In Greek mythology, Perseus used winged sandals called talaria to travel during his quest for Medusa’s head.
The talaria were magical winged sandals traditionally associated with Hermes. In accounts of the Perseus legend, divine equipment helped the hero reach the Gorgons and escape after killing Medusa. Different ancient and later retellings vary in how Perseus receives or uses the sandals, but their role as a means of supernatural flight is a stable part of the mythic tradition.
The talaria are often confused with Perseus’s other famous objects. The kibisis was the bag used to carry Medusa’s severed head, while the helmet of invisibility belonged to Hades. Athena’s polished shield helped Perseus avoid looking directly at Medusa.
The word talaria comes from Latin literary tradition and is related to winged footwear in Roman descriptions of Mercury, the Roman counterpart of Hermes. Their inclusion emphasizes that Perseus’s victory depended on divine assistance as well as courage.