:''See [[Andromeda (disambiguation)]] for other uses of "Andromeda".''
[[Image:1840 Chasseriau Theodore - Andromeda Chained to the Rock by the Nereids.jpg|thumb|right|180px|''Andromeda Chained to the Rock by the [[Nereids]]'' (1840) [[Théodore Chassériau]], [[Louvre]] ]]

'''Andromeda''' was a woman from [[Greek mythology]] who was chained to a rock to be a sacrifice to a sea monster as divine punishment for her mother's bragging. She was saved from death by [[Perseus]], her future husband. Her name is the [[Latin language|Latinized]] form of the Greek '''Ανδρομέδη''' (''Andromedē''). The [[etymology]] of the name is "to think of a man," from '''ανδρος''' (''andros'') "of a man" combined with '''μηδομαι''' (''mēdomai'') "to think, to be mindful of."

== Myth ==
[[Image:1869 Edward Poynter - Andromeda.jpg|left|thumb|''Andromeda'' (1869) [[Edward Poynter]] ]]
In [[Greek mythology]], Andromeda was the daughter of [[Cepheus, King of Aethiopia|Cepheus]] and [[Cassiopeia (mythology)|Cassiopeia]], king and queen of the [[Phoenicia|Phoenician]] kingdom [[Ethiopia (Mythology)|Ethiopia]].

Her mother Cassiopeia bragged that she was more beautiful than the [[Nereids]], the [[nymph]]-daughters of the sea god [[Nereus]] and often seen accompanying [[Poseidon]]. To punish the Queen for her arrogance, Poseidon, brother to Zeus and God of the Sea, sent a sea monster, Cetus, to ravage the coast of [[Ethiopia]] and the kingdom of the vain Queen. The desperate King consulted the [[Ammon]], the [[Oracle]] of Zeus, who announced that no respite would be found until the king sacrificed his virgin daughter Andromeda to the monster. She was duly chained to a rock on the coast.
[[Image:Paul_Gustave_Dore_Andromeda.jpg|thumb|''Andromeda'' exposed to the sea-monster (1869) [[Gustave Doré|Paul Gustave Doré]].]]
[[Perseus (mythology)|Perseus]], returning from having slain the [[Gorgon]] [[Medusa]], found Andromeda and slew the monster Cetus. He set her free, and married her in spite of Andromeda having been previously promised to [[Phineus]]. At the wedding a quarrel took place between the rivals, and Phineus was turned to stone by the sight of the Gorgon's head ([[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses (poem)|Metamorphoses]]'' v. 1).

Andromeda followed her husband to [[Tiryns]] in [[Argos]], and together they became the ancestors of the family of the ''Perseidae'' through the line of their son Perses. Perseus and Andromeda had six sons [[Perseides]], [[Perses]], [[Alcaeus]], [[Heleus]], [[Mestor]], [[Sthenelus (son of Andromeda and Perseus)|Sthenelus]], and [[Electryon]], and one daughter, [[Gorgophone]]. Their descendants ruled Mycenae from [[Electryon]] down to [[Eurystheus]], after whom [[Atreus]] attained the kingdom, and would also include the great hero [[Heracles]]. According to this mythology, Perses is the ancestor of the [[Persians]].

After her death she was placed by [[Athena]] amongst the [[constellation]]s in the northern sky, near Perseus and [[Cassiopeia]]. [[Sophocles]] and [[Euripides]] (and in more modern times [[Pierre Corneille|Corneille]]) made the story the subject of tragedies. The tale is represented in numerous ancient works of art.

==Constellations ==
Andromeda is represented in the northern sky by the [[constellation]] [[Andromeda (constellation)|Andromeda]] which contains the [[Andromeda Galaxy]].

Four constellations are associated with the myth. Viewing the fainter stars, visible to the naked eye, the constellations are rendered as:
*A large man wearing a [[Crown (headgear)|crown]], upside down with respect to the [[ecliptic]]. (The constellation [[Cepheus (constellation)|Cepheus]])
*A smaller figure, next to the man, sitting on a chair. As it is near the [[Polaris|pole star]], it can be seen the whole year, although sometimes upside down. (The constellation [[Cassiopeia (constellation)|Cassiopeia]])
*A maiden, chained up, facing/turning away from the ecliptic. (The constellation [[Andromeda (constellation)|Andromeda]]), next to [[Pegasus (constellation)|Pegasus]].
*A [[sea monster]] just under the ecliptic. (The constellation [[Cetus]])

Other constellations related to the story are:
*[[Perseus (constellation)|Perseus]]
*The constellation [[Pegasus (constellation)|Pegasus]], who was born from the stump of [[Medusa]]'s neck, after Perseus had decapitated her.
*The constellation [[Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]], which may have been treated as two fish caught by [[Dictys]] the [[fisherman]] who was brother of [[Polydectes]] king of [[Seriphos]] where Perseus and his mother [[Danaë]] were stranded.

[[Image:Mignard-Andromeda and Perseus.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The king of Ethiopia [[Cepheus, King of Aethiopia|Cepheus]] and the [[Cassiopeia (mythology)|Cassiopeia]] queen thank [[Perseus (mythology)|Perseus]] for freeing their daughter Andromeda, ''La Délivrance d'Andromède'' (1679) [[Pierre Mignard]], [[Louvre]] ]]

==Portrayals of the myth==
[[image:Andromedasculpt_metmuseum.jpg|left|thumb|A sculpture of Andromeda by [[Domenico Guidi]]]]
[[Sophocles]] and [[Euripides]] (and in more modern times [[Pierre Corneille|Corneille]]) made the story the subject of [[tragedies]], and its incidents were represented in numerous ancient works of art.

The 1981 film ''[[Clash of the Titans]]'' retells the story of Perseus, Andromeda, and Cassiopeia, but makes a few changes (notably Cassiopeia boasts that her daughter is more beautiful than [[Thetis]] as opposed to the Nereids as a group). Thetis was a Nereid, but also the future mother of [[Achilles]]. Andromeda is also depicted as being strong-willed, whereas in the stories she is only really mentioned as being the princess whom Perseus saves from the sea monster. Also, a subplot about Thetis' son [[Calibos]] was added to the plot of the film. However, he more closely resembles [[Caliban (character)|Caliban]] from [[Shakespeare]]'s ''[[The Tempest (play)|Tempest]]'' than any creature truly found in Greek myth.

Jean-Baptiste Lully's opera [[Persée]] also dramatizes the myth.

At the port city of [[Jaffa]], [[Israel]], an outcropping of rocks near the harbour is reputed by local legend to have been the place from which Andromeda was rescued by Perseus.

==Sources==
{{commonscat|Andromeda|Andromeda}}

*[[Apollodorus]], ''[[Bibliotheke]]'' II, iv, 3-5
*[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses (poem)|Metamorphoses]]'' IV, 668-764.
*[[Edith Hamilton]], ''[[Mythology (book)|Mythology]]'', Part Three, 204-207

[[Category:Greek mythology]]

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