Perseus shield. Perseus then proceeded to the Gorgons' cave. In the cave he came upon the sleeping Medusa. By viewing Medusa's reflection in his polished shield, he safely approached and cut off her head. From her neck sprang Pegasus ("he who sprang") and Chrysaor ("sword of gold"), the result of Poseidon and Medusa's mating. The other two Gorgons pursued Perseus, but, wearing his helm of darkness, he escaped. From here he proceeded to visit King Atlas who had refused him hospitality; in revenge Perseus turned him to stone. On the way back to Seriphos Island, Perseus stopped in the kingdom of
Polydectes did slay the Gorgon Medusa, and as proof, he revealed her severed head. When Polydectes and his nobles gazed upon the prize, they were then turned to solid stone. In a version recorded by Hyginus, Polydectes attempted to treacherously kill Perseus in fear of his courage, but Perseus was just in time to expose the Gorgon's head before him. Perseus then handed the kingdom of Seriphos over to Dictys. In an alternate version followed by Hyginus, Polydectes married Danae as she was brought to him by Dictys, and had Perseus brought up in a temple of Athena. He did not