Perseus

Perseus, ĕi and ĕos (acc., Persea, Ov. M. 4, 610), m., = Περσεύς.

• Son of Jupiter and Danăē, abandoned by his grandfather Acrisius, but rescued and brought up by Polydectes, king of Seriphus. When grown up, he undertook, at the instigation of Polydectes, an expedition against the islands of the Gorgons, and received from Vulcan a sickle-shaped sword, from Mercury winged shoes, and from Minerva a shield and the flying horse Pegasus. Thus armed, he killed and cut off the head of Medusa, whose look turned every thing into stone. On his way back, he, by means of it, turned into stone a sea-monster to which Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus, was exposed, and married her. Their son Perses became the progenitor of the Persians. After his death, Perseus was placed among the constellations, Ov. M. 4, 609 sq.; Hyg. Fab. 64; 244; id. Astron. 12; Cic. N. D. 2, 44, 112; Prop. 2, 30 (3, 28), 4; 2, 28 (3, 24), 22; Serv. Verg. A. 4, 246.—
• • B Hence,
  • • 1 Per-sēus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Perseus, Persean, Prop. 3 (4), 22, 8: Perseos alter in Argos scinditur, i.e. where Perseus's grandfather, Acrisius, reigned, Stat. Th. 1, 255: Persei culmina montis, the mountain where Perseus first mounted Pegasus, id. ib. 3, 633: Persea Tarsos, founded by Perseus, Luc. 3, 225: Babylon, id. 6, 449.—
    • 2 Per-sēïus, a, um, Persean: Perseia castra sequi, to fight in his army, Ov. M. 5, 128.—
• II The last king of Macedonia, v. Perses, IV.

Persēus, a, um,

• v. the preced. art., I. B. 1.

1. Persēus, a, um, s. Persae.

2. Persēus, a, um, s. 1. Persēus(Περσεύς).

3. Perseus, eī u. eos, Akk. ea u. eum, m. (Περσεύς), I) Sohn Jupiters von der Danaë. Auf dem geflügelten Pferde Pegasus sitzend und mit den Flügelschuhen (talaria) Merkurs und dem Schilde der Pallas ausgerüstet, ritt er durch die Luft in das Reich der Medusa u. hieb mit dem sichelförmigen Schwerte ihr den Kopf ab; auf der Rückreise rettete er die Andromeda, die zum Fraße für ein Meerungeheuer an einen Felsen gebunden war, und bekam sie zur Gemahlin, Ov. met. 4, 610 sqq.; 5, 1 sqq.: nach seinem Tode als Gestirn an den Himmel versetzt, Cic. de nat. deor. 2, 112. – Dav.: A) Persēius, a, um (Περσήϊος), persëisch, des Perseus, Perseia castra sequi, es mit dem Perseus halten, auf der Seite des Perseus streiten, Ov. met. 5, 128. – B) Persēus, a, um (Περσεῖος), persëisch, des Perseus, Prop. u.a. – C) Persīdes, ae, m., Nachkomme des Perseus, Plur. Persidae, Titel einer Tragödie des Accius = Amphitruo, Acc. tr. 98 sq. p. 148 R.² – II) = 1. Perses no. III, w. s.

1 Perseus [CL] , Perseus, son of Zeus and Danae; b (as name of constellation). cum ~us de monstro in armis triumphasset et caput Gorgonis super ligna posuisset Wals. AD 79.  b Perseus, Andromeda ‥ / et pariles stelle R. Cant. Malch. V 36; aures magnatum siquis demulcet in aula, / sub lare privato Persius alter erit Neckam DS I 453 p. 367.

Perseūs, (13) ĕī ou ĕos, acc. ĕum ou ĕa, m. (Περσεύς), ¶ 1 Persée [fils de Jupiter et de Danaé, qui coupa la tête à Méduse] : Ov. M. 4, 610 ¶ 2 c. Perses, roi de Macédoine : Liv. 31, 28 ; 39, 53 ; 40, 12, etc. || v. Persæus ¶ 3 Persée [constellation] : Cic. Nat. 2, 112 || -sēus, a, um (Περσεῖος), de Persée : Prop. 3, 22, 8 ; Stat. Th. 1, 255 || v. Persēĭus, a, um.

perseus, ei. m.
古人名。星宿名。

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Perseus

(Περσεύς).

