Cepheus Cloth

The Cepheus Cloth is the cloth of the Saint Daidalos in the manga of Saint Seiya, Albiore in the anime of Saint Seiya, and an unknown Saint in Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas. It is of the second class of the cloths that Athena's Saints wield, the Silver Cloths.

Fit For a King
The Cepheus Cloth represents the constellation associated the mythological king of Ethiopia, Cepheus. In Greek mythology, Cepheus's wife, Cassiopeia, made the mistake of boasting that she was more beautiful than the Nereids, a family of 50 sea nymphs and the children of Nereus. The Nereids, upon learning of Cassiopeia's claims, complained bitterly to Poseidon, the sea god, especially as Poseidon's wife Amphitrite was also a Nereid. Angered, Poseidon sent the sea monster, Cetus, to destroy the kingdom. Cepheus, seeing his people in danger, asked an oracle how to appease Poseidon. Through the oracle, Poseidon told the king that Cetus would only stop if Cepheus and Cassiopeia's daughter, Princess Andromeda, was sacrificed to the creature.

Horrified, Cepheus has no choice but to have his daughter chained to a rock to await Cetus. Luckily, as he is heading home with the head of the gorgon Medusa, the hero Perseus sees Andromeda in danger and falls in love with her. He goes to her parents and offers to save Andromeda if Cepheus will allow Perseus to marry the girl. Eager to rescue his child, Cepheus and Cassiopeia agree, and Perseus turns Cetus to stone as the monster arrives to kill Andromeda.

However, in spite of Cepheus's word, Perseus is confronted by the king's brother, Phineus; prior to being offered to the sea monster, Cepheus had arranged for Andromeda to marry Phineus, who had now come to claim his niece for his wife. In some tellings, Cepheus and Cassiopeia go back on their promise and side with their kinsman. Surrounded by Phineus's men, Perseus withdraws Medusa's head once again, turning everyone except Andromeda and himself to stone.

After their deaths, Cepheus and his wife are placed in the sky as constellations, although Cassiopeia is additionally punished for her vanity by being flipped upside down for six months out of every year.

A Kingly Man
Daidalos trained to be a Saint on Andromeda Island, Ethiopia by an unknown master. The cloth was likely kept in Sanctuary until a Saint worthy of wearing it was found. Daidalos was the master of Shun and June having trained them on Andromeda Island. Although, on the second most hellish training location for Saints, he was kind enough to spare Shun during their training, and even felt pity for him when he thought Shun died. When Shun showed Daidalos his true power, the Cepheus Silver Cloth was shattered. It's unknown whether or not his cloth was restore by the time he met his end at the hands of Pisces Aphrodite but it is likely still damaged.

Albiore
In the anime adaptation of Saint Seiya many details about Shun's origin were changed. Cepheus Daidalos was replaced with Cepheus Albiore and he was given extra, chain wielding students, who picked on Shun. In fact, the Cepheus Cloth was given chains in the anime, much like Shun's own weapon. In the anime, he's told Scorpio Milo killed his master, but is later revealed to him that his master was killed by Pisces Aphrodite. Apparently, Albiore fought off Milo, since his power rivaled that of a Gold Saint, so Aphrodite had to be the one to kill him.

Previous War
The Cepheus Cloth seems to have no living user in The Lost Canvas. The previous wearer of the Cloth comes back when Hakurei calls for those who fought with him in the previous Holy War.

Special Abilities
The manga version of the Cepheus Cloth, while having all of the strength and endurance of a Silver Cloth, has no special traits that make it stand out as a cloth. The anime version, however, had chain weapons similar to Shun's weapon that could be used to fight with.