Andromeda

Andromeda, Gustave Doré, 1869

In Greek Mythology, Andromeda is the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, King and Queen of Ethiopia. Her mother boasted that she herself (or, in some stories, her daughter) was more beautiful than the Nereids (sea nymphs). To punish the queen for her arrogance, Poseidon sent a sea monster named Cetus to ravage the kingdom.

The desperate King consulted the Oracle of Ammon, who announced that no respite would be found until the King sacrificed her daughter Andromeda to the monster. She was chained naked to a rock on the coast.Perseus was returning from having slain the gorgon Medusa, when he found Andromeda. Perseus was still wearing the winged sandals of Hermes that he had used in the task of decapitating Medusa, while watching what he was doing only through a mirror. He asked what had happened to Andromeda, and then when he heard, he promptly offered to rescue her by killing the sea monster, but on condition that her parents give her him in marriage. They agreed.

And so, Perseus showed the head of Medusa to the sea monster, which immediately turned to stone.  Then he unchained the princess and brought Andromeda back to her parents. Unknown to Perseus, Cepheus had already promised Andromeda to her uncle Phineus. At the marriage feast for Perseus and Andromeda, Phineus showed up with a group of armed supporters and demanded that Andromeda be given to him. However, Perseus once again used the head of Medusa and turned Phineus and his men to stone.

After her death, Andromeda was placed among the stars as the Andromeda constellation.