1. The famous Argive hero, was a son of Zeus and Danae, and a grandson of Acrisius (Hom. Il. 14.310; Hes. Scut. Here. 229). Acrisius, who had no male issue, consulted the Pythian oracle, and received the answer, that if Danae should give birth to a son, he would kill his father. Acrisius, accordingly, shut up his daughter in a subterraneous apartment, made of brass or stone (Soph. Ant. 947; Lycoph. 838 ; Hor. Carm. 3.16). But Zeus having metamorphosed himself into a shower of gold, came down upon her through the roof of the apartment, and became by her the father of Perseus. From this circumstance Perseus is sometimes called χρυσόπατρος or aurigena (Lycoph. 838; Ov. Met. 5.250). When Acrisitis discovered that Danae had given birth to a son, he threw both mother and son into a chest, and put them out to sea; but Zeus caused the chest to land in the island of Seriphos, one of the Cyclades, where Dictys, a fisherman, found them, and carried them to his brother, king Polydectes. According to a later or Italian tradition, the chest was carried to the coast of Italy, where king Pilumnus married Danae, and founded Ardea (Verg. A. 7.410; Serv. ad Aen. 7.372); or Danae is said to have come to Italy with two sons, Argus and Argeus, whom she had by Phineus, and took up her abode on the spot where Rome was afterwards built (Serv. ad Aen. 8.345). But, according to the common story, Polydectes, king of Seriphos, made Danae his slave, and courted her favour, but in vain; and in order to obtain the undisturbed possession of her, he sent off Perseus, who had in the meantime grown up to manhood, to the Gorgons, to fetch the head of Medusa, which he said he would give to llippodameia as a wedding present (Tzetz. ad Lyc. 838). Another account agtin states that Polydectes married Danae, and caused Perseus to be brought up in the temple of Athena. When Acrisius learnt this, he went to Polydectes, who, however, interfered on behalf of the boy, and the latter promised not to kill his grandfather. Acrisius. however, was detained in Seriphos by storms, and during that time Polydectes died. During the funeral gaines the wind carried a disk thrown by Perseus against the head of Acrisius, and killed him, whereupon Perseus proceeded to Argos and took possessions of the kingdom of his grandfather (Hygin. Fab. 63). But to return to the common tradition. Athena, with whom Medusa had venttired to contend for the prize of beauty, first showed to Perseus the head of Gorgo in images, near the town of Diecterion in Samos, and advised him to be unconcerned about the two immortal Gorgons, Stheno and Euryale. Perseus then went first to the Graeae, the sisters of the Gorgons, took from them their one tooth and their one eye, and did not restore them to the Graeae until they showed him the way to the nymphs; or he cast the tooth and the eye into lake Triton, so that the Graeae were no longer able to guard the Gorgons (Hygin. Poet. Astr. 2.12). The nymphs provided Perseus with winged sandals, a bag, and the helmet of Hades, which rendered him invisible, Hermes with a sickle, and Athena with a mirror (Hes. Scut. Her. 220, 222 ; Eurip. Elect. 460; Anthol. Palat. 9.557; comp. Hygin. Poet. Astr. 2.12; Theon, ad Arat. p. 29). Being thus armed, he went to the Gorgons, who dwelt near Tartessus on the coast of the Ocean, whose heads were covered, like those of serpents, with scales, and who had large tusks like boars, brazen hands, and golden wings. He found them asleep, and cut off the head of Medusa, looking at her figure through the mirror, for a look at the monster herself would have changed him into stone. Perseus put her head into the bag which he carried on his back, and as he went away, he was pursued by the winged Gorgons (Hes. Scut. Here. 230 ; Paus. 5.118.1). On his return he visited Aethiopia, where he saved and married Andromeda, by whom he became the father of Perses, whom he left with Cepheus. During this journey Perseus is also said to have come to the Hyperboreans, by whom he was hospitably received (Pind. P. 10.50), and to Atlas, whom, by the head of Gorgo, he changed into the mountain of the same name (Ov. Met. 4.655; Serv. ad Aen. 4.246). Phineus, the brother of Cepheus, was likewise changed into stone, and when Perseus returned to Seriphos he found his mother with Dictys in the temple, whither she had fled from the embraces of Polydectes. Perseus found the latter at a repast, and metamorphosed him and all his guests, and, some say, the whole island, into stone (Pind. P. 12.21; Strab. x. p.487), and presented the kingdom to Dictys. Perseus then gave the winged sandals and the helmet to Hermes, who restored them to the nymphs and to Hades, and Athena received the head of Gorgo, which was put on the shield or breast-plate of the goddess. Hereupon Perseus went to Argos, accompanied by Cyclopes, skilled in building (Schol. ad Eurip. Or. 953), by Danae, and Andromeda. Acrisius, remembering the oracle, escaped to Larissa, in the country of the Pelasgians; but Perseus followed him, in order to persuade him to return (Paus. 2.16.6). Some writers state that Perseus, on his return to Argos. found Proetus who had expelled his brother Acrisius, in possession of the kingdom (Ov. Met. 5.236, &c.); Perseus slew Proetus, and was afterwards killed by Megapenthes, the son of Proetus, who avenged the death of his father. (Hyg. Fab. 244.) Some again relate that Proetus was expelled, and went to Thebes. (Schol. ad Eurip. Phoen. 1109.) But the common tradition goes on thus: when Teutamidas, king of Larissa, celebrated games in honour of his guest Acrisius, Perseus, who took part in them, accidentally hit the foot of Acrisius, and thus killed him. Acrisius was buried outside the city of Larissa, and Perseus, leaving the kingdom of Argos to Megapenthes, the son of Proetus, received from him in exchange the government of Tiryns. According to others, Perseus remained in Argos, and successfully opposed the introduction of the Bacchic orgies. (Paus. 2.20.3, 22.1 ; comp. Nonn. Dionys. 31.25.) Perseus is said to have founded the towns of Mideia and Mycenae. (Paus. 2.15.4.) By Andromeda he became the father of Alcaeus, Sthenelus, Heleius, Mestor, Electryon, Gorgophone, and Autochthe, (Apollod. 2.4. §§ 1-5; Tzetz.ad Lyc. 494, 838; Ov. Met. 4.606, &c.; Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. 4.1091.) Perseus was worshipped as a hero in several places, e. g. between Argos and Mycenae, in Seriphos, and at Athens, where he had an altar in common with Dictys and Clymene. (Paus. 2.18.1.) Herodotus (2.91) relates that a temple and a statue of Perseus existed at Chemnis in Egypt, and that the country was blessed whenever he appeared.

