Myths about Perseus

As the myth goes ...

Andromeda was the daughter of a very rich man, but she was not spoiled at all. Andromeda was as kind as she was beautiful. She was even more beautiful than her mother. Andromeda lived in a city by the sea. She was very happy. Everything was going along swimmingly until one day Andromeda's mother went too far with her boasting.

Her mother boasted about Andromeda all the time. Her mother insisted she was the most beautiful child ever born, except for Venus, of course. One day, she boasted that Andromeda was more beautiful than any of the gods' daughters (except for Venus, of course.)

The trouble started when Neptune's daughters heard her boasting. Neptune had always told his daughters that they were more beautiful than seashells. Who could possibly be more beautiful than seashells? (Except perhaps for Venus.) They whined to their father about it, and whined and whined until Neptune in a fit of rage flooded the city by the sea, and sent a huge sea serpent to devour the entire population, thinking that would certainly shut his daughters up.

The people were terrified. The flood had caused great discomfort. Even after the flood waters receded, the monster kept nipping at people. You never knew when he was going to pop up. He had not eaten anyone yet, but he kept trying. The people were very unhappy.

The rich man asked a local oracle what he could do to put a stop to things. The oracle told him he had to sacrifice his beloved daughter, Andromeda, if he wanted to save his wife and himself. It saddened him greatly, but he chained his daughter to a tree on a cliff that overlooked the sea.

That day, Perseus was out adventuring. He sailed past just as the rich man's servants were chaining the terrified Andromeda to a tree at the edge of a cliff. Perseus fell in love immediately. As soon as the servants left, Perseus rescued Andromeda, using his magic sickle to cut the chains.

Just then, the giant sea serpent reared its ugly head and reached for Andromeda. Andromeda screamed. Perseus, who was still holding his magic sickle, chopped off the serpent's head. 

Naturally, after that, Andromeda loved Perseus as much as he loved her. Perseus wanted her to sail away with him immediately. But Andromeda was insistent that he first ask her father's permission to marry him. She would not feel right about marrying anyone without it.

The king gladly agreed to the wedding, so grateful that his problem was solved and his beloved daughter was still alive.

After the wedding festivities, Perseus sailed away with Andromeda. They lived happily ever after.

Andromedia and Perseus