The older generation of residents of the former Soviet UnionThe name of the Andromeda is very familiar to the Union, but not because schools taught Greek mythology well, but because in 1957 in the nine issues of the journal "Technique - Youth" a science-fiction and, at the same time, socio-philosophical novel by Ivan Efremov "Andromeda's nebula". The incredible popularity of this work is evidenced by the fact that it was reissued more than 20 times over the years of Soviet power.
Given the name of the constellation
Many people far from astronomy have learned that there exists in space a nebula called Andromeda. Mythology, especially Greek, gave names to many cosmic bodies and objects.
Cruel and frivolous gods
But for some reason another constellation was namedin the name of the absurd and insolent mother of Cassiopeia - the causes of all the misfortunes that Andromeda suffered. The mythology of the ancient Greeks left this instructive history to the world. 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 lecherous Zeus Prometheus subjected to that he saved the dying mankind by giving him a fire. Drinking nectar, they loved from the height of Olympus to watch the wars on earth, some help was provided only to their favorites. But if it concerned the punishments of some guilty mortals, then their fantasy became simply irrepressible.
The cause of the tragedy
Суть истории состоит в том, что Андромеда (the mythology of this narrates), the girl is quiet, intelligent, affable and very beautiful, was doomed by Poseidon to a painful death to punish in such a cruel way a arrogant mother who constantly clung to the Nereids, proving to them that she was more beautiful than all of them together. Nereids are sea deities that quietly splashed in the waters of the ocean, conducted dances, admired each other and so on.
The essence of the story
Horror seized Ethiopia.According to some information, the monster systematically began to devastate the country, then demanded every day to chain one girl to the rock, and gradually the queue reached the royal 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, on his winged sandals, had just reached, in the opinion of the Greeks, the southern edge of the world. When approached the land, the first thing that saw the son of Zeus, was a beauty, chained to the rock. She was motionless, petrified with horror, and only her hair fluttering in the wind prompted the hero that there was a living girl in front of him. Perseus came down to her and found out the whole terrible story that Andromeda told him. Greek mythology tells that the innocent beauty, who fell into such a terrible story, immediately conquered the heart of the hero.
Outrageous insult
And now the sea has rustled, foreshadowing what is abouta monster will appear. The beautiful woman's parents came running, it was 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 should have seen the terrible death of her daughter - he still suspected that there was a place for maternal love in this arrogant heart, and it should be broken off by grief.
The punishment of a stupid mother was supposed to betorn apart by the innocent Andromeda (mythology). The goddess Amphitrite probably demanded such a revenge from her husband Poseidon. Perhaps, by that moment she did not have her children, and she did so with the cruelty of an offended young beauty. Especially because she was insulted by a mere mortal.
“I killed a monster, I freed you - and now, beautiful girl, I want to marry you”
Perseus, before engaging in battle with the nextevil, he asked his parents for his daughter’s hands and promises that they would keep the word. Some researchers blame him for such calculation. Obviously, the hero knew his strength and doubted the decency of future relatives. Consent he received, and in a hard battle defeated Leviathan. Do not list the works of literature and painting, turned to this story "Legends and myths of ancient Greece." The moment of the liberation of the beauty is especially known for the works of Rubens. He had several of them.
Rewarded virtue
Andromeda in mythology is a symbol of an innocent victim,received in the finals for their virtue deserved reward. 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.
