Brought to you by OBS staff member Heidi

PEGASUS

In Greek Mythology, Pegasus was a beautiful winged horse born of the neck of Medussa and was the son of Poseidón. When Medusa’s head was cut off by the Greek hero, Persues, Pegasus sprang from her body. His galloping created a flowing spring on the nearby mountain, Helicón.

Everyone tried to capture and tame the ferocious creature in vain.  Obtaining it became an obsession of the Prince of Corinto, Belerofonte. A fortune teller advised him to spend the night in the temple of the Athenian Goddess. While he slept, the goddess, Athena, appeared to Belefonte with a golden bridle and told him that the bridle would allow him to capture Pegasus. When he awoke the next morning, the bridle was laying beside him and Belerofonte was able to capture the beautiful creature.

Pegasus was a great aide to Belerofonte as he traveled to fight the amazons and the Chimera. Belerofante defeated Chimera and the gods gave him Pegasus as a gift.

However, Belerofonte was a victim of his own pride. When he tried to mount Pegasus, he was thrown off, and Pegasus rose to the heavens, where he became a constellation.

The word Pegasus is believed to be related to the Greek word pegai or pege which means spring. Spring can mean to jump, leap, or a source of water and Pegasus is related to all those definitions.

 

Pegasus in movies

• Barbie and the Magic of the Pegasus
• Clash of the Titans
• Hercules

Pegasus in books

• Pegasus by Robin McKinley
• To Ride Pegasus by Anne McCaffrey
• Pegasus by Marianna Mayer
• Pegasus and the Flame by Kate O’Hearn

 

 

What’s your favorite themed movie or book about Pegasus? What do you think about Pegasus? Join us in the forum for discussion!