Zeus fathered Perseus by visiting Danaë in the form of a shower of gold while she was imprisoned inside a bronze tower. The Oracle at Delphi warned King Acrisius that his grandson would kill him, which led to this divine conception.
Hermes provided winged sandals and a harpe sword to help Perseus fly and slay the Gorgon. Athena lent him her polished shield so he could view Medusa's reflection without becoming petrified.
King Acrisius died when Perseus accidentally struck him with a flying disc during a public display of quoits. This event fulfilled the prophecy that Acrisius would be killed by his own grandson despite the lack of intent.
Pausanias asserted that Greeks believed Perseus founded Mycenae as his capital city where he took up official residence with Andromeda. A shrine to Perseus stood on the left-hand side of the road from Mycenae to Argos along with a sacred fountain called Persea.
The legend states that Perseus was given a place in the stars forever because he fought Cetus for someone else. The constellation contains the variable star Algol and lies east in winter near stars Betelgeuse and Sirius.