Perseus frees Andromeda

Perseus Rescuing Andromeda 1513, Piero di Cosimo

Tell the story of how Perseus came to the Aethiops and freed the fair maiden Andromeda from the sea-monster.

Perseus flew on until he came to the edge of the island. But when he tried to go further a sudden wind arose and stopped him from going. No matter how hard he tried he could not because the sandals were not strong enough. He called to the gods, “Would you desert me in a place like this when I have come so far? But there was no answer. Then he gave up trying. A few days later when the storm seemed to have died down he tried again. But the storm arose on him again. So he decided he would go south till the storm died down and he would try and go around it.

As he was going around the storm he saw something on a hill. He put on his invisible hat and got closer. To his surprise he found it was a fair maiden tied up by the hands to a rock. She had not seen him yet because of the invisible hat, but Perseus resolved to save her. So he whipped off his hat and the girl immediately saw him. But she did not seem happy about it. She said, “Do not come closer for you shall die, just as I am about to.” But Perseus was not afraid. In fact he said to her, “Do not worry, for I have the powers of the Immortals.” But instead of being happy she called for her mother. Perseus asked her, “Why call for your mother when she had left you in such a state as this?” But she did not answer. She told him that a dragon had captured her and that she was going to be eaten at sunrise. “If I devour this horrid dragon, will you marry me?” The girl nodded. Then he added, “And seal it with a kiss.” So she kissed him on the cheek.

Then she screamed. Perseus turned around and saw a horrible dragon coming towards them. Perseus immediately whipped on his invisible hat. The dragon was about to eat the girl when Perseus thrust his sword into the dragon’s flesh. The dragon jumped up in pain and Perseus whipped off his magical hat so the dragon could see him. It roared with rage and pain. The dragon went to grab hold of him, when Perseus opened up the leather bag and showed the dragon the Gorgon’s head. Immediately there was a long island of rock in the middle of the sea.

Perseus laughed and turned to the girl. He asked her, “What is your name, fair lady?” “Andromeda is my name,” she replied. Then he unbound Andromeda and he carried her to another island where they slept for the night.

When he was asleep Perseus had a dream. He dreamed that the spirits came back to him and said, “I will take the shoes and the hat and the sword for you will not need them. But you can keep the Gorgon’s head until you get back to your home for you will still need it. Then I will come back and take it and I will hang it on my shield as a symbol of you. Then he awoke. And thinking it was just a dream he looked to where the sword and the hat and the sandals had been, but they were not there. Then he looked to where the Gorgon’s head was. But it was still in his place. He chuckled to himself and then went back to bed.