Pegasus
creatureThe 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
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: