Danaë
Encyclopedia
In Greek mythology
, Danaë was a daughter of King Acrisius
of Argos
and Eurydice of Argos
. She was the mother of Perseus by Zeus
. She was sometimes credited with founding the city of Ardea
in Latium
.
Disappointed by his lack of male heirs, Acrisius asked an oracle
if this would change. The oracle told him to go to the Earth's end where he would be killed by his daughter's son. She was childless and, meaning to keep her so, he shut her up in a bronze tower or cave. But Zeus came to her in the form of golden rain, and impregnated her. Soon after, their child Perseus was born.
Unwilling to provoke the wrath of the gods by killing his offspring, Acrisius cast Danaë and Perseus into the sea in a wooden chest. The sea was calmed by Poseidon
and at the request of Zeus the pair survived. They washed ashore on the island of Seriphos, where they were taken in by Dictys
- the brother of King Polydectes
- who raised Perseus to manhood.
Later, after Perseus killed Medusa and rescued Andromeda
, the oracle's prophecy came true. He started for Argos, but learning of the prophecy instead went to Larissa
, where athletic games were being held. By chance, an aging Acrisius was there and Perseus accidentally struck him on the head with his javelin
(or discus), fulfilling the prophecy. Too shamed to return to Argos he then gave the kingdom to Megapenthes
, son of Proetus
(Acrisius's brother) and took over his kingdom of Tiryns
, also founding Mycenae
and Midea
there.
Another version states that, angry that his grandfather tried to kill him and his mother, Perseus returned home and challenged Acrisius in his court. He took out Medusa's head from a sack and turned Acrisius and his court to stone.
alexander the minor
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, Danaë was a daughter of King Acrisius
Acrisius
Acrisius was a mythical king of Argos, and a son of Abas and Aglaea , grandson of Lynceus, great-grandson of Danaus. His twin brother was Proetus, with whom he is said to have quarreled even in the womb of his mother...
of Argos
Argos
Argos is a city and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 11 kilometres from Nafplion, which was its historic harbour...
and Eurydice of Argos
Eurydice of Argos
In Greek Mythology, Eurydice was wife to Acrisius, king of Argos, mother of Danaë and therefore maternal grandmother to Perseus. She was said to have been a daughter to Lacedaemon and Sparta, the legendary founders of Sparta.-References:...
. She was the mother of Perseus by Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
. She was sometimes credited with founding the city of Ardea
Ardea (RM)
Ardea is an ancient town and comune in the province of Rome, 35 km south of Rome and about 4 km from today's Mediterranean coast....
in Latium
Latium
Lazio is one of the 20 administrative regions of Italy, situated in the central peninsular section of the country. With about 5.7 million residents and a GDP of more than 170 billion euros, Lazio is the third most populated and the second richest region of Italy...
.
Disappointed by his lack of male heirs, Acrisius asked an oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
if this would change. The oracle told him to go to the Earth's end where he would be killed by his daughter's son. She was childless and, meaning to keep her so, he shut her up in a bronze tower or cave. But Zeus came to her in the form of golden rain, and impregnated her. Soon after, their child Perseus was born.
Unwilling to provoke the wrath of the gods by killing his offspring, Acrisius cast Danaë and Perseus into the sea in a wooden chest. The sea was calmed by Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
and at the request of Zeus the pair survived. They washed ashore on the island of Seriphos, where they were taken in by Dictys
Dictys
Dictys was a name attributed to four men in Greek mythology.* Dictys was a fisherman and brother of King Polydectes of Seriphos, both being the sons of Magnes by a naiad. He discovered Danaë and Perseus inside a chest that had washed up on shore. He immediately fell in love with Danae and wanted to...
- the brother of King Polydectes
Polydectes
In Greek mythology, King Polydectes was the ruler of the island of Seriphos, son of Magnes and an unnamed naiad. Polydectes fell in love with Danaë when she and her son Perseus were saved by his brother Dictys . Perseus was very protective of his mother and wouldn't allow Polydectes near Danaë....
