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    Andromeda

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    Mark Louie De Leon

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Andromeda

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    Mark Louie De Leon
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    andromeda

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    Andromeda

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Andromeda, in 

    Greek mythology, beautiful daughter of King Cepheus and


    Queen Cassiope of Joppa in Palestine (called Ethiopia) and wife of Perseus. Cassiope
    offended the Nereids by boasting that Andromeda was more beautiful than they, so in
    revenge Poseidon sent a sea monster to devastate Cepheus’ kingdom. Since only
    Andromeda’s sacrifice would appease the gods, she was chained to a rock and left to be
    devoured by the monster. Perseus flew by on the winged horse Pegasus, fell in love with
    Andromeda, and asked Cepheus for her hand. Cepheus agreed, and Perseus slew the
    monster. At their marriage feast, however, Andromeda’s uncle, Phineus, to whom she
    had originally been promised, tried to claim her. Perseus turned him to stone
    with Medusa’s head. Andromeda bore Perseus six sons and a daughter.
    This article was most recently revised and updated by  Michael Ray.
    Medusa

    Table of Contents

     Introduction

    Fast Facts

     Related Content

    Quizzes

     From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology


     A Study of Greek and Roman Mythology

    Media

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     More Articles On This Topic


     Contributors
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    HomeLiteratureFolk Literature & Fable


    Arts & Culture

    Medusa
    Greek mythology
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    Written and fact-checked by 
    The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

    Last Updated: Aug 2, 2023 • Article History

    Listen to article1 minute

    Medusa

    Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known
    as Gorgons. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of
    hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very
    beautiful. Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal; hence her slayer, Perseus, was
    able to kill her by cutting off her head. From the blood that spurted from her neck
    sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her two sons by Poseidon. The severed head, which had
    the power of turning into stone all who looked upon it, was given to Athena, who placed
    it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of
    Argos.

    Heracles (Hercules) is said to have obtained a lock of Medusa’s hair (which possessed


    the same powers as the head) from Athena and given it to Sterope, the daughter of
    Cepheus, as a protection for the town of Tegea against attack; when exposed to view, the
    lock was supposed to bring on a storm, which put the enemy to flight.

    Britannica Quiz
    A Study of Greek and Roman Mythology

    In the British writer Iris Murdoch’s novel A Severed Head (1961), the heroine is a


    Medusa figure.
    The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated
    by  Adam Augustyn.

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