
The goddess Athena (or her Roman version Minerva) places Andromeda in the northern sky at her death as the constellation Andromeda, along with Perseus and her parents Cepheus and Cassiopeia, in commemoration of Perseus' bravery in fighting the sea monster Cetus. The great hero Heracles ( Hercules in Roman mythology) is also a descendant, his mother Alcmene being Electryon's daughter, while (like his grandfather Perseus) his father is the god Zeus. Their descendants rule Mycenae from Electryon down to Eurystheus, after whom Atreus attains the kingdom.

Perseus and Andromeda have seven sons: Perses (who, according to folk etymology, is the ancestor of the Persians), Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electryon, and Cynurus as well as two daughters, Autochthe and Gorgophone. However, after accidentally killing Argos' king, his grandfather, Acrisius, Perseus chooses to become king of neighboring Tiryns instead. They next go to Argos, where Perseus is the rightful heir to the throne. Īndromeda follows her husband to his native island of Serifos, where he rescues his mother, Danaë. At the wedding, a quarrel between the rivals ends when Perseus shows Medusa's head to Phineus and his allies, turning them to stone. Preparations are then made for their marriage, in spite of her having been previously promised to her uncle, Phineus. Perseus kills the monster with the magical sword he had used against Medusa, saving Andromeda. Upon seeing Andromeda bound to the rock, Perseus falls in love with her, and he secures Cepheus' promise of her hand in marriage if he can save her. Perseus is just then flying near the coast of Ethiopia on his winged sandals, having slain the Gorgon Medusa and carrying her severed head, which instantly turns to stone any who look at it. Perseus holds up Medusa's head so Andromeda may safely see its reflection in the pool below ( fresco, 1st century AD, Pompeii) From the Renaissance, interest revived in the original story, typically as derived from Ovid's Metamorphoses (4.663ff).

Her name is the Latinized form of the Greek Ἀνδρομέδα ( Androméda) or Ἀνδρομέδη ( Andromédē) 'ruler of men', from ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός ( anēr, andrós) meaning 'man, husband, human being', and μέδω ( medō) 'I protect, rule over'.Īs a subject, Andromeda has been popular in art since classical times rescued by a Greek hero, Andromeda's narration is considered the forerunner to the " princess and dragon" motif. Andromeda is chained to a rock as a sacrifice to sate the monster, but is saved from death by Perseus, who marries her and takes her to Greece to reign as his queen. When Cassiopeia boasts that she is more beautiful than the Nereids, Poseidon sends the sea monster Cetus to ravage the coast of Aethiopia as divine punishment. In Greek mythology, Andromeda ( / æ n ˈ d r ɒ m ɪ d ə/ Ancient Greek: Ἀνδρομέδα, romanized: Androméda or Ἀνδρομέδη, Andromédē) is the daughter of the king of Aethiopia, Cepheus, and his wife, Cassiopeia. Andromeda being tied for sacrifice, Apulian red-figure vase, ca.
