Andromeda | Daughter of Cepheus

Andromeda, in Greek mythology, was a princess from Ethiopia, offered as a sacrifice to a sea monster. She was saved by Perseus, who took her as his wife.

Family

Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and Cassiopeia.

There are two versions for Cepheus' parents, attributed to Euripides, possibly they are two different kings of Ethiopia. Quoted by Pseudo-Apolodorus, Cepheus was the son of Belo with Anquinoe, daughter of the Nile; his brothers were Egyptians, Dadano and Phineus. Quoted by Hyginus, Cepheus was the son of Phoenix, king of Ethiopia

Her husband, Perseus, was the son of Dânae and Zeus (or of Black, Dânae's uncle).

Sacrifice

Andromeda's mother said that her beauty exceeded the beauty of the Nereids, and Poseidon demanded that she be sacrificed to Ceto (mythology), a sea monster.

Perseus, however, flying with winged sandals of Hermes, freed her from danger. When Perseus wanted to marry Andromeda, Cepheus and Agenor, the princess' fiancé, had a plan to kill him, but Perseus used Medusa's head to turn them into stone.

A different, rationalized version of the myth is presented by the mythographer Conon: Cepheus, the brother of Phineus, was king of Joppa and Phoenicia, which at this time was called Jopia.

Since there were two suitors for Andromeda - Phineus and Phoenix - Cepheus, after a long time, decided that she would marry Phoenix. Not wanting to come into conflict with his brother, Cepheus said he would take Andromeda to a desert island, where she would be sacrificed to Aphrodite.

Phoenix took advantage of the chance given by his future father-in-law and took Andromeda on his ship decorated with a whale, called Cetus. Andromeda, believing she was being kidnapped, cried out for help, which got Perseus' attention. The hero jumped into the ship with such fury that he left the sailors petrified and took Andromeda with him to Argos.

Children and descendants

After Perseus returned with Andromeda, Polydectus, seeing Perseus' courage, tried to kill him at treachery, however he too was turned to stone.

Perseus and Andromeda had several children: Perses, who was born before Perseus arrived in Greece, was left with Cepheus, and became the ancestor of the Persians, and in Mycenae were born Alceu, Esthelo, Heleus, Mestor, Electrian, and their daughter Gorgophon, who married Perieres.

Among their descendants are Heracles, son of Alcmena, daughter of Electrion; Eurystheus, son of Stenelo; Helen of Troy, daughter of Tyndareus, son of Gorgophona; and Penelope, daughter of Icharius, son of Gorgophona.