Pegasus The Winged Horse
There are many horses of folklore and mythology, each one glorious in their own right. However there are few more majestic & mysterious than the mighty pegasus.
The winged horse comes from Greek mythology and
played an important part in the lives of the Gods of Olympus.
How It Began
Pegasus was the son of Poseidon & Medusa (oddly enough) he sprang from Medusa’s neck when she was killed by Perseus.
Legend has it that this anytime pegasus struck the ground, a spring was born on that spot.
How Pegasus Got To Olympus
Bellerophon (A Greek hero & monster slayer) became obsessed with getting to Mt. Olympus and when he heard about the winged horse, made his way to find him.
Through perseverance Bellerophon was able to win the trust of pegasus and managed to get on his back. His plan coming to fruition, the pair set off towards Mt. Olympus to meet the Gods.
Zeus was not pleased when he learned of this and sent a horsefly to bite the horses hindquarters. Pegasus reared up in pain, unseating his rider who plummeted to the earth below.
Free of his rider, Pegasus continued on his journey arriving in Olympus to the open arms of the gods. There he was charged with transporting the thunderbolts that Cyclops forged for Zeus.
At the end of his faithful service, Zeus immortalized the winged horse by changing him into a constellation in the night sky.
Like Mythology?
I do too, and I’ve been delving into the world of horse mythology. If you like Pegasus you might check out more about the unicorn and the tikbalang.
Who is the artist of the first image at the top…Pegasus has always been a favorite myth of mine and I have never seen that painting before. Thanks for your time!
Hi Ed,
That painting is titled Pégaso and painted by Jan Boeckhorst.
The image is in the public domain, you can find it here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jan_boeckhorst_-_pégaso.jpg