- who raised Perseus to manhood.
Later, after Perseus killed Medusa and rescued Andromeda
Andromeda (mythology)
Andromeda is a princess from Greek mythology who, as divine punishment for her mother's bragging, the Boast of Cassiopeia, was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. She was saved from death by Perseus, her future husband. Her name is the Latinized form of the Greek Ἀνδρομέδη...
, the oracle's prophecy came true. He started for Argos, but learning of the prophecy instead went to Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
, where athletic games were being held. By chance, an aging Acrisius was there and Perseus accidentally struck him on the head with his javelin
Javelin
A Javelin is a light spear intended for throwing. It is commonly known from the modern athletic discipline, the Javelin throw.Javelin may also refer to:-Aviation:* ATG Javelin, an American-Israeli civil jet aircraft, under development...
(or discus), fulfilling the prophecy. Too shamed to return to Argos he then gave the kingdom to Megapenthes
Megapenthes
In Greek mythology, Megapénthês is a name that refers to:* A son of Proetus. He exchanged kingdoms with his cousin Perseus, whom he killed much later. He was the father of Argeus and possibly Anaxagoras...
, son of Proetus
Proetus
Proetus was a mythical king of Argos and Tiryns. His father Abas, son of the last surviving and died Danaid Hypermnestra, had ruled over Argos and married Ocalea. However, Proetus quarreled continually with his twin brother Acrisius, inventing shields or bucklers in the process...
(Acrisius's brother) and took over his kingdom of Tiryns
Tiryns
Tiryns is a Mycenaean archaeological site in the prefecture of Argolis in the Peloponnese, some kilometres north of Nauplion.-General information:...
, also founding Mycenae
Mycenae
Mycenae is an archaeological site in Greece, located about 90 km south-west of Athens, in the north-eastern Peloponnese. Argos is 11 km to the south; Corinth, 48 km to the north...
and Midea
Midea, Greece
Midea is a village and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Nafplio, of which it is a municipal unit. with a population of 6,724...
there.
Another version states that, angry that his grandfather tried to kill him and his mother, Perseus returned home and challenged Acrisius in his court. He took out Medusa's head from a sack and turned Acrisius and his court to stone.
See also
- Danaë (painting)
- Apollodorus of AthensApollodorusApollodorus of Athens son of Asclepiades, was a Greek scholar and grammarian. He was a pupil of Diogenes of Babylon, Panaetius the Stoic, and the grammarian Aristarchus of Samothrace...
- BibliothekeBibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)The Bibliotheca , in three books, provides a comprehensive summary of traditional Greek mythology and heroic legends, "the most valuable mythographical work that has come down from ancient times," Aubrey Diller observed, whose "stultifying purpose" was neatly expressed in the epigram noted by...
- Danae-class cruiserDanae class cruiserThe Danae or D-class was a class of light cruiser built for the Royal Navy at the end of World War I and that survived to see service in World War II.-Design:...
- The asteroidAsteroidAsteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
61 Danaë61 Danaë61 Danaë is a moderately large, rocky main belt asteroid. It was discovered by Hermann Goldschmidt on September 9, 1860 from his balcony in Paris....
, named after her - Danae - Literary character from the EleniumThe EleniumThe Elenium is a series of fantasy novels by David Eddings. The series consists of three volumes:* The Diamond Throne* The Ruby Knight* The Sapphire RoseThe series is followed by The Tamuli....
and the TamuliThe TamuliThe Tamuli is a series of fantasy novels by David Eddings. The series consists of three volumes:# Domes of Fire# The Shining Ones# The Hidden CityThe Tamuli is the sequel to The Elenium...
series by David EddingsDavid EddingsDavid Eddings was an American author who wrote several best-selling series of epic fantasy novels.-Biography:...
alexander the minor