The role of Cassiopeia was played by actress Siân Phillips in the original Clash of the Titans. Other accounts also claim she was the mother, by Phoenix, of Phineus and Carme, although the latter is more often said to be a daughter of Eubuleus, a Cretan. She is given as the mother of the hero Atymnius, by either her husband or the god Zeus. There was another Cassiopeia in Greek mythology her name is also given as "Cassiepeia" according to Hesiod, this Cassiopeia was the wife of King Phoenix. Īs it is near the pole star, the constellation Cassiopeia can be seen the whole year from the northern hemisphere, although sometimes upside down. Cassiopeia is not always represented tied to the chair in torment, in some later drawings she is holding a mirror, symbol of her vanity, while in others she holds a palm leaf, a symbolism that is not clear. The constellation resembles the chair that originally represented an instrument of torture. Since Poseidon thought that Cassiopeia should not escape punishment, he placed her in the heavens tied to a chair in such a position that, as she circles the celestial pole in her throne, she is upside-down half the time. But the hero Perseus arrived in time, saved Andromeda, killed Cetus, and ultimately became her husband. In either case, trying to save their kingdom, Cepheus and Cassiopeia consulted a wise oracle, who told them that the only way to appease the sea gods was to sacrifice their daughter.Īccordingly, Andromeda was chained to a rock at the sea's edge and left there to helplessly await her fate at the hands of Cetus. This brought the wrath of Poseidon, ruling god of the sea, upon the kingdom of Ethiopia.Īccounts differ as to whether Poseidon decided to flood the whole country or direct the sea monster Cetus to destroy it. The boast of Cassiopeia was that both she and her daughter Andromeda were more beautiful than all the Nereids, the nymph-daughters of the sea god Nereus. Her name in Greek is Κασσιόπη, which means "she whose words excel". In some source she was daughter of Coronus and Zeuxo. The Queen Cassiopeia, wife of king Cepheus of Æthiopia, was beautiful but also arrogant and vain these latter two characteristics led to her downfall. Poseidon's punishment: Cassiopeia as a constellation sitting in the heaven tied to a chair.
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