Perseus

2. A son of Nestor and Anaxibia. (Hom. Od. 3.414; Apollod. 1.9.9.)

Perseus

3. A ruler of Dardanus, who, with his wife Philobia, assisted Laodice in forming a reconciliation with Acamas. (Parthen. Erot. 16; comp. Acamas and Laodice.) [L.S]

Perseus

or Perses * Concerning this latter form see Niebuhr, Lect. on Rom. Hist. vol. i. p. 272, ed Schmitz. (Περσεύς), the last king of Macedonia, was the eldest son of Philip V. According to some of the Roman writers he was the offspring of a concubine, and consequently not of legitimate birth. (Liv. 39.53, 40.9, &c.) Plutarch, on the contrary (Aemil. 8), represents him as a supposititious child, and not the son of Philip at all: but it is probable that both these tales were mere inventions of his enemies: at least it is clear that he was from the first regarded both by his father and the whole Macedonian nation as the undoubted heir to the throne. He was early trained to arms, and was still a mere boy when he was appointed by his father to command the army destined to guard the passes of Pelagonia against the Illyrians, B. C. 200 (Liv. 31.28). In B. C. 189 we again find him leading an army into Epeirus, where he besieged Amphilochia, but was compelled by the Aetolians to retire. (Id. 38.5. 7.) The favour shown by the Romans to his younger brother Demetrius had the effect of exciting the jealousy of Perseus, who suspected that the Roman senate intended to set up Demetrius as a competitor for the throne on the death of Philip: and the popularity of the young prince among the Macedonians themselves was ill calculated to allay these apprehensions. Perseus in consequence set to work to effect the ruin of his brother, and at length by a long train of machinations and intrigues [Demetrius] succeeded in convincing Philip that Demetrius entertained a treasonable correspondence with the Romans, and thus prevailed on him to order the execution of the unhappy prince. (Liv. 39.53, 40.5_15, 20-24; Plb. 24.3, 7, 8; Diod. xxix. Exc. Vales. p. 576; Just. 32.2; Zonar. 9.22 ; Plut. Aemil. 8.) It is said that Philip subsequently detected the treachery of Perseus, and had even determined to exclude him from the throne, but his own death, which was brought on by the grief and remorse caused by this discovery, prevented the execution of his designs, B. C. 179. Perseus instantly assumed the sovereign power, and his first act was to put to death Antigonus, to whose counsels he ascribed the hostile intentions of his father. (Liv. 40.54-56, 57; Just. 32.3; Zonar. 9.22.)

