Balius
One of the two immortal horses of Achilles, born of the West Wind and the harpy Podarge
The Myth of Balius
Balius was one of the two divine horses given to Peleus as a wedding gift by Poseidon, later used by his son Achilles in the Trojan War. Balius and his brother Xanthus were the offspring of Zephyrus, the West Wind, and the harpy Podarge, conceived as she grazed in a meadow beside the river Oceanus. These were no ordinary steeds; they were immortal, swift beyond any mortal horse, and possessed understanding beyond that of animals. When Achilles lent his chariot to Patroclus for the fateful battle in which Patroclus was killed, both horses wept for the fallen warrior. Zeus himself pitied them, regretting that immortal beings had been given to mortals and thus forced to share in human grief. Balius's name means dappled or piebald, referring to his spotted coat.
Parents
Zephyrus and Podarge
Symbols
Fun Fact
Zeus expressed regret that immortal horses like Balius were given to mortals, dooming them to share in human sorrow
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