CEPHEUS (king of Aethiopia)

Cepheus married Cassiopeia, and together they raised a daughter named Andromeda, though he had no male children of his own.^2,4,9 Forced by the Ethiopians to expose his daughter to a sea-monster, Cepheus ordered the innocent Andromeda to be punished due to her mother's speech.^3,2 He physically bound his daughter to a rock as a sacrifice.²

Rejoicing at the news of the monster's defeat, Cepheus greeted Perseus as his new son-in-law and acknowledged him as the protector of his household.¹⁰ Agreeing to give his daughter to Perseus in marriage after a promise, the king planned the wedding in his palace, ensuring he was not left childless in his old age.^2,11,12

In a later conflict, Cepheus was bound in front of Phineus without receiving help, and he spoke to his brother, questioning his madness and crime.¹² He left the house to protest that the disturbance was against his will, invoking right, good faith, and hospitality gods as witnesses to his innocence.¹³

A hapless figure whose family name was placed in the sky, Cepheus ascends while the Dog and Orion are setting, rising from the Eastern Ocean alongside the Lyre of Hermes.^6,14 As the seasons change, the Bears prevent him from submerging his feet, knees, and loins, while he dips his upper body into the sea with his lower body remaining above water.¹⁵ He raises his mighty hand to warn the monster Cetus to retreat, eventually setting below the horizon along with his head, hand, and shoulder.⁷ His kingdom's memory persists in the city of Caphyae in Arcadia, and he received a lock of Medusa's hair from Athena to guard the city.^16,17