The latter years of the reign of Philip had been spent in preparations for a renewal of the war with Rome, which he foresaw to be inevitable: and when Perseus ascended the throne, he found himself amply provided both with men and money for the impending contest. But, whether from a sincere desire of peace, or from irresolution of character, he sought to avert an open rupture as long as possible; and one of the first acts of his reign was to send an embassy to Rome to obtain the recognition of his own title to the throne, and a renewal of the treaty concluded with his father. This embassy was the more necessary as he had already by his hostilities with a Thracian chief, named Abrupolis, who was nominally in alliance with Rome, afforded a pretext to the jealousy of that power; but for the moment this cause of offence was overlooked, Perseus was acknowledged as king, and the treaty renewed on the same terms as before. (Diod. xxix. Exe. Vatic, p. 71; Appian. Mac. 9.3; Polyb. xxii. Exc. Vat. p. 413; Liv. 41.24, 42.13, 40, 41.) It is probable that neither party was sincere in the conclusion of this peace; at least neither could entertain any hope of its duration; yet a period of seven years elapsed before the mutual enmity of the two powers broke out into actual hostilities. Meanwhile Perseus was not idle: and his first measures were of a liberal and judicious character. He secured the attachment of his own subjects by rescinding the unpopular acts of his father's reign, by recalling all exiles and publishing a general act of amnesty. (Plb. 26.5.) At the same time he sought to conciliate the favour of the Greeks, many of whom were inclined to his cause in preference to that of Rome; and entered into extensive relations with the Thracian, Illyrian, and Celtic tribes, by which his kingdom was surrounded. Nor did he neglect to cultivate the friendship of the Asiatic princes, who on their part (with the exception of Eumenes) seem to have eagerly sought his alliance. Seleucus IV Philopator gave him his daughter Laodice in marriage, while Prusias king of Bithynia gladly accepted the hand of his sister, (Liv. 42.12; Polyb. 26.7; Inscr. Del. apud Marm. Oxon. ; Appian. Mac. 9.1.) But every attempt to strengthen himself by foreign alliances was resented by the Romans as an infraction of the treaty with them. The Dardanians complained to the senate at Rome of the aggressions of the Bastarnae, and accused Perseus, apparently not without reason, of supporting the invaders. News was also brought to Rome that Macedonian envoys had been secretly received at Carthage; and the king soon after gave fresh cause of offence by an expedition against the Dolopians, in which, after reducing that tribe, he repaired at the head of an army, though in the most peaceful manner, to Delphli, under pretence of a vow, but in reality to make a show of his power and force in the eyes of the Greeks. Numerous embassies were sent by the Romans to complain of these proceedings, as well as to spy into the real state of affairs in Macedonia, while Perseus in return was not sparing of apologies and excuses. At length, in B. C. 172, Eumenes, king of Pergamus, repaired in person to Rome and laid before the senate an elaborate statement of the power, the resources, and the hostile designs of the Macedonian king. On his return through Greece he was attacked near Delphi by a band of assassins, who are said to have been employed by Perseus, a suspicion to which the latter certainly afforded some countenance, by taking the leader of them--a Cretan named Evander--into his immediate service. Another plot which the Romans pretended to have discovered at the same time, for poisoning some of their chief officers [Rammius], was probably a mere fiction to inflame the minds of the populace against Perseus. War was now determined by the senate, but it was not declared till the following spring (B. C. 171), and even then the Romans were not fully prepared to commence hostilities. Perseus, on the other hand, found himself at the head of a splendid army, fully equipped and ready for immediate action: but instead of making use of this advantage, he still clung to the delusive hopes of peace, and was persuaded by Q. Marcius Philippus, with whom he held a personal conference in Thessaly, to send ambassadors once more to Rome. Tlese soon returned, as was to be expected, without having even obtained an answer; but in the mean while the Romans had completed their levies, transported their army into Epeirus, and the consul P. Licinius Crassus was ready to take the field. (Liv. 41.19, 22_24, 42.2, 5, 11, 12, 14-19, 25, 29_31, 36-43, 48; Plb. 26.9, 27.7, Exc. Vat. p. 413; Diod. xxx. Exc. Leg. pp. 623, 624; Appian, Mac. Exc. 9.1-5.)

Perseus was now at length convinced that he had no hope of any longer delaying the contest ; and at a council of war held at Pella, it was determined to have immediate recourse to arms. Though supported by no allies, except Cotys king of the Odrysians, he found himself at the head of an army of 39,000 foot and 4,000 horse, with which he invaded Thessaly, and after taking some small towns, encamped near Sycurium in the valley of the Peneius. The consul Licinius soon arrived in the same neighbourhood, and an action ensued between the cavalry of the two armies, in which the Macedonians were victorious; and if Perseus had chosen to follow up his advantage with vigour, might probably have led to the total defeat of the Romans. But the king wavered, drew off his forces, and even sent to the consul to renew his offers of peace, which were haughtily rejected by Licinius. The rest of the campaign passed over without any decisive result. The Romans in their turn obtained a slight advantage, and Perseus at the close of the summer withdrew into Macedonia, whither Licinius made no attempt to follow him. (Liv. 42.50_67; Plb. 27.8; Appian Mac. Exc. 10; Plut. Aenmil. 9; Zonar. 9.22; Eutrop. 4.6; Ores. 4.20.)

