Andromeda- Greek FigureMortal"Princess of Ethiopia"

The Boast and the Sacrifice

Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and his wife Cassiopeia. Her mother boasted that she — or in some versions, that Andromeda herself — surpassed the Nereids, the fifty sea-nymph daughters of Nereus, in beauty. This hubris enraged Poseidon, patron and kinsman of the Nereids, who sent a great flood and the sea monster Cetus to devastate the Ethiopian coast. When Cepheus consulted the oracle of Ammon for a remedy, he learned that the only way to appease Poseidon was to expose Andromeda as a sacrifice to the monster. Despite his anguish, Cepheus was compelled by his desperate people to chain his daughter to a rock on the seashore, where she awaited the approach of Cetus.

The Rescue

Perseus, son of Zeus and Danaë, came upon Andromeda while returning from his quest to slay the Gorgon Medusa. Flying on winged sandals, he saw the princess chained to the cliff and was struck by her beauty. He approached Cepheus and Cassiopeia and offered to save Andromeda in exchange for her hand in marriage. When Cetus emerged from the sea, Perseus attacked and killed the beast — some traditions have him using his sword, the harpe given by Hermes, while others add that he petrified the monster with Medusa's severed head.

Andromeda had been betrothed to Phineus, her uncle. When Perseus claimed her as his bride, Phineus led an armed party to disrupt the wedding feast. Vastly outnumbered, Perseus turned to Medusa's head once more, petrifying Phineus and his followers where they stood.

Among the Stars

After their marriage, Perseus and Andromeda traveled to Seriphos and then to Argos, eventually settling at Mycenae where they founded a royal dynasty. Through their descendants they became ancestors of Heracles — their son Electryon fathered Alcmene, Heracles' mother. After Andromeda's death, Athena placed her among the stars, forming the constellation that bears her name. The whole cast followed her into the sky — Perseus, her parents, even the monster — all set as neighboring constellations.