Perseus: Words to Know

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Renown

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Fame and respect that you get because of something impressive you have done. For example, Perseus wanted to win renown by bringing back Medusa's head.

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Relent

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To become less strict or to give in. Athene told Perseus not to say goodbye to his mother, lest his heart relent at her crying. In this case, 'lest' means 'in case' or 'for fear that'.

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Scimitar

Back

A curved sword. Hermes had a scimitar of diamond.

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Brazen

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Made of brass, which is a shiny, yellowish metal. The Gorgons had brazen talons.

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Reproaches

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Criticizes or blames someone. One of the Grey Sisters asked, 'Who is this who reproaches us with old age?'.

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Immortal

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Able to live forever and never die. The sources say that the Gorgons Medusa was a sister of were immortal, so Athene warned Perseus not to touch them. The Nymphs who fetched the hat of darkness were also immortal.

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Bent on

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Determined to do something, often something that might be difficult or risky. The Nymphs said, 'Fair boy, if you are bent on your own ruin, be it so'. This means if he is really determined to face danger and possibly be harmed, they will let him.

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Lingered

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Stayed longer than necessary or expected. Perseus lingered before leaping from the cliff because he wanted to say goodbye to his mother and Dictys.

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Dread

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Great fear or worry about something that might happen. Perseus looked down the cliff and shuddered, but he was ashamed to show his dread.

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Venerable

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Deserving a great deal of respect because of age, wisdom, or character. Perseus addressed the Grey Sisters as 'venerable mothers'.