Pegasus
Pegasus was the immortal winged horse born from Medusa's blood whose hoof-strike created the Hippocrene spring of poetic inspiration.
The Myth of Pegasus
Pegasus, the immortal winged horse, sprang from the severed neck of Medusa alongside Chrysaor when Perseus beheaded the Gorgon with Athena's guidance. Born of Medusa's union with Poseidon, Pegasus flew immediately to Olympus. Striking Mount Helicon with his hoof, he created the Hippocrene — the "horse spring" sacred to the Muses near Delphi. The Corinthian hero Bellerophon tamed Pegasus using a golden bridle given by Athena. Together they slew the fire-breathing Chimera and defeated the Amazons and the Solymi. But when Bellerophon, drunk with pride, attempted to ride Pegasus to Olympus, Zeus sent a gadfly that stung the horse. Bellerophon fell to earth, crippled, while Pegasus ascended to become Zeus's thunderbolt bearer.
Parents
Born from Medusa and Poseidon
Symbols
Fun Fact
Pegasus's hoof created the spring of poetic inspiration — making a horse born from a monster's death the ultimate source of art.
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 divine horse
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.
Arion
🐉 creatureSpeed, divinity
Supernaturally fast divine horse born from Poseidon and Demeter, later ridden by the hero Adrastus
Balius
🐉 creatureSpeed, immortality
One of the two immortal horses of Achilles, born of the West Wind and the harpy Podarge
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.
Xanthus
🐉 creatureSpeed, prophecy
Immortal horse of Achilles gifted with speech who prophesied his master's death at Troy
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
🗡 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.
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 and Chimera
💭 conceptNarrative
The hero's aerial battle against a fire-breathing monster while riding the winged horse Pegasus
Drakon Ismenios
🐉 creaturedragons
A sacred dragon of Ares that guarded the spring of Ismene near Thebes