Medusa - Bedtime Story For Sleep

25:13

25:13

Medusa - Bedtime Story For Sleep

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talks

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Hey Sound Sleepers! Tonight we dive into Medusa! In Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. Warning, this story is more frightening than most. If that sort of thing doesn't sit well with you, perhaps skip this one and listen to one of the many others that I've read for you!

Sleep Mythical Creatures Transformation Bedtime Stories Mythology Rescue Missions Family Conflict

Meet your Teacher

New York, USA

Meet your Teacher

New York, USA

Transcript

Gorgon's Head The King of Argos was warned by an oracle that his grandson would kill him, So he made up his mind never to have a grandson. He locked up his daughter, Dene, In a bronze room with only a small barred opening for light and air, So that no man could come near her, But that could not keep out Zeus. The god turned himself into a shower of gold and poured into the stronghold. Nine months later, Dene gave birth to a son, Whom she named Perseus. When her father realized what had happened, He shut up Dene and her son in a chest and threw it out into the sea. The chest was washed up on the island of Seraphos and found by a man named Dictus, The brother of the king of Seraphos. Dictus took care of Dene and Perseus, And they lived in his house for many years, Until Perseus had grown to be a young man. Throughout these years, The king of Seraphos, Polydectes, Pursued Dene. Although she refused, Saying she could never love him, He continued to pester and waylay her. Only the watchfulness of Perseus prevented him from achieving his aim. The two men grew to hate each other, And Polydectes longed to be rid of Perseus. But since the youth was under his brother's protection, There seemed to be nothing he could do. Then came a day when Polydectes held a great feast and invited all the nobles and warriors of Seraphos. While the wine was flowing, He asked his guests to say what would be the best gift for a king. A horse, Cried one, And all agreed, Except Perseus. The youth made reckless by wine called out mockingly, The head of a gorgon! Everyone laughed, For no man could kill a gorgon. The gorgons were three sisters, Monsters with bronze claws and wings, And the tusks of beasts. Anyone who met their pitiless gaze would be turned to stone. The next day, Each of the nobles brought to the palace a horse as a gift for the king. Polydectes watched with pride and pleasure, Procession of fine animals with their enameled and jeweled bridles, Saddles of the best workmanship, And ribbons of gold and purple braided into their manes and tails. Then he turned to Perseus, For he saw that his opportunity had come at last. You have brought me no gift, Perseus. But you suggested one, I remember. I command you to bring me the head of a gorgon. Then he gasped and looked at her son in terror. But Perseus, Although he was afraid and regretted his rash words at the feast, Said, I will bring it. That evening he prayed to Hermes and to Athena, And both gods appeared to him. They told him what he must do to succeed in his quest. First he must go to the cave where the Grie lived. These were three withered women, Gray-haired sisters of the gorgons, Who shared one tooth and one eye between them. They passed the eye and the tooth from one to another, Said Athena. You must steal the eye and keep it until they reveal to you the way to the gorgon's country. The gorgons, Said Perseus, And shuddered. Their names are Euryale, Satheno, And Medusa, Said Athena. All are monsters, But Euryale and Satheno are immortal and cannot die. Medusa is the one you must kill. Medusa, Forgive me, Great goddess, How shall I know which is Medusa? You will know her by her hair, Which is not hair at all, But a mass of writhing snakes that hiss and bite. Do not look any of the gorgons directly in the eye, Or you will be turned to stone. I will lend you my bronze shield. Use it to reflect their images, And when you see Medusa, Strike. Hermes gave Perseus a curved knife of adamant and a pouch for the gorgon's head. He lent the youth his own golden-winged boots, Which enabled him to speed through the heavens, And his wide-brimmed cap that made the wearer invisible. Perseus fell to his knees in gratitude and thanked the gods as they left him with these gifts. The next morning he said goodbye to his mother and warned her to be wary of Polyductes. He strapped Hermes' boots onto his feet and put on the cap of invisibility. Then he flew swift as the wind to the cavern where the Griea lived. This cavern was in a cold, Grey country, And he found the three withered women sitting around the embers of a fire. As soon as Perseus entered the cave, They heard him. Someone is here, Cried one of the sisters. Give me the eye, Give it. Who is that? Who's there? Cried another. Even