| Danaë | |
|---|---|
 AncientBoeotianbell-krater showingZeus impregnating Danaë in the form of a shower of gold, circa 450–425 BC | |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | Acrisius andEurydice |
| Consort | Zeus |
| Children | Perseus |
InGreek mythology,Danaë (/ˈdæneɪ.i/,[1]/ˈdæni.iː/;[2]Ancient Greek:Δανάη,romanized: Danáē;Ancient Greek:[da.ná.ɛː],Modern:[ðaˈna.i]) was anArgive princess and mother of the heroPerseus byZeus. She was credited with founding the city ofArdea inLatium during theBronze Age.
Danae was the daughter and only child of KingAcrisius ofArgos by his wife QueenEurydice[3] orAganippe.[4] In some accounts, she had a sister,Evarete, wife of KingOenomaus ofPisa and mother ofHippodamia.[5]
Disappointed by his lack of male heirs, King Acrisius asked theoracle of Delphi if this would change. The oracle announced to him that he would never have a son, but his daughter would, and that he would be killed by his daughter's son. At the time, Danaë was childless and, meaning to keep her so, King Acrisius shut her up in a bronze chamber to be constructed under the court of his palace (other versions say she was imprisoned in a tall brass tower with a single richly adorned chamber, but with no doors or windows, just a small air vent as the source of light and air). She was buried in this tomb, with the intent that she be closed off from all others for the rest of her life. However, Zeus, the king of the gods, desired her, and came to her in the form of golden rain which streamed in through the roof of the subterranean chamber and down into her womb. Soon after, their childPerseus was born.
Unwilling to provoke the wrath of the gods or theFuries by killing his offspring and grandchild, King Acrisius cast Danaë and Perseus into the sea in a wooden chest. The sea was calmed byPoseidon and, at the request of Zeus, the pair survived. They were washed ashore on the island ofSerifos, where they were taken in by the fishermanDictys—the brother of KingPolydectes—who raised Perseus to manhood in the temple of Athena. The King was charmed by Danaë, but she had no interest in him. Consequently, he agreed not to marry her only if her son would bring him the head of theGorgonMedusa. UsingAthena's shield,Hermes's winged sandals andHades's helmet of invisibility, Perseus was able to evade Medusa's gaze and decapitate her.
Later, after Perseus brought back Medusa's head and rescuedAndromeda the princess ofAethiopia, the oracle's prophecy came true. He started for Argos, but learning of the prophecy, instead went toLarissa, where athletic games,Olympics, were being held. By chance, an aging Acrisius was there and Perseus accidentally struck him on the head with hisjavelin (ordiscus), fulfilling the prophecy.
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