Andromeda in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Andromeda

9 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Andromeda, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Andromeda's beauty led to a curse, a monster, and a rescue by Perseus. Explore her lineage, her marriage and her legacy in art and literature. For the story in one place, read our article on Andromeda.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.4.1–5Perseus: Danae, Medusa and AndromedaAn oracle tells Acrisius that his daughter's son will kill him, so he shuts Danae in a brazen chamber, but she bears Perseus to Zeus and is cast into the sea with him in a chest. On Seriphus, Polydectes sends Perseus to fetch the Gorgon's head; with help from Hermes and Athena he gets the nymphs' gear from the Phorcides and beheads Medusa, from whom Pegasus and Chrysaor spring. He rescues Andromeda from a sea monster, turns Polydectes to stone, and accidentally kills Acrisius with a discus at Larissa, so fulfilling the oracle. The section ends with Perseus's descendants and the birth of Eurystheus.

Aristophanes (2)

Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae 1001–1135Episode: Andromeda and EchoBound to the plank, Mnesilochus plays the chained Andromeda and sings a lament, and Euripides answers from hiding in the part of Echo, repeating his words until the Scythian archer is baffled. Euripides then enters as Perseus to rescue the captive, but the Scythian refuses to let him loosen the prisoner and threatens him with a sword, and Euripides leaves.
Aristophanes, Frogs 38–79Prologue: Heracles laughs at the disguise; Dionysus longs for EuripidesHeracles bursts out laughing at Dionysus dressed in a lion's skin and buskins. Dionysus says that he was serving on a ship and was reading Euripides' Andromeda when a sudden longing came over him, and he explains it with a comparison to a craving for soup. Heracles suggests Sophocles instead, but Dionysus wants to test Iophon first, and says that the longing is for the dead Euripides.

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.663–801Perseus and AndromedaPerseus sees Andromeda, chained to a rock to be devoured by a sea-monster because her mother Cassiope boasted of her beauty. He strikes the monster from the air with his sword, kills it, and wins Andromeda, and her parents agree to the marriage. He lays the Gorgon's head on a bed of seaweed, which turns to coral, and sets up altars to Athena (Minerva), Hermes (Mercury) and Zeus (Jupiter). At the wedding feast he tells how Medusa won her serpent hair.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 5.1–148Perseus' wedding feast: the battleWhile Perseus is telling his story at the wedding feast, her former suitor Phineus bursts into the hall with an armed band and claims Andromeda. Perseus pleads that Phineus did nothing when she was chained to the rock, but Phineus hurls a spear, and a fierce battle begins, in which many are killed. Perseus kills many, but the numbers against him are too great.

Nonnus of Panopolis (2)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 25.80–193Book 25: The feats of Perseus and Minos set against those of DionysosThe poet continues the comparison with Perseus, setting his sea-monster, Polydectes and Andromeda against Dionysos' defeat of the Giants. He contrasts Minos' conquest of Megara, won through Scylla's love, with a victory won by hard fighting, and turns to Heracles, whose Nemean lion was matched by the boy Dionysos with his team of lions.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 47.496–593Book 47: An Argive taunts Dionysos; Hera arms PerseusAn Argive mocks Dionysos, setting Perseus the Gorgon-slayer against him and urging him to go back to Thebes. Hera, taking the shape of the seer Melampus, urges Perseus to defend Argos, and Argos's heroes muster. Dionysos arms his Bacchants and Satyrs and protects himself with a gem against the Gorgon's gaze.

Aratus (2)

Aratus, Phaenomena 116–265Justice leaves the earth; Auriga, Andromeda and PerseusThe Maiden Justice leaves the earth as the Golden, Silver and Bronze Races succeed one another, and takes her place in the sky. Aratus then places the Twins, the Crab and the Lion, and describes Auriga with the Goat and the Kids, the Bull and the Hyades, and the family of Cepheus: Cepheus, Cassiepeia and Andromeda. He continues with the Horse and the spring Hippocrene, the Ram, the Deltoton and the Fishes, and with Perseus and the Pleiades, whose seven names are given.
Aratus, Phaenomena 571–737Risings and settings of the constellationsAratus tells which constellations set and which rise as each sign of the Zodiac rises, from the Crab to the Twins, among them Ophiuchus, Boötes, Orion, Cetus, Cepheus, Cassiepeia and Perseus. In explaining why Orion flees when the Scorpion rises, he tells how Orion offended Artemis in Chios and was killed by the Scorpion. The section ends by turning to the Moon's phases as a guide to the month.