Andromeda: Ethiopian Magic

**This is a representation of what Andromeda looks like in the night sky.**

Sitting on a boulder holding my majestic blue rock and the lyre I acquired from my previous mission with Orpheus, I let my mind drift and contemplate what I should do next. I opened my eyes when I heard a rustling behind me. To my surprise I was looking at Perseus, the hero who killed the Gorgon Medusa. I recognized him because he has winged sandals; which I learned last semester in a mythology class.

“Perseus, I come from the future and am here to help prove my great ancestor Ptolemy was not a fraud as so many people claim,” I said. “If you can help me on my journey, I will tell you the location of your future wife.”

Perseus was skeptical but very interested because he has always dreamed of the day he  would meet the love of his life.

“I am not sure I know how to help you, child of the future, but I will do anything I can if you will guide me to my future wife,” Perseus replied.

“There is a woman named Cassiopeia who brags to everyone she encounters that she is more beautiful than Juno, the queen of the gods, and the nymphs of Neptune. Neptune became very angry when he learned of her actions and sent a sea monster to ravage the Ethiopian shores where Cassiopeia and her family live. The terrified Ethiopian king consulted Ammon, the oracle of Jupiter, and learned that Neptune would forgive Ethiopia if Cassiopeia sacrificed her beautiful virgin daughter Andromeda. Right now, Andromeda is chained to a giant rock on the Ethiopian shore and the sea monster is on his way to devour her,” I said.

In a rapid motion Perseus picked me up and off we flew to the shores of Ethiopia. When we arrived on the Ethipoian shore, we quickly spotted Andromeda chained to a rock several feet away the shore.  Perseus hovered in the air above Andromeda because he was captivated by her beauty; it was within that moment that he realized he loved her and was destined to be with her. I could see Cepheus and Cassiopeia, the father and mother of Andromeda, crying only a few feet from me. Perseus told Cepheus and Cassiopeia that he would kill the sea monster if they would grant him permission to marry Andromeda. The distraught parents quickly agreed.

A few minutes after Perseus reached this agreement with Andromeda's parents, I saw the giant sea monster approaching in the distance.  "Perseus, the giant monster is here," I yelled.  Andromeda overheard what I said and started yelling while trying to free herself from the chains.  Perseus flew swiftly at the monster and after a bloody battle killed the monster with a stab between his eyes.

Perseus unchained Andromeda and carried her safely back to the shore. It was then he confessed his love her and asked her for her hand in marriage. He then walked over to me and thanked me for my help.
“I think I am supposed to give you some information: you inherited a small wooden box from your ancestor Ptolemy. If you remove the bottom, you will find one of Ptolemy’s lost documents that will help you prove his good name,” Perseus said.

According to the mythology class I took, Perseus and Andromeda married and lived happily ever after.

Andromeda’s triumphant experience earned her a place among the stars. She is represented by the figure of a woman with outstretched hands and chained wrists.

Author’s Note: In the original story, Perseus is flying home from killing the Gorgon Medusa when he noticed a flicker of hair being moved by the wind. He took a closer look and noticed it was a beautiful young woman, which turns out to be Andromeda, chained to a boulder off the coast of the Ethiopian shore. He immediately falls in love with her beauty and innocence and flies down to help her. Also, in the original story there is dialogue between Perseus and Andromeda as Perseus tries to understand who she is and why she is chained to the boulder. Before he frees her from the boulder, he makes a bargain with her parents that guarantees he can take her hand in marriage once she is freed. In my story, I play an active role and even tell Perseus where to find Andromeda. Ultimately, with my help Perseus finds the love of his life and in exchange helps me locate information that might help me on my journey to prove Ptolemy’s good name.  Also, I want to note here that Cassiopeia was immortalized among the stars for her bad behavior.

Bibliography:
Title:  Andromeda
Web source:  Andromeda
Author:  Cathy Bell

* Image Information
   Title: Andromeda
   Web source: Andromeda