Perseus

Perseus was the famed and powerful son of Zeus and Danaë. He rescued Andromeda (who was chained naked to a rock) and married her, as well as enacting a number of other impressive feats, usually involving the slaying of an evil or important character, such as the Gorgon Medusa or the sea-monster that would have devoured the captive Andromeda.

He also killed his grandfather Acrisius and his (Acrisius') twin brother Proëtus. His name is almost always regarded as deriving from pertho, 'to destroy' (the 's' is seen in the future of this verb: perso, Ί will destroy'). And undoubtedly, as mentioned, he certainly was a destroyer.

However, as with Persephone, there is also scope for a 'light' or 'fruitful' interpretation (see her name for the roots), since there were times when Perseus was constructive rather than destructive. Nor should we overlook that Andromeda bore him a son Perses, among others. One association that never seems to be mentioned is that when Perseus cut off Medusa's head he put it, and kept it, in a wallet, pera (see Paris and Pero).

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