons' lair.

Hephaestus: Reveal to me the location of the Gorgons, or I shall throw your eye and tooth into the sea!

Hades: The Grey Sisters were reluctant to provide the information, for a prophecy had declared that when their eye and tooth were stolen by an unseen stranger, that person would ask for directions to the Gorgon’s lair and he would slay Medusa. They were friends to the Gorgons and therefore didn’t want to betray them, but when it became clear that Perseus would stand firm and keep the eye and tooth for as long as was necessary to extract the information from them, the sisters relented. 

Hestia: All right! All right! The Gorgons reside on an island in the Western Ocean. Now, return our eye and tooth!

Hades: After returning the eye and tooth, Perseus thanked them and immediately set off. On the winged sandals, he flew across the sky until he reached the Western Ocean, where he found the island of the Gorgons. As he approached, he saw the grotesque forms of Medusa's sisters, sleeping. Carefully avoiding them, he found Medusa, her hair a writhing mass of snakes.

Hephaestus: By the gods, she is horrifying...

Hades: Rather than looking at her directly, Perseus used Athena's shield as a mirror to avoid her deadly gaze. With a swift strike of Hermes' sword, he beheaded Medusa. Her body fell, and from her neck sprang the winged horse Pegasus and the golden sword-wielding giant, Chrysaor. They had been trapped within her since she was cursed by Athena.

Hephaestus: I must get away before her sisters wake!

Hades: With Medusa's head safely in his bag, Perseus flew away just as the other Gorgons awoke. They chased after him, but he was too fast. His mission was a success. On his way back from his quest, he happened to take a detour through Ethiopia, where he found a young woman chained to a rock, left as an offering to the sea monster, Cetus.

Artemis: Help me! Please! Help me escape from this sea monster!

Hades: Perseus looked down upon the scene in horror. He saw the woman's desperate eyes, the chains that held her, and the sea monster approaching. He felt a surge of pity and anger.

Hephaestus: What is this madness? Who would leave such a maiden to die?

Hades: Descending from the skies, Perseus landed next to the woman.

Hephaestus: I have a plan, fair maiden. I am Perseus, son of Zeus, and I have slain the Gorgon Medusa. I shall turn this sea monster into stone for no one may look upon her face and live. Close your eyes until I tell you it is safe to open them again. 

Hades: Just as he finished speaking, the sea began to churn, and the monstrous Cetus emerged. It was enormous, its scales glistening in the sun, its mouth wide open to devour the maiden. But Perseus was ready. He drew Medusa's head from his bag and held it high.

Hephaestus: Behold the face of Medusa!

Hades: The monster, unable to resist looking at the hideous face, turned into stone in an instant. Perseus, making sure the maiden's eyes were closed, quickly put the head back into the bag. He then broke the chains that held the maiden.

Hephaestus: You are safe now. Whom do I have the pleasure of liberating?  

Artemis: I am Princess Andromeda, noble Perseus. My mother Cassiopeia foolishly made the vain claim that I was more beautiful than the Nereids, the sea nymphs. This angered Lord Poseidon, who sent Cetus to ravage our kingdom. My parents mournfully decided that sacrificing me to him would be the only way to earn his forgiveness. Thank you so much for saving me from that fate, dear Perseus. I am truly grateful!

Hephaestus: The pleasure is all mine, fair maiden. Shall I escort you back to your home? 

Artemis: That would be excellent. 

Hades: And so, Perseus and Andromeda returned to the kingdom where her parents, King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, were overjoyed to see their daughter safe. And grateful to Perseus, they offered him Andromeda's hand in marriage, which he gladly accepted. 

Our hero then returned victorious to Seriphos, where his mother was being pursued by the lecherous King Polydectes. Upon his return, Perseus confronted the King.

Poseidon: What? You’re back? Have you come in shame, then? 

Hephaestus: I have brought you back what you have requested. Now behold the head of Medusa!

Hades: With that, Perseus revealed the head of Medusa, turning Polydectes and his court into stone. His mother was safe, and Perseus was hailed as a hero. Dictys became the king of the island, and Perseus set off for Argos. Perseus fulfilled the prophecy by accidentally killing his grandfather, King Acrisius, during a discus throw at a games event. Deeply regretful, Perseus and Andromeda eventually founded and ruled the city of Mycenae, where they had many children, their descendants becoming great heroes and kings.

