SERIPHOS (island)
Greek island
- Kind of place
- Island
- People of myth here
- Danaë, Dictys, Perseus, Polydectes
- Where
- 37.15° N, 24.50° E
The island is described as having an abundance of rocks. Strabo 10.5.10 Perseus brought the Gorgon's head to the island and turned its inhabitants to stone to avenge his mother against King Polydectes. Pindar, Pythian 12 ¶2 Perseus arrived at this island to find his mother and Dictys hiding at altars, and the greatest honors paid to Perseus are performed here. Apollodorus 2.4.3
Described in the sources
The chest carrying Danae and Perseus was washed ashore on this island, where Dictys caught them in a net. Apollodorus 2.4.1 +2 The island has a circumference of twelve miles. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.22 ¶1 Seriphus is located among the Cyclades islands in the Myrtoan Sea. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 4.22 ¶1 Polydectes, the brother of Dictys, held the position of king on this island. Apollodorus 2.4.2
Stories and history
Dictys found the boy on this island and raised him. Apollodorus 2.4.1 Perseus appointed Dictys as the new king of this island. Apollodorus 2.4.3 Polydectes and Dictys established a colony on the island. Apollodorus 1.9.6 The island joined Minos's side during his military campaign. Ovid Met. 7.402-468 (4) People jokingly claim the rocky terrain was created by the Gorgon. Strabo 10.5.10 Perseus was raised on this island after being rescued from the sea. Strabo 10.5.10 The frogs living on this island are currently mute, but they begin to croak when moved to other locations. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 8.83 ¶1
Myths set at Seriphos
- The Flight from Seriphos. hook: King Polydectes hates Perseus and tries to force his mother into marriage. goal: Perseus flies away from the island to escape. outcome: Perseus leaves the island, bringing doom to its people. Ovid Met. 5.243-340 +5 Perseus
- Perseus Petrifies Polydectes. Perseus returns to Seriphos carrying Medusa's severed head. He uses the head to petrify Polydectes and his allies, ending their threat. Apollodorus 2.4.3 +4 Medusa
- The Casting of Perseus and Danae. A king casts his daughter and infant son into the sea in a chest, but sea goddesses intervene to save them. The baby is found and raised on an island, setting the stage for his future as a hero. Apollodorus 2.4.1 +3 Perseus
- The Abandonment of Danae and Perseus. Acrisius, furious that his daughter Danae had a lover, imprisoned her and the newborn Perseus in a chest and ordered them thrown into the sea. The chest washed ashore on the island of Seriphus, saving the mother and child. Apollodorus 2.4.1 +2 Acrisius
- The Return to Seriphos. Perseus returns to Seriphos to find his mother and Dictys hiding from a plot by Phineus and his conspirators. He defeats the plotters with the Gorgon's head and appoints Dictys as the new king. Apollodorus 2.4.3 +2 Perseus
- The Petrification of Seriphos. Perseus arrives on the island of Seriphos carrying the Gorgon's head. He turns the people of Seriphos into stone to avenge the mistreatment of his mother. Strabo 10.5.10 Perseus