According to Greek Mythology, the wings horse, Pegasus, came into being
when Perseus cut off the head of the hideous gorgon, Medusa. She was the
ugly serpent woman who had snakes for her hair. Pegasus sprang from the
earth where her blood seeped into it. Legend says this happened because
she had been made pregnant previous to her death by Poseidon who, in
addition to being the god of the sea is also the god and guardian of
horses. Pegasus flew up to join the gods where Athena (also called
Minerva), the goddess of wisdom and civilized crafts and patron of Athens,
captured the beautiful animal with a golden bridle.
Athena gave Pegasus into the keeping of the nine Muses, who were the
patrons of the arts and sciences. This association made Pegasus a symbol
for the arts, especially poetry. On Mount Helicon, in Boetia, Pegasus
struck the ground with his hooves and the spring Hippocrene burst forth.
Anyone who drank from that spring became a great poet, it is said.
Pegasus is most famous for his association with the hero/demi-god
Bellerophon, who was thought to be the son of Posiedon, and was famous in
the area of Corinth. The story states that he was in the service of King
Proteus, but the king's wife, Antea tried to seduce him. When he refused
her, she lied to the King and tried to have him put to death. King
Proteus ordered Belleophon to take a letter to King Iobates. It praised
Bellerophon, but asked that he be killed. The King thought something was
wrong adn decided to send Bellerophon to fight the beast, the Chimera who
was terrorizing the country of Lycia. The Chimera was a fire-breathing
monster with the forepart of a lion and the hind part of a dragon. Some
say it had the head of a goat, body of a lion and tail of a serpent. No
one really stated clearly what the monster looked like, some even said it
had three different heads. Before going to battle, Bellerophon consulted
with a wise man (some calle dhim a soothsayer) named Poluidus who told him
the only way he could defeat the Chimera was to capture and ride Pegasus
into battle.
Bellerophon tried several times to capture Pegasus, but could not, until
he slept in the temple of Athena. He dreamed that she came to him and
gave him a magical golden bridle. When he woke, he found the bridle in
his hand. When he approached Pegasus the next day, the beautiful winged
horse stood quietly and allowed Bellerophon to bridle and mount him. They
flew high into the air to find the Chimera, which with the help of Pegasus
they were able to defeat it. After the conquest of the Chimera,
Bellerophon fought many monsters and with the aid of Pegasus was able to
defeat them all.
Pegasus and Bellerophon separated after King Iobates gaves his daughter's
hand in marriage to Bellerophon, and believing that he was favored by the
gods. But at the peak of his prosperity, he tried to ride Pegasus up to
the top of Mount Olympus to the thron of the gods. Zeus became very angry
and sent a gadfly to bite Pegasus and caused Bellerophon to be thrown.
Bellerophon wandered around humiliated, blind and crippled before his
death.
Pegasus is said to be used now by Zeus to carry his thunderbolts.
© Copyright 1999 NorthWest Breyer Horse Club.
Published June 1999 in the North West Breyer Horse Club newsletter. (ma)
Pegasus In The Sky
The constellation Pegasus lies between Pisces and Adromeda in the Northern Celestia Hemisphere, found well up in the evening sky of autumn. A large square called the 'Great Square of Pegasus' marks it in the sky. The northeast corner of the square is now shared with the constellation Andromeda.
Pegasus
by Lady Gryhon
A horse with wings is what I saw;
One dark-blue moonlit night.
Its head was high and watching
With wings prepared for flight.
I could not stop with just a glance;
I wanted to move closer,
I knew that was quite a risk;
And by doing so, might lose him.
Before my feet would take me there,
A silver streak came from the North;
It was clear that "Wings" called to it.
It was an exquisite Unicorn;
Handsome, tall and fair,
He galloped free as he came,
For he knew who was waiting there.
As Wings and Horn came together,
It was artful, strong and true.
They were meant to be with one another,
On this night of moonlit dark-blue.
And so it was, for me at least;
Magic beyond belief;
Trhough out my life I will always recall,
Wings and Horns, and me.
