CASSIOPEIA, or CASSIOPE, in fabulous story, was the wife of Cepheus king of Ethiopia, and the mother of Andromeda, whose beauty (or as others say, her own) she extolled above that of the Nereids. At their instigation, Neptune chastised the presumption of Cassiopeia by inundating the country, and sending a sea monster to ravage the land. In order to appease the god, Andromeda was chained to a rock to be devoured by the monster; but she was rescued by Perseus. (See PERSEUS.) Cassiopeia, after death, was placed among the stars; and hence the constellation of that name. (Ov. Met. v.; Hyg. Fab. 64; Arat. Phæn. 187.)