The second year of the war (B. C. 170) passed over without any striking action, but was on the whole favourable to Perseus. The Macedonian fleet defeated that of the Romans at Oreus; and the consul, A. Hostilius Mancinus, after an unsuccessful attempt to penetrate into Macedonia, through the passes of Elymiotis, remained inactive in Thessaly. Meanwhile, the Epeirots declared in favour of Perseus, by which his frontier became secured on that side; and so little cause did there appear to dread the advance of the Romans, that the king found leisure for an expedition against the Dardanians, by which he obtained a large booty. (Plut. Aemil. 9; Liv. 43.18.) During the heart of the following winter he crossed the mountains into Illyria with an army, but not so much with a view to conquest, as in order to gain over Gentins, king of the Illyrians, to his alliance. That monarch was favourably disposed towards the Macedonian cause, but was unable to act without money, and this Perseus was unwilling to give. A second expedition into Acarnania was also productive of little result. (Liv. 43.18-23.)

The arrival of the new consul Q. Marcius Philippus, in the spring of 169, for a moment gave fresh vigour to the Roman arms. By a bold but hazardous march he crossed the mountain ridge of Olympus, and thus descended into Macedonia near Heracleiumo. Had Perseus attacked him before he reached the plains he might probably have destroyed the whole Roman army: but instead of this he was seized with a panic terror, abandoned the strong position of Dium, and hastily retreated to Pydna. Marcius at first followed him, but was soon compelled by want of provisions to fall back to Phila, and Perseus again occupied the line of the Enipeus. (Liv. 44.1_10; Plb. 29.6; Diod. xxx. Exc. Vales. pp. 578, 579; Exc. Vat. pp. 74, 75 ; Zonar. 9.22.)

The length to which the war had been unexpectedly protracted, and the ill success of the Roman arms, had by this time excited a general feeling in favour of the Macedonian monarch; Prusias, king of Bithynia, and the Rhodians, both interposed their good offices at Rome to obtain for him a peace upon moderate terms; and even his bitter enemy Eumenes began to waver, and entered into secret negotiations with the same view. [Eumenes.] These were, however, rendered abortive by the refusal of Perseus to advance the sum of money demanded by the king of Pergamus as the price of his interposition; and the same unseasonable niggardliness deprived the king of the services of 20,000 Gaulish mercenaries, who had actually advanced into Macedonia to his support, but retired on failing to obtain their stipulated pay. 'Many of the Greek states, also, which had been from the commencement of the war favourably disposed towards Perseus, might undoubtedly have been induced at this juncture openly to espouse his cause, had he been more liberal of his treasures: but his blind avarice led him to sacrifice all these advantages. Even when he was compelled to advance 300 talents to Gentius, in order to secure his cooperation, he contrived basely to defraud his ally of the greater part of the money. [Gentius]. (Liv. 44.14, 23_27; Plut. Aemil. 12, 13; Plb. 28.8, 9, 29.2, 3, Exc. Vat. p. 427-431 ; Diod. xxx. Exc. Vales. p. 580, Exc. Vat. p. 73, 74; Dio Cass. Fr. 73; Appian. Mac. Exc. 16.)

While Perseus was thus compelled by his own ill-timed avarice to carry on the contest against Rome single-handed, the arrival of the new consul, L. Aemilius Paulus, who took the command of the Roman army early in the summer of 168, speedily changed the face of affairs. Finding the position of Perseus on the bank of the Enipeus so strong as to be unassailable in front, he dexterously turned its flank by sending Scipio Nasica with 8000 men across the mountain pass of Pythium, and thus compelled the Macedonian king to fall back upon Pydna. Here the latter was at length induced to await the approach of the enemy, and it was in the plain near that town that the battle was fought which decided the fate of the Macedonian monarchy (June 22, B. C. 168 * Concerning this date, see Clinton, F. H. vol. iii, p. 82.). For a time the serried ranks of the phalanx seemed likely to carry every thing before them, but its order was soon broken by the inequalities of the ground; and the Romans rushing in, made a fearful carnage of the Macedonian infantry, of whom not less than 20,000 were slain, while the cavalry fled from the field almost without striking a blow. Perseus himself was among the foremost of the fugitives: he at first directed his flight to Pella, but finding himself abandoned by his friends, he hastened from thence to Amphipolis, accompanied only by three foreign officers and 500 Cretan mercenaries. With these few followers, and the treasures which had been collected at Amphipolis, he threw himself for safety into the sacred island of Samothrace. (Liv. 44.32-46; Plut. Aemil. 13_23; Plb. 29.6; Zonar. 9.23 ; Eutrop. 4.7; Oros. 4.20; Veil. Pat. 1.9.)

