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| “ | On his feet he had winged sandals, and his black-sheathed sword was slung across his shoulders by a cross belt of bronze. He was flying as swift as thought.
— Shield of Heracles by Hesiod
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Perseus was the first hero of Greek mythology, best known for his slaying of the gorgon Medusa and his founding of Mycenae.
He was the son of the Zeus and Danaë, the mortal princess of Argos. Perseus's grandfather had learned of prophecy that his daughter's son would kill him. To prevent this from happening, he had both Perseus and Danaë locked in a chest and cast into the sea.
The chest would arrive on the island of Seriphos, where a fisherman let the two out. Perseus would grow up on Seriphos, and receive training from the centaur Chiron. When Perseus reached adulthood, Polydectes, the king of Seriphos, fell in love with Danaë. In order to get Perseus out of the way, he had him sent off the retrieve the head of Medusa, a monster who turned anyone who saw her face to stone, hoping that Perseus would be killed.
Perseus was favored by several gods, however, and they provided him magical items to aid him in his quest. He discerned Medusa's location from the Graeae, and cut off the gorgon's head while she slept.
On his way back to Seriphos, he encountered the sea monster Cetus, which he petrified using Medusa's head, and rescued the Ethiopian princess Andromeda, who would become his wife. Upon his return to Seriphos, Perseus petrified Polydectes and his court, freeing his mother from the king's advances. Perseus would then found the city of Mycenae, where he and Andromeda would live the rest of their lives in peace.
Battle vs. Jason (by El Alamein)[]
The Argo creaks and rolls on the heavy waves, as Jason stands unsteadily on the shaky deck of his ship. The Golden Fleece is draped around his neck, the front hooves tied to hold it in place. His short sword unsheathed and enormous javelin-brooch in hand, he stands ready for his oncoming foe.
"Your enemy approaches, now, Jason." Hera's voice dances melodiously in Jason's head. "Stay strong, brave one. You may turn to me for help but three times during this battle. It is all the intervention my husband will allow."
Swallowing hard, Jason nods to the empty air, which has begun to drip a steady rain on his shoulders. He squints through the drizzle and into the mist, hearing an ominous thunderclap. A wave of water washes over him, but the Golden Fleece absorbs the liquid and leaves him dry. Feeling better thanks to his defenses, Jason balances his sword in hand and peers into the sky as the sound of wings flapping grows ever nearer.
Down from above dives Perseus on his winged sandals, swinging his kopis at Jason. Jason makes an unsteady counter with his gladius and falls backward onto the deck of the ship while Perseus lands. Scrambling back to his feet, Jason raises the brooch javelin with one hand and hurls it forward, nearly hitting Perseus as the demigod takes flight, allowing the missile to splash harmlessly into the water and sink to the bottom. Slung around Perseus's neck is a brown leather bag, a large round object bulging at the seams from within.
"Hera, O Goddess of Goddesses, what lies within that bag?" Jason thinks rapidly as Perseus hovers overhead and slowly reaches his hand into the sack, turning his gaze to the side.
"Avert your gaze, Jason!" Hera commands, and Jason instinctively obeys. "It is an entity instantly lethal to those who lay eyes upon it. Be very careful, Jason. Only the Golden Fleece can hold off its lethal stare."
Jason peeks through his eyes and looks upon the face of Medusa - the only man as of yet to meet its look and live. The sight is still a horrific one, and Jason gasps audibly. Perseus chuckles to himself and stores the severed head away, expecting to find a statue stock-still on the ship, but instead tumbles downward into the sea as an arrow pierces his bag. Poseidon's wrath is upon him in an instant, the waves battering him and throwing him against the rocks, bruising and bloodying his body. Hermes intervenes, lifting Perseus into the air and high above the waves that Poseidon throws his way. Jason, meanwhile, nocks another arrow to his bow and looks sky-high, searching for his foe.
"Hera, O Protector of the Argonauts, what is this man's ultimate weakness?" Jason cries aloud.
"Jason, you are foolish to ask such a question," Hera chastises him, but answers, "He is but a mortal man. Strike past his armor and he will fall dead."
"Hera, why did I ask that? I know better than to waste a question on such a simple answer!"
"It is Athena, brave one. She is damaging your sound tactical sense. With that, your third question, I can help you no more. Be alert, Jason, and know that Poseidon is at your service."