Pegasus Color
Not all sources say that Pegasus was white, but it is the commonly accepted color for him. Some sources mention that he was black as the night, red as the sunrise and many other colors in between. In the Disney movie "Fantasia" they came in all colors! The little black one is Julie S's favorite, mine too! Some pictures of him show him as white with cream colored wings, or black with dark bluish wings. There are some also with horns, like a Unicorn, and again in many different colors. What is your favorite? He might be that color too!
© Copyright 1999 NorthWest Breyer Horse Club.
Published June 1999 in the North West Breyer Horse Club newsletter. (ma)
Some Pegasus Lore
When Pegasus struck the ground on Mount Helicon and created the spring Hippocrene, it is said that anyone drinking from it was destined to be a great poet. This association with the water was mentioned by Longfellow in his poem "Pegasus is Found:"
But they found, upon the greensward
Where his struggling hooves had trod,
Pure and bright, a fountain flowing
From the hoof-marks in the sod.
From that hour, the fount unfailing
Gladdens the whole region round,
Stengthening all who drink its waters
While it soothes them with its sound.
Longfellow does not imply that the drinkers of the fountain became poets, however. It is interesting though, to see Pegasus associated with water, similar to the unicorn.
Another poet, Frederick Schiller (he wrote 'Ode to Joy' that was set to music by Beethoven) also wrote a poem about Pegasus. It tells how the horse visited a starving poet who promptly sold him at a horse fair. Pegasus was starved and beaten and his spirit was nearly broken by the farmer who could not control him or make him work. A youthful poet stepped forward and asked leave to try him. As soon as he was settled on Pegasus' back, the horse, which first appeared as vicious then spirit-broken, rose kingly, a spirit, a god, unfolded the splendor of his wings and soared towards heaven:
The hippogriff was loosen'd from the plouge,
Upon his back the smiling youth leaps now;
No sooner did the creature understand
That he was guided by a master-hand,
Than 'gainst his bit he champ'd , and upward soar'd,
While lightening from his flaming eyes out pour'd.
No longer the same being, royally
A spirit, aye; a god, ascended he,
Spread in a moment to the stormy wind
His noble wings, and left the earth behind,
And ere the eye could follow him,
Had vanish'd in the heavens dim.
Another legend of Pegasus is that the Muses were holding a contest of song. The music charmed the streams and made Mount Helicon grow toward the heavens. The god Posiedon ordered Pegasus to make it stop growing by striking it with his hoof. When Pegasus did, the fountain Hippocrene sprang forth, whose waters inspire people to write poetry. Two other fountains of inspiration, Aganippe and Pirone, were also created by the hoof of Pegasus. In this way Pegasus is connected to poetry. A poet is said to 'mount his Pegasus' when he begings to write.
Some Other Pegasus'
Alsvidor (All-Swift) and Arvakur (Shining Mane): The Fiery Winged Horses of Sun and Moon of Scandinavian mythology.
A man had two beautiful children, a boy, Dag, and a girl, Monic. His arrogance displeased the gods so much that they took the children and placed them in the sky. Dag had the task of driving the winged horses, Alsvidur and Arvakur, moving the Sun and Moon across the sky each day.
Falke, the Falcon Horse in Scandinavian legend; the winged horse of the hero Thedrek.
Blodug-hofi, favorite steed of Norse god of sunshine and summer showers, Frey.
Sun-god Frey is often compared to Apollo, Greek Sun-god, and his mount Pegasus. Blodug-hofi is said to be able to pass through water and fire with easy and velocity, and to scatter flowers along his way.
Eoos, Abrasas, Phaeton, Amathea: names given to the winged Horses of the Dawn.
Aethion (firey red), Asterope (starry-eyed), Bronte (thunder), Phlegon (the burning) drive Helios' chariot.
Lampos (torch), and Actaceon were used by Apollo for his sun chariot. These winged horses along with Chronas, Pyroeis, Erthreos and many other winged steeds are in residence at Helios' Sun Stables, even Pegasus is there when not serving his masters.
Ceeris: The Swift Foal, brother to Pegasus and gift by Mercury to Castor the Horseman. Like Pegasus, Celeris was honored by being placed in the heavens under the name of Equuleus, the colt. Celeris means swift.
Pedasus: One of Achilles horses. With Xanthus and Baclus, Pedasus was one of Achilles horses whose name means "bounder."
