The Heroes: Greek Fairy Tales By Charles Kingsley

Dive into the enchanting world of Greek mythology with Charles Kingsley's The Heroes. This timeless collection retells the classic tales of Perseus, Theseus, and the Argonauts in a way that captivates readers of all ages. Kingsley's vivid storytelling and accessible prose bring these legendary figures to life, making the myths both entertaining and educational.

Perseus: The Hero Who Slayed Medusa

The story of Perseus is a thrilling adventure filled with bravery, cunning, and divine intervention. Our journey begins with Perseus's birth under unusual circumstances, as his mother, Danaë, is imprisoned by her father, King Acrisius, after an oracle foretells that her son will one day kill him. Despite these precautions, Zeus, the king of the gods, visits Danaë in the form of golden rain, and Perseus is born. Fearing the prophecy, Acrisius casts Danaë and the infant Perseus adrift at sea in a wooden chest.

Their perilous journey leads them to the island of Seriphos, where they are rescued by Dictys, a kind fisherman who becomes their protector. Perseus grows into a strong and courageous young man. However, their peaceful life is threatened by Polydectes, the king of Seriphos, who desires Danaë. To get rid of Perseus, Polydectes devises a treacherous plan. He announces that he is seeking to marry Hippodamia and requests horses as wedding gifts. Knowing that Perseus cannot afford to give him a horse, he expects him to leave the island in search of one.

Perseus, determined to prove himself, rashly promises to bring Polydectes the head of Medusa, one of the three Gorgons, whose gaze can turn anyone to stone. Polydectes accepts the offer, confident that Perseus will not return. Thus begins Perseus's perilous quest. Guided by Hermes and Athena, Perseus receives crucial tools and advice for his mission. Hermes gives him winged sandals to fly, a cap of invisibility from Hades to conceal himself, and a kibisis, a magical bag to safely contain Medusa's head. Athena provides him with a polished shield to use as a mirror, allowing him to look at Medusa without being turned to stone.

Perseus journeys to the land of the Gorgons, a desolate and terrifying place. He finds Medusa asleep, surrounded by stone statues of her previous victims. Looking at Medusa's reflection in his shield, Perseus carefully approaches and swiftly decapitates her. From Medusa's severed neck springs Pegasus, the winged horse, and Chrysaor, a giant. Perseus places Medusa's head in the kibisis and quickly escapes, avoiding the wrath of Medusa's immortal sisters. On his return journey, Perseus encounters Andromeda, a princess who has been chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. Perseus is captivated by her beauty and learns of her plight. He bravely confronts the monster, slays it, and frees Andromeda. He later marries her, and they set off to return to Seriphos.

Arriving at Seriphos, Perseus discovers that Polydectes has been mistreating his mother, Danaë. Enraged, Perseus confronts Polydectes and reveals Medusa's head, turning him and his court to stone. Perseus then rewards Dictys by making him king of Seriphos. Fulfilling his promise, Perseus returns the winged sandals, the cap of invisibility, and the kibisis to Hermes. He gives Medusa's head to Athena, who places it on her shield, the Aegis. With his adventures concluded, Perseus, Andromeda, and Danaë journey to Argos, the kingdom of Acrisius. Ironically, while participating in an athletic competition, Perseus accidentally kills Acrisius with a discus, fulfilling the prophecy he had tried so hard to escape. Perseus, a true hero, accepts his fate and becomes a just and respected ruler.

Theseus: The Hero of Athens

Next up, we have Theseus, a legendary hero and king of Athens, embodies courage, wisdom, and justice. His story is filled with thrilling adventures and heroic deeds, making him one of the most celebrated figures in Greek mythology. Theseus was the son of Aethra and, depending on the version of the myth, either King Aegeus of Athens or the sea god Poseidon. He was raised in Troezen by his mother and grandfather, King Pittheus, without knowing his true parentage. Aegeus, before returning to Athens, placed his sword and sandals under a large rock and instructed Aethra to send Theseus to him when he was strong enough to lift the rock and retrieve the tokens.