the one with the eye could not see Perseus because he wore Hermes' cap. Who has the eye? The other two cried, Stretching out scrawny arms. Dano has it. It's here. Perseus saw the hands, Blindly reaching, And one that held the eye. He stepped closer and took it. The sisters began to quarrel. Where is it? Where is it? I gave it to you. You dropped it. Now you took it from me. No, You took it from me. Perseus stood clear of them and spoke. I have the eye. They gasped and turned toward his voice. Who are you? Give it back. I have the eye, Repeated Perseus. And I will return it to you when you tell me how to find your sisters, The Gorgons. The grie muttered together. They were the guardians of the way to the Gorgons' country. It was their duty to keep out strangers. But what could they do without their eye? Listen, Said the oldest of them. And she explained to Perseus how to reach the Gorgons. Then she stretched out a bony hand. The eye! The eye! Cried the other two. Perseus returned it and flew away, Leaving them passing the precious item to and fro. He knew he was in the land of the Gorgons as soon as he crossed its borders. It was rocky, Parched, And desolate, As the grie had described, And all around on roads and plains were still figures, People and animals turned to stone by the cold stare of a Gorgon. Perseus felt afraid. There was no sign of life, Only the statues, Frozen in movement and with a look of terror on their faces. But as he flew onward, He saw before him a cliff top, And on it perched what appeared to be three great birds with brazen wings. He held up Athena's shield and flew lower, Tilting the shield to view them. He saw that these were not birds, But female monsters, Their great gleaming wings, And folded them like cloaks as they perched, Asleep, On the cliff top. Their bronze hands ended in sharp, Curving claws that gripped the rock. Their faces were turned away from him, Half hidden by their wings. But at any moment, One might wake and look around. He only dared view their reflections in the shield. He moved it to study each one in turn. The middle one was Medusa, She of the snaky hair. He heard its faint hissing and saw the snake's tongues flicker in and out. Their many eyes gleamed. They were not asleep. What if they woke Medusa? He knew he must act at once. He crept closer, Keeping Medusa's reflection in the shield. The snakes became agitated. Close behind the monster, Perseus stopped and drew Hermes' knife from its scabbard. The scrape of metal alerted Medusa. She turned. He saw in the shield her terrible stare. Then he struck and sliced off her head. Blood spouted from the neck. Medusa's sisters woke and shrieked and rose on clattering wings as Perseus seized the head and stowed it in his pouch. They saw it disappear and although he was invisible, They lunged, Screaming in fury, Their claws swiping the air around him with the shield held up to protect himself. Perseus sped away, But the gorgons heard him go. They flew after him, Beating the air around him with their great wings. He watched them, Reflected in Athena's shield and quailed at the sight of their fierce teeth and claws. If they caught him, They would tear him to pieces. But Hermes' winged boots took him high and fast into the heavens and soon he was clear of the gorgon's land and flying above, Clear of the gorgon's land and flying above the head and shoulders of Atlas. Atlas was the titan who for untold ages had held up the heavens and all the stars. The weight of this burden crushed even his giant frame and he longed to be free of it, But he was immortal and would never die. When he heard Perseus approach, He cried out, Who's there? And Perseus took off the cap of invisibility and told him about the gorgon's head. Then Atlas saw a way out of his plight. Take pity on me, He said. Let me look at the face of Medusa. Perseus was reluctant, Appalled, Yet curious too, For he had never seen the transformation to stone take place. He reached into the pouch and pulled out the head, Being careful to hold it facing away from him. Atlas stared at the dead face and Perseus saw a grayness come over the titan's features and then cracks appeared. His shoulders sagged and settled. His face changed and became craggy. His eyebrows were lines of trees and his eyes were those eyes or dark cave openings. Where his hair and beard had been was dense forest. Atlas the Titan was gone. He had become the range of mountains that bears his name to this day. Perseus flew on toward Ethiopia and now, As he flew across the sea, He saw far below him a young woman chained to a rock below a headland. Waves were breaking at her feet. He flew lower and the girl looked up and cried out to him for help. Who are you? Why are you here? Asked Perseus. I am Andromeda, The king's daughter. My mother Cassiopeia boasted that she was more beautiful than the nymphs of the sea and as a punishment the nymphs