Lampethousa and Zephyria: Winged mares of the Moon-goddess, Selene (Luna). They're decedents of Pegasus.
Valraven: Black Winged horse of Norse goddess Freya, in her role as the Scandinavian Death-goddess, Freya rode the Valraven.
Haizum: Flying stallion of Archangel Gabriel according to the Koran of Islam.
Buraq and Mauoun: Arabian Winged Horses.
In Islamic legend there are stories of two winged horses, first was Mauoun whom Allah created for Adam the first man. Mauoun was made from amber and pure musk with wings of precious stones. Buraq was a silver gray mare upon whom Mohammed the Prophet was said to have made his famous Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem then on up to heaven.
Ocyrrhoe the Child Mare: A flying colt said to be a daughter of the good Centaur Cheiron.
Athene, the Mutant Horse, is a black, with irridesent deep purple and peacock bluegreen tints Arabian mare. She was created for the Star Trek novel 'Enterprise: The First Adventure.' Athene's breed is called Equiraptors because she is mixed with bird of prey genes and is carnivorous. She can't fly except in Zero-g gravity.
Flitterby, Glitterby and Shimmire. Magical winged horses in the stories by Stephen Cosgrove and Robin James. Flitterby is the winged filly originally the size of a Monarch butterfly. Cute little children's books.
Moonhorse the Winged Horse, from a poem by Mary Pope Osborne. A Dragonfly book.
Pegasus Coins
Two different versions of the 'starter,' an ancient Greek coin from
Corinth c 360 BC. Pegasus, the standard of Corinth, was depicted on the
obverse side of the coin, the other showed the helmeted head of Athena.
Pegasus Information
A Pegasus is like an Unicorn but it has no horn, and can fly. Unicorns
belong on the ground and grass, and they know that is their territory.
Pegasus' however, managed to stay in the air most of the time but come
down onto the Unicorns' territory to visit. Sometimes, the Unicorn is
afraid that the Pegasus would get their children so they keep their
distance. All the Pegasus' wanted was to have some friends, but the
Unicorn is a very worrisome animal and very protective of their children
and each other. If one Unicorn goes off in the forest, six others will
wait 'til he is back before sleeping that night.
Pegai = 'spring of the Ocean' of 'of the wells'
It is a variant of the Greek word 'pege' which means 'spring' or 'fountain' and the form SUS is pre-Greek in origin, means 'bridled horse' referring to the figurehead of a ship. Thus Pegasus can literally mean 'Fountain Horse.'
Pegasus was mounted by Perseus, who flew over the sea to slay the sea dragon Cetus.
He was the occasional mount of Eos (Aurora) for her drive across the sky at dawn.
An occasional mount of Apollo during his daylight drive across the sky.
Pegasus is the Bearer of Zeus' divine Lightening and Thunder storming hoof beats.)
Known as the Father of the pterippi (winged horses) species by Euippe.
Has been honored with a memorial in the heavens for his earthly and heavenly deeds.
Flying Horse is also an expression of speed, power, and swift transport.
During the Apocalpyse, Pegasus has been compared to the 'White Horse' whom the conqueror rides in the book of Revelation in the Bible.
Pegasus could have been brother of the giant (or winged horse) Chrysoar.
Pegasus in the Movies
There aren't too many movies out with a Pegasus in them! "Fantasia"
a Disney movie had many different colored Pegasus' in it. Another
movie "Clash of the Titans" had the Medusa, Pegasus and many other
creatures from Greek mythology in it. When it came out it was said
to be one of the best movies that had created the mythological
creatures; they lifelike and believable for the late 1960s, but
nothing compared to our present day Star Wars movies!! :-)
Title Unknown
by S Kyn
She soars pearly white,
Safe upon wings of cloud.
A star flares magic down upon her brow,
But her coat is dimmed;
Her horn is quenched.
Her wings fold away,
And she can no longer fly.
For information on related mythical creatures visit:
For more information on Pegasus and other winged horses visit:
© Copyright 1999-2002 NorthWest Breyer Horse Club.
Published June 1999 in the North West Breyer Horse Club newsletter. (ma)
