Cassiopeia was a woman whose foolishness nearly cost her the life of her daughter and the destruction of all the people in her husband’s kingdom by a few really angry gods and monsters.
Queen Cassiopeia was the beautiful, vain, and arrogant wife of Cepheus, the king of Ethiopia. She made the mistake of bragging to everyone that she was far lovelier and fairer than the Nereids. The Nereids were sea nymphs, 50 goddesses that dwelled in the Mediterranean and helped sailors in danger. They were renowned for their beauty and kindness.
In the world of the Greek gods, nothing could incite anger more than an arrogant, boasting mortal. The Nereids were insulted by Cassiopeia’s claim, but Poseidon, god of the sea, was enraged. He promptly unleashed a giant sea monster called the Kraken to attack the coast of Cepheus’ kingdom.
The horrified King Cepheus consulted an oracle and asked how he could save his kingdom from destruction. The oracle advised Cepheus that Poseidon would not be satisfied until Cepheus and Cassiopeia’s own daughter, Andromeda, were sacrificed to the Kraken. Cepheus was instructed to chain the beautiful, young Andromeda to a rock on the coast, where the monster would come for her.
Cepheus, saddened and full of despair, agreed to sacrifice his daughter to the terrible sea monster if it would save the people in his kingdom. Andromeda was led to the coast, chained, and left alone to face the terrible Kraken.
It was at this moment when Perseus came upon Andromeda on his return from destroying the Gorgon, Medusa—the snake-haired woman whose gaze turned all who looked upon her to stone. When Perseus saw the princess, he at first mistook her for a marble statue, but as he saw the tears in her eyes he became so moved by her plight and her beauty that he instantly fell in love with her. He immediately found Cepheus and Cassiopeia and told them he would save their daughter and destroy the Kraken if they would agree to let him marry Andromeda and take her away. Cepheus and Cassiopeia agreed.
The waters roared, and from the ocean depths arose the terrible Kraken. Perseus stood at Andromeda’s side. When the Kraken’s horrible breath was upon them, he reached into his bag and removed the head of the terrible Medusa. Taking care not to look at it, Perseus raised Medusa’s head to the Kraken and that infamous gaze turned the terrible sea monster to stone. Andromeda was freed, and she and Perseus were happily married.
Poseidon eventually placed Cassiopeia in the heavens. As punishment for her vanity, she is seated on her throne with her head pointing toward the North Star. In this position, she spends half of every day sitting upside down.
