When Perseus had recovered a little from this astonishing news, the two Olympians, Hermes and Athena, gave him detailed instructions on how he could complete, and survive, his deadly assignment.

    

    Athena gave him her shining shield, telling him he must only view Medusa by looking at her reflection in the shield.

​

    Hermes gave him the adamantine sickle that had belonged to Kronos, and had possibly been used by Hermes himself in the killing of Argus-although I'm still doubtful about that story.

The sickle was to cut off Medusa's head. The practical Perseus asked, "How will I carry the head once I have it? It will still be deadly, and the snakes will be dangerous. Or will they die when Medusa's head is taken off?"

​

    "First things first," said Hermes. "Take these sandals of mine. They're equipped with wings, so you'll be able to run fast, or fly if you need to. All your other needs you will be able to obtain from the Stygian Nymphs."

 

    "Where do I find them?"

 

    "Tell him, Athena," said Hermes. "It's so long since I visited them I've forgotten where they live."

 

     "I've never been there, " answered Athena, coldly. "I find them frivolous creatures."

 

    "Well, how will I find them?" asked Perseus.

 

      "Go to the Graia," said Hermes. "They're the Gorgons' sisters. They'll know where the Stygian Nymphs are."

​

     "Do you know where the Graia live?"

​

      "Of course I do," answered Hermes.

​

     He then gave Perseus specific directions, and specific instructions.

​

    When Perseus found the Graia, he hid and watched them. They were three old women: Pephredo, Deido and Enyo. Born with grey hair, over time they had gotten even older. They had one eye, which they shared, passing it to one another when they wished to look at something. They also had one tooth, which they had to use one at a time when they wanted to eat.

​

    It's impossible to chew something with only one tooth, but with Greek mythology the most important quality one must have is faith-blind faith.

​

    Perseus waited until the Graia began to pass the eye, then quickly reached into the midst and stole it. The old ladies made a great fuss, threatening all kinds of dreadful retribution if the eye was not returned. Perseus threatened them with smashing the eye if they did not calm down and tell him how to find the home of the Stygian Nymphs. The information being instantly forthcoming, Perseus tossed the eye into their cycle and departed, giving the winged sandals a test drive as he did so.

​

    The Stygian Nymphs lived at the back of the North Wind, in green fields watered by pleasant streams. They hadn't seen a well-set-up young fellow like Perseus for about five thousand years and were in no hurry to send him away; but like Odysseus leaving the Calypso' island, Perseus had to continue his quest.

​

    The Nymphs provided him with some useful pieces of equipment: the kibisis, a magic wallet which stretched to accommodate any object placed in it, and a wonderful head covering known as the Cap of Hades which rendered the wearer invisible. They then gave him directions to help him find the Gorgons, and told him he would always be welcome in their green fields.

​

    Athena had been thorough in her punishment of the Gorgons, and Perseus heard and smelt them even before he saw their reflections in the shield. No detail of them escaped ugliness. Their appearance was frightening; their breath stank; they snored loudly; even their voices grated. The poor creatures lived in isolation from the rest of the universe. Their only companionship came from one another.

 

    Wearing the winged sandals, Perseus now donned the Cap of Hades, gripped the sickle firmly, and with the kibisis to hand, studied the Gorgons' reflections in Athena's shield. He must have been remarkably well coordinated to mange all those tools and still achieve his goals, and he was.

​

    A few of the snakes on Medusa's brow gave warning hisses as he approached, but the Gorgons themselves were sound asleep.

​

    The sickle sliced through Medusa's neck, and Perseus used it to scoop the fearsome head into the kibisis, which instantly closed snugly about it.

​

    From Medusa's neck wound sprang out the winged horse Pegasus, and a monster, Chrysaor-probably conceived when Medusa lay with Poseidon. 

​

    By now, Eurayle and Stheno had been awakened by the commotion, and although Perseus was invisible in the Cap of Hades, he took no chances. He fled, with Hermes' sandals at maximum speed.

​

    Some say that as Perseus fled across the sky above North Africa, Medusa's green blood [the poor thing would have green blood wouldn't she?] was so acidic it began to seep through the material of the kibisis. Where these drops fell on the barren earth below, oases formed. Others say that the drops did not form oases but turned into the venomous snakes that inhabit that part of the world. 

​

    I prefer the first story, that something good came from Medusa. She didn't deserve the dreadful fate that the wilful Gods visited upon her.

​

​

 

​