sent a sea monster to ravage the coast. My father sought help from an oracle which told him that if he sacrificed me to the sea monster it would go and leave our people in peace. As she stopped speaking, A look of terror appeared on the girl's face. She pointed out to the sea, It's coming for me. Perseus saw a ripple under the surface of the water. A long, Dark shape moved rapidly nearer. Andromeda screamed as the monster's head burst from the water, Streaming weed and foam. It turned toward the sound and its jaws gaped wide. Perseus lunged downward with Hermes' knife and struck the monster a deep blow in the shoulder. No ordinary blade could have pierced that scaly skin, But the god's knife was so sharp it could cut through stone. The creature howled and turned its jaws on Perseus who flew upward out of its reach. He struck again, Darting down to stab and then upward to escape the monster's snapping teeth. Blood stained the sea and the monster grew more ferocious. As Perseus flew down to strike again, It whirled around and lashed with its tail. So close, It grazed his golden boot. Wounded but still dangerous, It turned its attention once more to the chained girl. Andromeda screamed, Look away! Perseus warned her, Close your eyes! And from his pouch he drew the gorgon's head. He raced toward Andromeda and held the trophy up above the monster's snapping jaws. The monster turned to see what Perseus held and its jaws turned to stone. Perseus hid away the head and when he looked again, He saw that where the serpent had been was nothing but a ridge of rock breaking the surface of the sea. The girl stood with her head averted and eyes shut, Shaking with fear. Perseus alighted beside her and said, Princess, You are free. With Hermes' knife, He struck through the chains that bound her and led her up the cliff to safety. Her parents were overjoyed to see her safe and asked Perseus how they could reward him. If the maiden is willing, I choose Andromeda as my bride, Said Perseus. The girl and her parents agreed. Then, On the shore, Perseus built three turf altars to Hermes, Zeus, And Athena and made sacrifices to them in gratitude before walking with Andromeda to the wedding feast of her father's hall. But Andromeda's father had not told Perseus that his daughter had formally been promised to another suitor, Her uncle, Phineas. This man, Who had not troubled to try and save her from the sea monster, Came now with warriors to take her away by force. A great battle ensued and many of Andromeda's family took the part of Phineas. As he was a kinsman, Those who supported Perseus were outnumbered, And although the youth fought bravely, He found himself surrounded by enemies. Phineas moved in, His sword at the ready. Perseus shouted a warning to his friends to look away. Once again, He brought out the gorgon's head and held it up. Phineas was stopped mid-stride, His sword arm upraised. A triumphant smile frozen forever on his face. Behind him, Several of his followers suffered the same fate. The others fled in terror. And so, At last, The interrupted wedding feast took place. And when it was over, Perseus and Andromeda traveled to Seraphos, Where Perseus heard that his old enemy Polydectes had abducted his mother and imprisoned his own brother, Dictus, Who had tried to protect her. Perseus strode into the king's hall, Unwashed and bloody from his adventures, And faced Polydectes in front of his assembled warriors. Polydectes gave a great laugh. Well, If it's not young Perseus, Back from his travels and looking the worse for wear. So, Boy, Have you brought me the gorgon's head? And he looked around at his followers, Who all laughed with him. In response, Perseus reached into Hermes' pouch and seized Medusa's head by its snaky curls. He pulled it out, Still dripping blood. And before Polydectes knew what was happening, He had stared full into Medusa's terrible eyes. In an instant, He and all his nobles were turned to stone. Then, Perseus freed Dictus, Who became king of Seraphos, And married Perseus' mother, Danae, Whom he had long loved. Perseus returned the winged boots, Cap, Pouch, And knife to Hermes, The bronze shield to Athena. He made a gift of Medusa's head to Athena, And the goddess set it in the center of her shield. Then, Perseus and Andromeda went to his birthplace, Argos, To make peace with his grandfather. But the old man, Hearing that Perseus was on his way, And remembering the words of the oracle, Feared that his grandson had come to kill him. He fled to the land of the Plascheans. Perseus became king of Argos in his stead, And ruled it wisely for many years. But what the fates have decreed can never be averted. Perseus traveled one spring to a far country to take part in their public games. There he threw a discus, Which struck and accidentally killed his grandfather, Who by chance was among the spectators. And so, At last, The prophecy was fulfilled.