Here he was quickly blockaded by the praetor Cn. Octavius with the Roman fleet, and though the latter did not venture to violate the sanctuary in which the king had taken refuge, Perseus found himself abandoned, in succession, by his few remaining followers; and after an ineftectual attenipt to escape by sea to Thrace, was at length compelled to surrender himself and his children into the hands of the Roman praetor. When brought before Aemilius, he is said to have degraded himself by the most abject supplications : but he was treated with kindness and courtesy by the Roman general, who allowed him every degree of liberty compatible with his position. The following year he was carried to Italy, where he xvas compelled to adorn the splendid triumph of his conqueror (Nov. 30. B. C. 167), and afterwards cast into a dungeon, from whence, however, the inteicession of Aemilius procured his release, and he was permitted to end his days in an honourable captivity at Alba. He survived his removal thither during a period which is variously stated at from two to five years (Diod. Exc. Phot. p. 516; Vell. 1.11; Porphyr. apud Euseb. Arm. p. 158) ; and died, according to some accounts, by voluntary starvation, while others-fortunately with less probability-represent him as falling a victim to the cruelty of his guards, who deprived him of sleep. (Liv. 45.4-9, 28, 35, 42; Plut. Aemil. 26, 27, 34, 37; Diod. xxx. Exc. Vat. p. 78; Exc. Vales. p. 581, Exc. Phot. p. 516; Dio Cass. Fr. 74, 75 ; Zonar. 9.23. 24; Eutrop. 4.7. 8; Oros. l.c. ; V. Max. 5.1.1; Just. 33.2.)

The character of Perseus has been represented in the most unfavourable light by the Roman his torians, who have sought, by blackening his name, to palliate the gross injustice by which the republic forced him into the war that ended in his ruin. But with every allowance for this partiality, it is impossible not to regard him as at once odious and despicable. Polybiuis, indeed, tells us (26.5). that at the beginning of his reign he conciliated the minds of his subjects by the mildness of his rule, and that the temperance of his private life presented a strong contrast to that of his father. But it is clear, from the words of the historian, that these fair appearances did not last long. Avarice appears to have been his ruling passion and to this, as we have seen, he sacrificed even tuially his kingdom and his life. But there are many other yet darker stains upon his character: his perfidy to his friends, and the mean jealousy with which he sought to avenge upon others the consequences of his own misconduct, are enough to condemn his name to infamy. The weakness of his character is glaringly conspicuous throughout the whole history of his life: and his conduct of the war displays the same vacillating uncertainty of purpose which he had evinced during the transactions that had preceded it. Even if the cowardice of which he is accused at Pydna be exaggerated by his enemies (see Plut. Aemil. 19), the panic terror with which he had abandoned his strong position in the preceding campaign, and the abject meanness of his conduct before Paullms, are sufficient evidences of his pusillanimity.

A history of the reign and life of Perseus was written. by a Greek author of the name of Posidonius, who is repeatedly cited by Plutarch (Aemil. 19, 21), as a contemporary and eye-witness of the events which he related. Among modern writers Flathe Geschichte Macedoniens, vol. ii. p. 533-566) has entered into a laborious vindication of the Macedonian king.

Perseus had been twice carried; the name of his first wife, whom he is said to have killed with his own hand in a fit of passion (Liv. 42.5) is not recorded; his second, Laodice, has been already mentioned. He left two children; a son, Alexander, and a daughter, both apparently by his second marriage, as they were mere children when carried to Rome. Besides these, he had adopted his younger brother Philip, who appears to have been regarded by him as the heir to his throne, and became the partner of his captivity. (Liv. 42.52, 45.6, 39; Plut. Aemil. 33, 37 ; Zonar. 9.24.) [E.H.B]

Perseus

a painter, the disciple of Apelles, who addressed to him a work upon painting. At least so we understand the somewhat ambiguous passage of Pliny (Plin. Nat. 35.10. s. 36.23), "Apellis discipulus Perseus, ad qwuetm de hae arte scripsit," which is generally understood to mean the converse, namely, that Perseus wrote upon painting to Apelles. Their former interpretation is, we think, more strictly grammatical; also. it was more nattiural and usual for a great master to write a work for the instruction of a favonrite pupil, than for a pupil to inscribe a work to his master ; and, above all, the name of Perseus does not occur as a writer on painting, either in Pliny's lists of his authorities, or elsewhere, whereas it is well known that Apelles wrote upon his art. Perseus must have flourished about Ol. 118, B. C. 308. [P.S]

