The name Andromeda is very familiar to the older generation of residents of the former Soviet Union, but not because Greek mythology was well taught in schools, but because in 1957 the science fiction and social -philosophical novel of Ivan Efremov "The Andromeda Nebula." The incredible popularity of this work is evidenced by the fact that it was reprinted more than 20 times only during the years of Soviet power.
Named constellation
Many people far from astronomy have learned that there is a nebula in space called Andromeda. Mythology, especially Greek, gave the name to many cosmic bodies and objects.
She immortalized and dad with the mother of this girl. Andromeda's father was a glorious and kind man - he sheltered the long-suffering Demeter, who was looking for the missing daughter around the world. In addition, he is considered the inventor of the first irrigation system. According to legend, the constellation in the Northern Hemisphere was named after Cereus (or Kefey) at the behest of Athena Pallas herself.
Cruel and frivolous gods
But for some reason, another constellation was named after the absurd and impudent mother Cassiopeia - the causes of all the misfortunes that Andromeda experienced. The mythology of the ancient Greeks left the world this instructive story. It is contained in a series of stories about Perseus. The ancient Greek gods did not like people. Everyone knows what a terrible punishment the lascivious Zeus Prometheus subjected for the fact that he saved the dying humanity by giving him fire. Drinking nectar, they loved from the height of Olympus to observe the wars on earth, they provided some help only to their favorites. But if the matter concerned the punishment of some delinquent mortals, then their imagination became simply indefatigable.
Reason for the tragedy
The essence of the story is that Andromeda (mythology tells about this), a quiet, smart, friendly and very beautiful girl, was doomed by Poseidon to a painful death in order to punish the arrogant mother in such a cruel way, who constantly clung to the Nereids, proving to them that she is more beautiful than all of them combined. Nereids - sea deities who quietly splashed in the waters of the ocean, led round dances, admired each other and so on.
And a woman stood on the shore and screamed that she was more beautiful than them. Especially the Ethiopian queen molested with comparisons to Dorida and Panope. But when Cassiopeia began to cling to Amphitrite, the wife of Poseidon, the patience of the latter burst, and he sent a terrible
sea monster to Ethiopia
.The essence of the story
Horror gripped Ethiopia. According to some reports, the monster systematically began to devastate the country, then it demanded every day to chain one girl to a rock, and gradually the line reached the tsar’s daughter. According to other versions, the oracle of Ammon immediately said that the monster would retreat if Andromeda was sacrificed to him. Mythology mentions this story in connection with the exploits of Perseus, who, according to the Greeks, just reached his southern end of the world on his winged sandals. When he approached the land, the first thing that the son of Zeus saw was a beauty chained to a rock. She was motionless, petrified with horror, and only her hair fluttering in the wind told the hero that there was a living girl in front of him. Perseus went down to her and found out the whole terrible story that Andromeda told him. Greek mythology tells that an innocent beauty, who fell into such a terrible story, immediately won the heart of the hero.
Outrageous insult
And now the sea rustled, foreshadowing that a monster was about to appear. The beauty's parents came running, only to look at the bloody finale. Where they were before is unknown. But the essence of the punishment chosen by Poseidon was that Cassiopeia was supposed to see the terrible death of her daughter - he still suspected that there was room for maternal love in this arrogant heart, and it should burst with grief.
The punishment of the stupid mother was to be torn apart by the innocent Andromeda (mythology). The goddess Amphitrite probably demanded of such a revenge from her husband Poseidon. Maybe by that time she did not have her own children, and she did so with the cruelty of the insulted young beauty. Moreover, she was offended by a mere mortal.
“I killed a monster, I set you free - and now, beauty girl, I want to marry you”
Perseus, before joining the battle with another evil, asked his parents for their daughter's hands and promises that they would keep this word. Some researchers blame him for such prudence. Obviously, the hero knew his strength and doubted the decency of future relatives. He received consent, and defeated Leviathan in a heavy battle. Do not list the works of literature and painting that addressed this plot of “Legends and Myths of Ancient Greece”. The moment of the liberation of the beauty is especially known from the works of Rubens. He had several of them.
Rewarded Virtue
Andromeda in mythology is a symbol of an innocent victim who received a well-deserved reward in the finale for her virtue. After the wedding, which was not entirely successful, Perseus took his beloved wife to Argos, where they lived happily ever after. But there are other options.
In real life in space there is a Nebula, or
Andromeda Galaxy, and on the earth - the great works of Rubens and the beautiful novel of I. A. Efremov.