Pegasus
The immortal winged horse that sprang from the blood of Medusa when Perseus beheaded her. Pegasus was tamed by Bellerophon and later became a constellation.
The Myth of Pegasus
When Perseus cut off Medusa's head, Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor sprang from her severed neck — born from the union of Medusa and Poseidon. The winged horse soared into the sky, wild and free.
Bellerophon, with the help of a golden bridle given by Athena, tamed Pegasus and rode him into battle against the Chimera, the Amazons, and the Solymi. Together, horse and rider were nearly invincible.
But when Bellerophon attempted to fly to Olympus, Zeus sent a gadfly that stung Pegasus, throwing the rider. Pegasus continued to Olympus alone, where Zeus welcomed him and gave him a place in the stables of the gods. He carried Zeus's thunderbolts and was eventually transformed into the constellation Pegasus, still visible in the night sky.
Parents
Poseidon and Medusa
Symbols
Fun Fact
Pegasus is often used as a symbol of poetic inspiration because his hoofstrike on Mount Helicon created the Hippocrene, the fountain of the Muses.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Pegasus
🐉 creatureFlight, heroism
Winged divine horse born from the blood of Medusa who carried Bellerophon against the Chimaera
Pegazos
🐉 creaturesky,horses
The winged horse born from Medusa's blood when Perseus decapitated her, later tamed by Bellerophon and used to kill the Chimera, before ascending to become a constellation.
Pegasus
🐉 creatureWinged horse of inspiration
Pegasus was the immortal winged horse born from Medusa's blood whose hoof-strike created the Hippocrene spring of poetic inspiration.
Arion
🐉 creatureSpeed, divinity
Supernaturally fast divine horse born from Poseidon and Demeter, later ridden by the hero Adrastus
Centaurs
🐉 creatureHalf-human, half-horse beings
A race of beings with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. Most were wild and unruly, but the wise Chiron was the exception — teacher of heroes.
Balius
🐉 creatureSpeed, immortality
One of the two immortal horses of Achilles, born of the West Wind and the harpy Podarge
Xanthus
🐉 creatureSpeed, prophecy
Immortal horse of Achilles gifted with speech who prophesied his master's death at Troy
Bellerophon
🗡 heroThe hero who tamed Pegasus
The Corinthian hero who tamed the winged horse Pegasus and slew the Chimera, but fell from heaven when he tried to reach Olympus.
Bellerophon
🗡 heroTamer of Pegasus, slayer of the Chimera
The hero who tamed the winged horse Pegasus and used him to slay the monstrous Chimera. His story is a cautionary tale about hubris.
Poseidon Hippios
⚡ godhorses, sea
An epithet of Poseidon as lord of horses, reflecting his role as creator of the first horse and patron of equestrian arts.
Bellerophon and Chimera
💭 conceptNarrative
The hero's aerial battle against a fire-breathing monster while riding the winged horse Pegasus
Golden Ram
🐉 creatureFlight, rescue, sacrifice
Divine winged ram with golden fleece that rescued Phrixus and Helle and whose skin became the legendary Golden Fleece