All About Andromeda in Greek Mythology
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Andromeda was the daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, who came from the Kingdom Aethiopia. She was not only the kingdom’s princess, but she was also particularly known for her great beauty. However, her monther, Queen Cassiopeia, was particularly boastful about how gorgeous her daughter was, and this eventually got Andromeda into trouble. Here is the story of who Andromeda was and the trouble this eventually caused her:
Who Princess Andromeda Really Was
As mentioned above, Andromeda was the beloved daughter of the king and queen of the Kingdom of Ethopia. She was particularly known for her beauty, but the princess herself was often portrayed as being fairly humble. It was her mother, Queen Cassiopeia, who was proud of how beautiful her daughter was. Because the queen was so confident in her daughter’s beauty, she often would compare her daughter to the creatures of myth who were also considered beautiful. In her comparisons, her daughter was always consider to be the most beautiful.
Andromeda Considered More Beautiful than the Sea Nymphs
One day, Queen Cassiopeia boasted that Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids, who were the nymphs who were the daughters of Poseidon. The beauty of the Nereids was legendary, and they were not only his daughters, but also his beloved companions who often accompanied him on his sea voyages. They also played a part in the story of Jason and the Argonauts during his quest for the golden fleece. They were also not happy to hear that Cassiopeia determined that her daughter’s beauty was greater than theirs so they decided to get their revenge.
The Nereids Convince Poseidon to Send a Seam Monster After Andromeda
Whether or not Andromeda actually agreed with her mother – that she was more beautiful than the Nereids – is unclear. However, it wasn’t just the princess who was meant to pay for her mother’s actions. Out of revenge, Poseidon sent the sea monster, Cetus, to Aethiopia to ravage the coastline of Aethiopia. Seeing that his people were struggling, the king consulted an oracle to see what he should do. Her advice was to strip Andromeda naked and tie down so that the monster could ravage her. This is the only way that the people of Aethiopia would find peace, she said.
Andromeda is Rescued by Perseus and the Two Were Married
The hero Perseus, however, ultimately would not let this happen. When he found Andromeda while she was chained, her instantly fell in love with her. He knew what he had to do. Instead of let Andromeda be eaten, he fought Cetus until the sea monster met its end. After the monster was killed, Andromeda and Perseus were married. She traveled with him to his homeland and they are always portrayed as having a happy and adventurous life together. The pair also had seven children, all of whom were well known in other Greek mythological stories – Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electryon, and Cynurus.
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Categorized in: Greek Mythology
This post was written by Greek Boston