Perseus

(Περσεύς). Son of Zeus and Danaë, the daughter of Acrisius. A sketch of his fabulous history has already been given under a previous article (see Danaë); and it remains here but to relate the particulars of his enterprise against the Gorgons. When Perseus had made his rash promise to Polydectes, by which he bound himself to bring the latter the Gorgon 's head, he retired full of grief to the extremity of the island of Scyros, where Hermes came to him, promising that he and Athené would be his guides. Hermes brought him first to the Graiae (see Phorcydes), whose eye and tooth he stole and would not restore until they had furnished him with directions to the abode of the nymphs who were possessed of the winged shoes, the magic wallet, and the helmet of Pluto which made the wearer invisible. Having obtained from the Graiae the requisite information, he came to the nymphs, who gave him their precious possessions: he then flung the wallet over his shoulder, placed the helmet on his head, and fitted the shoes to his feet. Thus equipped, and grasping the short curved sword (ἅρπη) which Hermes gave him, he mounted into the air, accompanied by the gods, and flew to the ocean, where he found the three Gorgons asleep. (See Gorgones.) Fearing to gaze on their faces, which changed the beholder to stone, he looked on the head of Medusa as it was reflected on his shield, and, Athené guiding his hand, he severed it from her body. The blood gushed forth, and with it the winged steed Pegasus and Chrysaor, the father of Geryon, for Medusa was at that time pregnant by Poseidon. Perseus took up the head, put it into his wallet, and set out on his return. The two sisters awoke, and pursued the fugitive; but, protected by the helmet of Pluto, he eluded their vision, and they were obliged to give over the bootless chase ( Scut. 220-230; Pausan. v. 18, 1). Perseus pursued his aërial route, and after having, in the course of his journey, punished the inhospitality of Atlas (q.v.) by changing him into a rocky mountain (Ovid, Met. iv. 626 foll.), he came to the country of the Ethiopians. Here he liberated Andromeda (see Andromeda), whom he married. He is also said to have come to the Hyperboreans, by whom he was hospitably received. On his return to Seriphos, he found his mother with Dictys in a temple, whither they had fled from the violence of Polydectes. Perseus then went to the palace of Polydectes, and metamorphosed him and all his guests, and, some say, the whole island, into stone ( Pyth. xii. 10). He then presented the kingdom to Dictys. He gave the winged sandals and the helmet to Hermes, who restored them to the nymphs and to Pluto, and the head of Gorgon to Athené, who placed it in the middle of her shield or breast-plate. Perseus then went to Argos, accompanied by

Danaë and Andromeda. Acrisius, remembering the oracle, escaped to Larissa, in the country of the Pelasgians; but Perseus followed him, in order to persuade him to return. Some writers state that Perseus, on his return to Argos, found Proetus, who had expelled his brother Acrisius, in possession of the kingdom; and that Perseus slew Proetus, and was afterwards killed by Megapenthes, the son of Proetus. The more common tradition, however, relates that when Teutamidas, king of Larissa, celebrated games in honour of his guest Acrisius, Perseus, who took part in them, accidentally hit the foot of Acrisius with the discus, and thus killed him. Acrisius was buried outside the city of Larissa, and Perseus, leaving the kingdom of Argos to Megapenthes, the son of Proetus, received from him in exchange the government of Tiryns. According to others, Perseus remained in Argos, and successfully opposed the introduction of the Bacchic orgies. Perseus is said to have founded the towns of Midea and Mycenae. By Andromeda he became the father of Perses, Aïcaeus, Sthenelus, Heleus, Mestor, Electryon, Gorgophoné, and Autochthé. Perseus was worshipped as a hero in several places in Greece and even in Egypt (Herod.ii. 91).

Perseus

or Perses (Περσεύς). The last king of Macedonia, the eldest son of Philip V. He reigned eleven years, from B.C. 178 to 168. Before his accession he persuaded his father to put to death his younger brother Demetrius, whom he suspected that the Roman Senate intended to set up as a competitor for the throne on the death of Philip. Immediately after his accession he began to make preparations for war with the Romans, which he knew to be inevitable, though seven years elapsed before actual hostilities commenced. The war broke out in B.C. 171. The first year of the war was marked by no striking action. The consul P. Licinius Crassus first suffered a defeat in Thessaly in an engagement between the cavalry of the two armies, but subsequently gained a slight advantage over the king's troops. The second year of the war (B.C. 170), in which the consul A. Hostilius Mancinus commanded, also passed over without any important battle, but was, on the whole, favourable to Perseus. The third year (B.C. 169), in which the consul Q. Marcius Philippus commanded, again produced no important results. The length to which the war had been unexpectedly protracted, and the ill success of the Roman arms, had by this time excited a general feeling in favour of the Macedonian monarch; but the ill-timed avarice of Perseus, who refused to advance the sum of money which Eumenes, king of Pergamus, demanded, deprived him of this valuable ally; and the same unseasonable niggardliness likewise deprived him of the services of twenty thousand Gallic mercenaries, who had actually advanced into Macedonia to his support, but retired on failing to obtain their stipulated pay. He was left to carry on the contest against Rome single-handed.