Hera's presence vanishes from Jason's mind as he despairingly looks around, feeling alone and abandoned. The Goddess of Wisdom's laughter mocks him in the stormy air. Perseus dives down from the sky and hacks at Jason with his kopis, tearing through his muscle and nearly severing an arm - but the Golden Fleece prevents Jason from feeling any pain and the wound is healed nearly immediately afterward. Perseus lands on the deck, armed with his mirror-shield and sword, and advances on Jason, who grabs his shield and charges. The two heroes clash their shields but neither one budges, muscle against muscle and brains against brain. Just as Athena inspires Perseus to back up to the side, throwing Jason forward, Poseidon sends another ship-rocking wave and nearly sends Perseus overboard. Infuriated, the God of the Sea summons an enormous monster to aid Jason.
The two heroes stumble to their feet, Perseus drenched and battered, Jason dry and clean. Perseus runs forward again and thrusts his unbreakable sword into Jason's shield, shattering the armor with his force. Jason is knocked to the deck, but the Fleece is still tied securely around his neck. Behind them, the sea churns and the waves grow as a serpent, scaly and beady-eyed, looms over The Argo. Roaring with fury, the sea snake, twenty-five feet tall and at least as wide, lets a forked tongue taste the air and Perseus's fear. It lashes forward with precision and bites down on Perseus's leg, pulling him up out of the ship and into the air above the sea. Perseus flails in the monster's grip but manages to reach his hand into his shoulder bag, tearing out the Head of Medusa with closed eyes. In an instant, the sea monster has been slain, turned still as stone, and crumbles apart in a watery avalanche. The winged sandals allow Perseus to take to the skies yet again, leaving Jason to prepare himself on the deck of the weather-beaten Argo.
"Perseus, you must listen, and listen well." Athena's voice whispers in her hero's ear. "Your foe's defense is his greatest weakness, but it is also his greatest strength. You must have the guile and skill to turn it against him."
"But... how?" Perseus wonders aloud, but Athena has fallen silent.
Perseus prepares for his final dive, tearing down through the hull of the Argo and splintering the wood, allowing Poseidon's fury to turn against Jason as well. The impact severely injures Perseus, though, and as he struggles to rise below deck, Jason jumps down and prepares to finish his fallen foe.
"Ha! I needed no divine help to aid you, it appears," Jason boasts. "Prepare to die."
Jason's blasphemous talk, combined with Athena's aid to Perseus, grants Perseus the last-minute strength to leap forward under Jason's sword-arm and tackle him to the ground. Wrapping the Fleece over Jason's head, Perseus struggles to untie it while Jason kicks and squirms underneath. Ripping the wool from his foe, Perseus blankets himself with the magical Golden Fleece and suddenly his wounds and bruises disappear, filling him with strength. Jason stands and raises his sword, only to look directly into Perseus's triumphant eyes, then right below into Medusa's. They are the last thing he will ever see.
Expert's Opinion[]
Although the Golden Fleece was powerful in its own right, Perseus's annihilating combination of Medusa's head, the unbreakable Kopis, and Athena's aid allowed him to overcome Jason's greater defenses, situational advantage on the Argo, and combat experience.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.Battles here were deemed to be unfair or otherwise not in accordance with wiki standards, and have been removed from the statuses of the warriors and displayed below.
Battle vs. Cú Chulainn (by Urbancommando77)[]
Perseus is walking outside of a destroyed temple with his pegusas. He heres wheels and sees Cuchulain on a chariot roaring. Perseus mounts his pegusus and lunges in the sky, but before hes far, Cuchalain slings a rock into the pegasus' eye, sending it down. He pulls out his spear and kills the pegasus. Persius pulls out his dory and knocks Cuculain off his chariot. Persius pulls out his shield and swings it at him but misses. Cuchulain rams persius to the ground and pulls out his axe. Persius grabs the head of medusa out. Cuchulain mounts his chariot and charges for Perseus, but perseus counters and turns one horse to stone sending the chariot at a stop and slinging cuchulain. Cuchulain pulls out his long sword and charges at perseus and cut his hand off thats holding the shield. Perseus screams and pulls out his kopis. Perseus raises it and cuts int cuchulains shoulder. Cuchulain falls, and perseus slices his throat, killing him. Perseus yells out in victory and walks off.
Winner: Perseus
Expert's Opinion[]
Perseus had a better mount and control.
To see the original battle, weapons and votes, click here.