And so, dear listeners, Perseus and Andromeda's tale ends. It is a tale of courage, quick thinking, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

Persephone: Did you ever get your helmet back, my love? 

Hades: [chuckles] Ah yes, Perseus returned his divine gifts before heading back to Argos. 

Zeus: That’s wonderful! I knew that a son of mine would do the right thing. 

Persephone: I don’t know about you, but hearing that story left me feeling hungry. In recognition of our host country of Greece, this week, I’ll be providing you a recipe for spanakopita to try at home. It’s a spinach and cheese pie. Ready for the recipe? Here goes!

3 bags of frozen spinach, thawed and drained 

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 – ½ cups of chopped onion (Mom or Dad can help chop this)

8 ounces of crumbled feta cheese

1 – ¼ cups of shredded Swiss cheese

¾ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten 

¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley

1 dash of cinnamon

1 cup of melted butter 

1 package of phyllo dough 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375degrees Fahrenheit.

Have Mom or Dad steam the spinach on the stovetop for 2-6 minutes until tender. Drain and press out the water.

Have Mom or Dad heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Have them sauté the onion until tender but not brown.

Have Mom or Dad stir the cooked spinach and onions together in the skillet until the moisture evaporates. Let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the feta, Swiss, Parmesan, eggs, parsley and cinnamon.

Stir the spinach onion mixture into the cheese bowl.

Butter a large baking pan.

Layer the phyllo dough in the pan, making sure to butter every other sheet.

Spread the spinach and cheese mixture over the phyllo.

Keep layering the rest of the phyllo dough, making sure to butter in between.

With Mom or Dad's help, score the top layers into diamonds with a knife.

Bake the spanakopita for 40 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!

Hades: That sounds delicious! I think I’ll go try some. On that note, I think that’s it for tonight’s … 

Zeus: Brother, how could you neglect to give air time to tonight’s sponsor? You know we rely on their generosity to keep this podcast afloat!

Hades: I suppose you’re right. Very well then, which As Seen On Divinovision product is sponsoring this podcast tonight? 

Zeus: Aegis Shield Internet Security! 

Persephone: Oh boy. 

Zeus: Alright listeners, once upon a time, the only spam I had to deal with was Hermes incessantly asking if I'd seen his missing sandals - again. And Trojan horses? Well, let's just say that's a tale for another episode… 

But nowadays, spam comes in the form of endless emails, and Trojan horses hide in the most innocent-looking software. Never fear, dear listeners, because Aegis Shield Internet Security has got you covered.

Just as Athena's Aegis shield protected our hero Perseus from Medusa's stony gaze, Aegis Shield Internet Security protects you from the modern-day Medusas - malware, spyware, and those pesky phishing scams. It's like having your own personal Argus, with a hundred eyes always watching over your digital domain.

And before you say it, no, using your dog's name as a password is not enough, unless your dog's name is a 30-character mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, which would be quite a mouthful at the dog park.

With Aegis Shield, you'll feel like Hermes is personally escorting your data across the treacherous Underworld of the internet. It's more dependable than Hephaestus on a forge day, and let me tell you, that guy never takes a break.

So, don't let your cybersecurity become a Greek tragedy. Protect your digital realm from the Sirens of spam, the Cyclops of spyware, and the Trojan horses of today with Aegis Shield Internet Security. Remember, not all monsters lurk in labyrinths - some are just a click away.

Hades: Excellent! Now, how about that lightning round, brother? 

Zeus: All right, if I absolutely must. For those of you who are new, this is how it works. I’ll ask three questions about this episode and the first person who E-mails me at Zeus@firesidefolklorewithhades.com with the answers will win a gift card to the Kiwi Co. Remember, I get lots of spam so be sure to put "Lightning Round with Zeus, Episode 3" in the subject line, and give us your first name and where you're listening from if you'd like us to announce your win on the air. All right, here are the questions. When King Acrisius threw Danae and Perseus into the sea, they were found by whom? 

1.    Perseus was given gifts by several gods to help him on his quest. Hades lent him a what? 

2.    After Perseus left the island where the Gorgons lived, he met Andromeda where? 

I look forward to receiving your answers. 

Hades: Well, that concludes our episode, folks. We hope you enjoyed hearing about the adventure of Perseus and Medusa. Next time, we’ll be traveling to Brazil to hear about the Little Sister of the Giants. 

Persephone: Goodnight everyone. 

Hermes: Goodnight everyone. Stay curious!