text:  But between the monster and the damsel Perseus was depicted descending to the encounter from the upper regions of the air--his body bare except a mantle floating round his shoulders and winged sandals on his feet--a cap resembling the helmet of Pluto was on his head and in his left hand he held before him like a buckler the head of the Gorgon which even in the pictured representation was terrible to look at shaking its snaky hair which seemed to erect itself and menace the beholder