Perseus

Japanese: ペルセウス（英語表記）Perseus

Hero of Greek mythology. King Acrisius of Argos imprisoned his princess Danae in a bronze cellar to prevent the fulfillment of an oracle that would kill him at the hands of her child, but Zeus visited her in the form of golden rain and caused her to give birth to Perseus. Shortly after birth, Perseus was put into a box by Acrisius and cast out to sea with his mother, but was washed ashore on the island of Seriphos, where he was rescued by Dictys, a fisherman and brother of the island's king, Polydectes, and was raised in his home. Polydectes, who had fallen in love with Danae, ordered them to retrieve the head of Medusa, the Gorgo, in order to get rid of Danae, who was in his way. Instructed by Athena and Hermes, he first went to the Graeae, a female monster with only one eye and one tooth, and stole the eye and tooth from them. In exchange for returning them, he learned the way to the nymphs who had the magic item needed to retrieve the head of Gorgo, who turns people who look at him to stone. After obtaining these items, Perseus used them to obtain the head of Medusa, with the help of Athena. On his way back to Ethiopia, he rescued the princess Andromeda, who was about to be eaten by a monster, and married her. When he arrived at Seriphos, he and his servants turned Polydectes to stone, saving Danae from persecution. Afterwards, he went to Argos to be recognized by his grandfather Acrisius, but during a contest at Larissa, he threw a discus that hit his grandfather, killing him as the oracle had predicted. Perseus was reluctant to return to Argos, so he exchanged his territory with his cousin Megapanthes and became king of Tiryns. He is said to have had children with Andromeda, including Alcaeus, Sthenelus, and Electryon.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

ギリシア神話の英雄。アルゴスのアクリシオス王は，王女ダナエの生む子に殺されるという神託の成就をはばむため，彼女を青銅の地下室に閉じ込めたが，ゼウスは黄金の雨となって彼女を訪れ，ペルセウスを生ませた。生後すぐアクリシオスによって母とともに箱に入れられて海に流されたが，セリフォス島に漂着し，この島の王ポリュデクテスの兄弟の漁師ディクテュスに助けられてその家で養育された。ダナエに思いを寄せるようになったポリュデクテスは，じゃまになる彼を亡き者にしようとして，ゴルゴのメドゥサの首を取ってくることを命令した。彼はアテナとヘルメスに教えられて，まず3人でただ1つの目と歯をもつ女怪グライアイのところに行き，彼女たちからその目と歯を奪い，それを返す代償に，見た者を石にしてしまうゴルゴの首を取るのに必要な魔法の品をもつニンフたちのところに行く道を聞き出した。これらの品を手に入れると，それを使い，アテナに助けられてメドゥサの首を得ることができた。帰途エチオピアで怪物のえじきにされようとしていた王女アンドロメダを助けて結婚した。セリフォスに着くと，ポリュデクテスを家来たちと一緒に石に変えてダナエをその迫害から救い，そのあとで祖父のアクリシオスの認知を受けようとしてアルゴスに行ったが，ラリッサで競技の最中彼が投げた円盤が当り，神託の予言どおり祖父を殺してしまった。ペルセウスはアルゴスに戻ることをはばかり，従兄弟のメガパンテスと領国を交換してティリュンスの王となり，アンドロメダとの間にアルカイオス，ステネロス，エレクトリュオンそのほかの子をもうけたとされる。

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