Dictys

Fisherman of Seriphos and the good half of the Polydectes–Dictys pair of brothers — 'diktys' meaning the fishing-net, after the net in which he hauled in the drifting chest that held Danaë and the infant Perseus. He took them into his own house and raised the boy as a brother, while his elder brother Polydectes ruled as king of the island. When Polydectes turned on Danaë during Perseus's absence, Dictys sheltered her at the altar where no violence could be done (Apollodorus *Bibliotheca* 2.4.2–3; Pherecydes fr. 11 Fowler). After Perseus petrified the king and his circle, Perseus gave Dictys the throne; he is the only major figure in the story who wanted nothing, did nothing treacherous, and lived.

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