Perseus saves Andromeda
After a long journey Perseus has reached the kingdom Kefei, lying in Ethiopia on the Ocean. There, on a rock, near the seashore, he saw a chained beautiful Andromeda, daughter of King Cepheus. She had to atone for her mother's guilt, Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia angered the sea nymphs. Proud of her beauty, she said that she, Queen Cassiopeia, was the most beautiful of all. The nymphs were angry and implored the god of the seas Poseidon punish Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Poseidon sent, at the request of the nymphs, a monster like a gigantic fish. It surfaced from the depths of the sea and devastated the possessions of Kefei. The kingdom of Coffee was filled with crying and moaning. He finally turned to the oracle of Zeus Ammon and asked how to get rid of it misfortunes. The Oracle gave this answer:
- Give your daughter Andromeda to be torn to pieces by a monster, and then Poseidon's punishment will end.
The people, having learned the oracle's answer, forced the king to chain Andromeda to a rock by the sea. Pale with terror, she stood at the foot of the cliff in heavy fetters Andromeda; with inexpressible fear she looked at the sea, expecting that a monster would appear and tear her apart. Tears rolled from her eyes, horror seized her from the very thought that she should perish in the bloom of a beautiful youth, full of strength, without having experienced the joys of life. It was Perseus who saw her. He would have taken her for a wonderful statue made of white Parian marble, if the sea wind had not blown her hair and large tears fell from her beautiful eyes. The young hero looks at her with delight, and a powerful feeling of love for Andromeda lights up in his heart. Perseus quickly descended to her and gently asked her:- Oh, tell me, beautiful maiden, whose country is this, tell me your name! Tell me, why are you chained to a rock here?
Andromeda told for whose fault she has to suffer. The beautiful maiden does not want the hero to think that she is atoning for her own guilt. Andromeda had not yet finished her story, when the deep of the sea began to roar, and a monster appeared among the raging waves. It raised its head high with its huge mouth gaping. Andromeda screamed loudly in horror. Distraught with grief, Kefei and Cassiopeia ran ashore. They cry bitterly, hugging their daughter. There is no salvation for her!
Then the son of Zeus, Perseus, spoke:
- You will have a lot of time to shed tears, not enough time just to save your daughter. I am the son of Zeus, Perseus, who killed the gorgon entwined with snakes Medusa. Give me your daughter Andromeda as a wife, and I will save her.
To the left of Andromeda is her father Kefei, to the right of her mother Cassipea
Kefei and Cassiopeia happily agreed. They were ready to do everything to save their daughter. Kefei even promised him the whole kingdom as a dowry, if only he would save Andromeda. The monster is already close. It is rapidly approaching the rock, cleaving the waves with its broad chest, like a ship that rushes through the waves, as if on wings, from the strokes of the oars of mighty young rowers. Not further than the flight of the arrow was a monster when Perseus flew high into the air. His shadow fell into the sea, and the monster rushed furiously at the shadow of the hero. Perseus boldly rushed from a height at the monster and plunged a curved sword deep into his back. Feeling a severe wound, the monster rose high in the waves; it beats in the sea like a boar, which is surrounded by a pack of dogs with frantic barking; now it sinks deep into the water, then it rises again. The monster furiously beats the water with its fish tail, and thousands of splashes fly up to the very tops of the coastal rocks. The sea was covered with foam. Opening its mouth, the monster rushes at Perseus, but with the speed of a seagull he takes off in his winged sandals. Blow after blow he strikes. Blood and water gushed from the mouth of the monster, struck to death. The wings of Perseus' sandals are wet, they barely hold the hero in the air. The mighty son of Danae quickly rushed to the rock that jutted out of the sea, wrapped his left arm around it and plunged his sword three times into the monster's broad chest. The terrible battle is over. Joyful cries rush from the shore. Everyone praises the mighty hero. The fetters have been removed from the beautiful Andromeda, and, triumphant, Perseus leads his bride to the palace of her father Cepheus.