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Why did Perseus kill Medusa

The king Acrisius had a daughter named Danae. The oracle of Apollo told Acrisius that Danae's son would kill him. He locked her up in a tower and forbade her from every marrying anyone. One day Zeus showed up in the tower and made her pregnant. Perseus was born.

Acrisius locked Perseus and Danae in a box and cast her out to sea. The box ended up in the island of Seriphos where Polydectes was king. Polydectes wanted to marry Danae but was prevented by Perseus. Polydectes invited everyone to a fake wedding and chided Perseus for coming empty handed. Perseus responded by saying that he could bring any gift he wanted. Polydectes asked for the gorgon Medusa's head.

Perseus headed out to find Medusa. Medusa had the ability to turn anyone she saw into stone. So Perseus used a shield and cut Medusa's head. One the way back he flew by Atlas holding up the Earth. To save him from the burden he used Medusa to turn him into stone. He then saw Andromeda who was being sacrificed to a sea monster. He saved her and married her.

Finally, Perseus and Andromeda were killed by Dionysius and turned into constellations.

Learn more at the Greek Mythology site.