Hyginus Fabulae, 63-64
Danaë and Andromeda.
Danaë was the daughter of Acrisius and Aganippe. It was prophesied to her that a child she bore would slay Acrisius. Fearing this, Acrisius enclosed her within a stone wall. However, Jupiter changed himself into a golden shower and slept with Danaë, and from this union Perseus was born. (2) Her father condemned her for fornication and cast her with Perseus in a casket into the sea. This casket was carried by the will of Jupiter to the island of Seriphus. When a fisherman there named Dictys discovered it, he broke it open and saw the woman with her baby. He took them to Polydectes (the king) who married her and raised Perseus in the temple of Minerva. (4) When Acrisius found out that they were staying in the court of Polydectes, he set forth to seek them out. When he arrived, Polydectes besought him for leniency. Perseus swore an oath to Acrisius, his grandfather, that he would never slay him. (5) When he got caught in a storm, Polydectes was killed. When they held funeral games for him, Perseus threw a discus, which a windgust carried off course right at the head of Acrisius, and thus killed him. Thus: something he did not wish for in his own desires was accomplished of the gods. After Acrisius was buried, Perseus proceeded to Argos and occupied his grandfather's kingdom.

Andromeda — Cassiope claimed the beauty of her daughter Andromeda was greater than the Nereids'. For this reason Neptune demanded that Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus, be thrown to the a seamonster. And when she was thrown out for it, Perseus is said to have come there flying on the talaria of Mercury and to have freed her from danger. When he desired to take her away, Cepheus her father and Agenor, to whom she was betrothed, wanted to murder Perseus secretly. He learned of the scheme and showed them the Gorgon's head and everybody was transformed from human beings into stone. Perseus returned to his homeland with Andromeda. Polydectes — or in some versions Proteus — saw Perseus and wanted to possess his heroism; but he feared him and wanted to murder him by deceit. When Perseus found about this, he showed him the Gorgon's head and Polydectes was transformed from a human being into rock. —— trans by RTM


63. Danaë

Danae Acrisii et Aganippes filia. huic fuit fatum ut quod peperisset Acrisium interficeret; quod timens Acrisius, eam in muro lapideo praeclusit. Iouis autem in imbrem aureum conuersus cum Danae concubuit, ex quo compressu natus est Perseus. (2) quam pater ob stuprum inclusam in arca cum Perseo in mare deiecit. (3) ea uoluntate Iouis delata est in insulam Seriphum, quam piscator Dictys cum inuenisset, effracta ea uidit mulierem cum infante, quos ad regem Polydectem perduxit, qui eam in coniugio habuit et Perseum educauit in templo Mineruae.(4) quod cum Acrisius rescisset eos ad Polydectem morari, repetitum eos profectus est; quo cum uenisset, Polydectes pro eis deprecatus est, Perseus Acrisio auo suo fidem dedit se eum numquam interfecturum.(5) qui cum tempestate retineretur, Polydectes moritur; cui cum funebres ludos facerent, Perseus disco misso quem uentus distulit in caput Acrisii [et] eum interfecit.(6) ita quod uoluntate sua noluit, deorum factum est; sepulto autem eo Argos profectus est regnaque auita possedit.

64. Andromeda.

Cassiope filiae suae Andromedae formam Nereidibus ante posuit. ob id Neptunus expostulauit ut Andromeda Cephei filia ceto obiceretur. (2) quae cum esset obiecta, Perseus Mercurii talaribus uolans eo dicitur uenisse et eam liberasse a periculo; quam cum adducere uellet, Cepheus pater cum Agenore, cuius sponsa fuit, Perseum clam interficere uoluerunt. (3) ille cognita re caput Gorgonis eis ostendit omnesque ab humana specie sunt informati in saxum. Perseus cum Andromeda in patriam redit. (4) Polydectes [siue Proetus] ut uidit Perseum tantam uirtutem habere, pertimuit eumque per dolum interficere uoluit; qua re cognita Perseus caput Gorgonis ei ostendit et is ab humana specie est immutatus in lapidem.