Danae was Perseus’s mother in Greek mythology.
Danae was the daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos. An oracle warned Acrisius that a son born to Danae would eventually kill him, so he attempted to prevent her from having a child. In one famous version, he confined Danae in a bronze chamber or underground room.
Zeus reached Danae in the form of a shower of gold, and she later gave birth to Perseus. When Acrisius discovered the child, he placed mother and son in a chest and cast them into the sea. They survived and reached Seriphos, where Dictys rescued them.
Danae is often confused with Andromeda, whom Perseus later rescued and married. Danae is Perseus’s mother; Andromeda is his wife. Their stories are separate episodes within the same heroic cycle.