As Theseus grew into a strong and intelligent young man, Aethra revealed his true identity and the tokens left by Aegeus. Theseus decided to journey to Athens to claim his birthright. He had a choice between a safe sea route and a perilous land route filled with bandits and monsters. Choosing the path of a hero, Theseus opted for the land route, eager to prove his strength and rid the land of its dangers. Along his journey to Athens, Theseus encountered and defeated several notorious villains. First, he faced Periphetes, also known as Corynetes, who ambushed travelers with his bronze club. Theseus overpowered Periphetes, took his club, and used it to kill him.

Next, Theseus encountered Sinis, a giant who tied travelers between two pine trees and tore them apart. Theseus defeated Sinis by using his own method against him. He then faced the Crommyonian Sow, a monstrous pig ravaging the countryside. Theseus killed the sow, bringing relief to the local people. He also encountered Sciron, who forced travelers to wash his feet before kicking them off a cliff to be eaten by a giant turtle. Theseus threw Sciron off the cliff, ending his reign of terror. Finally, Theseus faced Procrustes, who had an iron bed. Procrustes would stretch or cut off the limbs of travelers to fit the bed. Theseus subjected Procrustes to his own torture, killing him.

Arriving in Athens, Theseus was not immediately recognized as Aegeus's son. Aegeus was under the influence of Medea, a sorceress who had fled to Athens after her expulsion from Corinth. Medea, knowing that Theseus was the rightful heir, feared losing her influence over Aegeus. She tried to poison Theseus during a banquet, but Aegeus recognized Theseus by his sword just in time and knocked the poisoned cup from his hand. Aegeus embraced Theseus as his son, and Medea fled from Athens. Theseus's arrival in Athens coincided with the city's obligation to send seven young men and seven young women to Crete as tribute to King Minos. These youths were sacrificed to the Minotaur, a monstrous creature with the head of a bull and the body of a man, who lived in the Labyrinth.

Theseus volunteered to be one of the youths, determined to slay the Minotaur and end the tribute. Before setting sail, Aegeus instructed Theseus to change the ship's black sails to white if he was successful in killing the Minotaur, signaling his safe return. Arriving in Crete, Theseus gained the attention of Ariadne, King Minos's daughter, who fell in love with him. Ariadne provided Theseus with a ball of thread, which he used to navigate the Labyrinth, and a sword to kill the Minotaur. Theseus entered the Labyrinth, unwinding the thread as he went. He found the Minotaur and, after a fierce battle, slew the beast. Using the thread, Theseus found his way back out of the Labyrinth, rescuing the other Athenian youths.

Theseus and the Athenians set sail for home, taking Ariadne with them. However, on the island of Naxos, Theseus abandoned Ariadne. The reasons for this abandonment vary in different accounts of the myth. Some say that Theseus left Ariadne because he fell in love with another woman, while others claim that he was instructed by the gods to leave her for Dionysus. In his haste and grief, Theseus forgot to change the ship's sails from black to white. Aegeus, watching from the Acropolis, saw the black sails and, believing that Theseus had died, threw himself into the sea, which is now called the Aegean Sea in his honor. Theseus returned to Athens and became king, succeeding Aegeus. He was a wise and just ruler, credited with uniting Attica and establishing Athens as a major power. Theseus is celebrated as a hero who brought peace and prosperity to Athens, leaving behind a legacy of courage, justice, and wisdom.

The Argonauts: The Quest for the Golden Fleece

Finally, we delve into the epic voyage of the Argonauts, a band of heroes who embarked on a perilous quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Their adventures are filled with mythical creatures, treacherous landscapes, and heroic deeds. Jason, the rightful heir to the throne of Iolcus, was denied his birthright by his uncle Pelias. Pelias, fearing a prophecy that he would be killed by a descendant of Aeolus, sent Jason on a seemingly impossible mission to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Colchis.

