Perseus and Andromeda Perseus was the son of Zeus (or Jupiter) and of the mortal Danae, daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos, who threw Danae and Perseus into the sea. Protected by Zeus, they reached the Island of Seriphos which was ruled by a tyrant. In order to deliver his mother from the tyrant's passion for her, Perseus heroically agreed to bring him back the head of the Medusa. With the help of Minerva and Mercury (or Athena and Hermes) who gave him respectively a curvecl sword and a polished shield, he beheaded the monster. On his way back to Seriphos with the Medusa's head, Perseus flew through the air riding the winged horse Pegasus who had sprung from Medusa's blood-like Mercury, Perseus also wears winged sandals and is often seen wearing a winged helmet. Andromeda was the daughter of the Ethiopian king and Cassiope, herself daughter ofArabos, son of Mercury (Hermes). Cassiope had declared that Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids. Following these presumptuous words, the oracle of Ammon had ordered that Andromeda be chained to a rock to be sacrificed to a sea-monster. Perseus, flying overhead on Pegasus with the Medusa's head in a bag, saw the beautiful Andromeda and fell in love at first sight. He swooped down and, with the powers of the Medusa's head (looking at it turned people into stone), he released her. Perseus had agreed with Andromeda's father that he could marry her if he was able to save her. Despite some interference, the beautiful couple did succeed in marrying. Later, they left Ethiopia, to return together to Seriphos and eventually went back to Argos. Perseus and Andromeda lived happily and had many children.