The fourth year of the war (B.C. 168) was also the last. The new consul, L. Aemilius Paulus, defeated Perseus with great loss in a decisive battle fought near Pydna, on June 22, B.C. 168. Perseus took refuge in the island of Samothrace, where he shortly afterwards surrendered with his children to the praetor Cn. Octavius. When brought before Aemilius he is said to have degraded himself by the most abject supplications; but he was treated with kindness by the Roman general. The following year he was carried to Italy, where he was compelled to adorn the splendid triumph of his conqueror (November 30, B.C. 167), and afterwards cast into a dungeon, from whence, however, the intercession of Aemilius procured his release, and he was permitted to end his days in an honourable captivity at Alba. He survived his removal thither a few years, and died, according to some accounts, by voluntary starvation, while others, fortunately with less probability, represent him as falling a victim to the cruelty of his guards, who deprived him of sleep. Perseus had been twice married; the name of his first wife, whom he is said to have killed with his own hand in a fit of passion, is not recorded; his second, Laodicé, was the daughter of Seleucus IV. Philopator. He left two children —a son, Alexander, and a daughter, both apparently by his second marriage, as they were mere children when carried to Rome. Besides these, he had adopted his younger brother Philip, who appears to have been regarded by him as the heir to his throne, and who became the partner of his captivity. See Livy, bks. xl.-xliv.; and Polyb. bks. xxiv., xxvi., xxvii., xxix.

Perseus Perseus, son of Zeus and Danae

• Apollod. 1.2.6, Apollod. 2.4.1, Hdt. 7.61, Hdt. 7.150
• grandson of Acrisius, invents the quoit: Paus. 2.16.2
• his supposed Egyptian origin and temple at Chemmis: Hdt. 2.91
• Persian belief that he was an Assyrian: Hdt. 6.53, Hdt. 6.54
• "Perseus' watchtower" alleged to be in the west of the Delta: Hdt. 2.15
• cast into the sea with his mother, washed ashore on Seriphus: Apollod. 2.4.1
• sent by Polydectes to fetch the Gorgon's head: Apollod. 2.4.1
• visits the Phorcides and nymphs: Apollod. 2.4.1, Apollod. 2.4.2
• receives cap and shoes from nymphs: Paus. 3.17.3
• slays Medusa: Apollod. 2.4.2, Apollod. 2.4.2, Paus. 1.22.7, Paus. 1.23.7, Paus. 2.21.5ff., Paus. 2.27.2, Paus. 3.18.11
• pursued by sisters of Medusa: Paus. 5.18.5
• slays seabeast and washes off blood at spring in Joppa: Paus. 4.35.9
• rescues Andromeda: Apollod. 2.4.2, Apollod. 2.4.3
• turns Phineus to stone: Apollod. 2.4.3
• comes to Seriphus and turns Polydectes to stone: Apollod. 2.4.3
• gives back the sandals, wallet, and cap to Hermes: Apollod. 2.4.3
• gives the Gorgon's head to Athena: Apollod. 2.4.3
• goes to Argos: Apollod. 2.4.3
• defeats Dionysus and his host of Bacchanals at Argos: Paus. 2.20.4, Paus. 2.22.1, Paus. 2.23.7
• founds Mycenae: Paus. 2.15.4, Paus. 2.16.3
• sacrifices to Apesantian Zeus: Paus. 2.15.3
• goes to Larisa: Paus. 2.16.2
• accidentally kills Acrisius with quoit: Apollod. 2.4.4, Paus. 2.16.2
• surrenders Argos and reigns over Tiryns: Apollod. 2.4.4
• exchanges kingdom with Megapenthes: Paus. 2.16.3
• his children by Andromeda: Apollod. 2.4.4
• father of Gorgophone: Apollod. 1.9.2, Apollod. 1.2.2
• father of Cynurus: Paus. 3.2.2, and of Gorgophone: Paus. 2.21.7, Paus. 3.1.4, Paus. 4.2.4
• precinct of Perseus at Athens: Paus. 2.18.1
• shrine near Mycenae: Paus. 2.18.1
• honoured most in Seriphus: Paus. 2.18.1
• representations in art: Paus. 1.22.7, Paus. 1.23.7, Paus. 2.27.2, Paus. 3.17.3, Paus. 3.18.11, Paus. 5.18.5, Paus. 10.10.5
• saviours of Perseus: Paus. 2.18.1

Perseus(2), son of Nestor

• Apollod. 1.9.9

Perseus(3), son of Philip

• king of Macedonia: Paus. 1.36.6
• poisons his brother Demetrius: Paus. 2.9.5, Paus. 4.29.1
• attacks Abrupolis, king of the Sapaeans: Paus. 7.10.6
• conquered by Romans: Paus. 7.10.5-7
• carried prisoner to Italy: Paus. 1.36.6