The Golden Fleece was the fleece of a golden ram, which was guarded by a dragon in a sacred grove in Colchis, a kingdom located on the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Jason assembled a crew of heroes from all over Greece, known as the Argonauts, named after their ship, the Argo. Among the Argonauts were legendary figures such as Hercules, Orpheus, Castor and Pollux, Peleus, and many others, each bringing their unique skills and strengths to the expedition. The Argo, built by Argus with the help of Athena, was a marvel of shipbuilding, capable of withstanding the challenges of the long and arduous voyage.

The Argonauts set sail from Iolcus, embarking on a journey filled with numerous trials and tribulations. Their first stop was the island of Lemnos, inhabited only by women who had neglected to worship Aphrodite, the goddess of love. As punishment, Aphrodite made the women of Lemnos smell so foul that their husbands abandoned them. The Argonauts stayed on Lemnos for some time, helping the women repopulate the island. Next, the Argonauts encountered the Doliones, who welcomed them warmly. However, during the night, a misunderstanding arose, and the Argonauts accidentally fought against the Doliones, resulting in the death of their king, Cyzicus. The Argonauts mourned their mistake and held funeral games in honor of Cyzicus.

Their journey continued to Mysia, where Hylas, Hercules's beloved companion, was abducted by water nymphs while fetching water. Hercules, distraught over the loss of Hylas, searched for him and did not rejoin the Argonauts, thus ending his participation in the quest. The Argonauts then faced Phineus, a blind king tormented by the Harpies, winged creatures who stole his food. The Argonauts helped Phineus by chasing away the Harpies, and in return, Phineus provided them with valuable advice on how to navigate the Symplegades, the Clashing Rocks.

The Symplegades were two massive rocks that clashed together, crushing anything that passed between them. Following Phineus's advice, the Argonauts released a dove to fly between the rocks. As the rocks clashed, they were momentarily stopped, giving the Argonauts just enough time to row the Argo through. The rocks remained fixed in their open position, allowing safe passage for future travelers. After passing the Symplegades, the Argonauts reached Colchis, where they were greeted by King Aeetes, the ruler of Colchis and the possessor of the Golden Fleece. Aeetes, unwilling to give up the Golden Fleece easily, set Jason a series of impossible tasks.

Jason had to yoke two fire-breathing bulls, plow a field, and sow it with dragon's teeth, which would then sprout into armed warriors. With the help of Medea, King Aeetes's daughter, who fell in love with Jason, he was able to accomplish these tasks. Medea, a powerful sorceress, provided Jason with a magical ointment that protected him from the bulls' fire and advised him on how to defeat the warriors that sprang from the dragon's teeth. Despite completing the tasks, Aeetes still refused to give Jason the Golden Fleece. Medea then led Jason to the grove where the Golden Fleece was guarded by a dragon. Medea used her magic to lull the dragon to sleep, allowing Jason to seize the Golden Fleece.

Jason and the Argonauts, along with Medea, set sail from Colchis, pursued by Aeetes and his army. To escape, Medea killed her brother Apsyrtus and scattered his body parts, forcing Aeetes to stop and collect them, thus delaying his pursuit. The Argonauts faced numerous challenges on their return journey, including navigating treacherous waters, battling giants, and encountering sirens. Finally, after many adventures, the Argonauts returned to Iolcus with the Golden Fleece. Jason presented the Golden Fleece to Pelias, but Pelias still refused to relinquish the throne. Medea then devised a plan to trick Pelias's daughters into killing him, believing that she could restore his youth. However, Medea's plan backfired, and she and Jason were forced to flee Iolcus.

The story of the Argonauts is a testament to the courage, determination, and camaraderie of heroes. Their quest for the Golden Fleece is one of the most enduring and exciting tales in Greek mythology, filled with mythical creatures, magical artifacts, and unforgettable characters. Guys, these stories are amazing, right? Who's your favorite hero?