HERMES, PERSEUS, THE GORGONS, THE FATES, AND

THE GRAIEEdison Period 7

Andrew Chen and Hudson Wittig

Hermes

Hermes’ parents were Zeus, the king of gods, and Maia, the daughter of Atlas. Hermes is the father of Pan and Silenus.

Hermes is graceful and quick. He wears a winged hat sandals, and carries a magic wand named the Caduceus, which is also the symbol of Hermes.

Hermes is the most shrewd and cunning god. Some of his titles include Master Thief, God of Commerce and Market, Protector of Traders, and Divine Herald.

Hermes (cont.) Hermes uses his powers of flight, speed,

and stealth to carry out Zeus’ biddings. Hermes has no known weaknesses.Important Events: He invented the lyre and the shepherd

pipe. Freed Ares from prison Aided Perseus in killing the Gorgons Killed Argus Sends message to Calypso from Zeus to

release Odysseus

Hermes (cont.)

Adidas’ winged shoes are an allusion to Hermes’ winged sandals.

Hermes’ magic wand, the Caduceus, is mistakenly used as a symbol for modern medicine.

The Caduceus is correctly used as a symbol of commerce.

He is alluded to in the fictional series of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Perseus Perseus is the only son of Zeus and Danaё.

He is married to Andromeda . He is portrayed as a proud and rash young

man. His weaknesses are his mortality, as well as

his rash decisions and pride. In his quest to slay Medusa, he was given an

unbreakable sword by Hermes, a mirror-like shield by Pallas Athena, and winged sandals, a magical wallet, and an invisibility cap by the nymphs of the North.

Perseus (cont.)

Perseus is often portrayed as a man holding Medusa’s severed head in the air in triumph.

Important Events: Perseus accidently kills King Acrisius, his

grandfather. He slays Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon

of the three. Perseus turns King Polydectes into stone

with Medusa’s head.

Perseus (cont.)

Perseus is alluded to in the movie Clash of the Titans.

The Gorgons

Phorcys, the son of Sea and Earth, was their father. They are siblings with one another, and their sisters are the Graie.

There were three Gorgons. Two were immortal, Medusa was the only mortal Gorgon. They were dragon-like creatures with wings.

They could turn men into stone with their gaze and fly.

The Gorgons (cont.)

The only known weakness of the Gorgons is Medusa’s mortality.

The Gorgons are alluded to in A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens.

Important Events: Medusa is slain by Perseus

The Fates

The Fates have no known parents, siblings, or offspring.

There are three Fates. Clotho, the Spinner, who spins the thread of life, Lachesis, the disposer of lots, who assigns each man his destiny, and Atropos, who carries “the abhorred shears” and cuts the thread of life.

They control each person’s destiny.

The Fates (cont.)

No known weaknesses Their symbol is a pair of shears cutting

thread. The Fates are alluded to in Shakespeare’s

play, Macbeth.Important Events: They spun Admetus’ thread of life. They foretold Meleager’s death.

The Graie

Sisters of the Gorgons The Graie are three gray women who share

one eyeball and live on the farther bank of the ocean.

They are knowledgeable of distant lands and their inhabitants.

Their weakness is that they have only one eye, and if someone were to take it they would not be able to see.

The Graie (cont.)

Their symbol is the one eyeball that they all share.

Perseus steals their eye in order to force them to give him information on the location of the nymphs of the North.

The Graie are alluded to in the Disney movie, Hercules.