CLA204H1 Lecture 7:
Document Summary
Acrisius consults oracle > told to that if he has a grandson then he will kill him; will be succeeded and killed. Tries to stop daughter from concieving > can"t conceive, no grandson, no death. Can"t get around the oracle; fate is fate. Imprisons daughter in chamber of bronze to stop having sex > zeus appears shower of gold to have sex with danae, who becomes impregnated. Child is born, unable to be hid from acrisius > does not believe zeus is the. Takes retribution > takes child and danae, putting them in a box, casting them to sea. Heroes in greek/roman context have divine lineage > typically have god as a father (demigod: washed ashore on island seriphos > dictys catches the box in his net. Polydectes the king of island > king wants to take danae as mistress, but unwilling; king doesn"t care ultimately.
