Pegasus (mythical creature)

Pegasus is a winged horse from Greek mythology. The mythical creature, one of the most well-known in Greek legend, was said to have been the son of the god Poseidon and born from the severed head of the hideous Medusa. Pegasus was portrayed as a large white horse with majestic wings capable of incredible speed. In the most common myths, he helped the Greek hero Bellerophon complete a series of deadly challenges. In other myths, Pegasus served the Muses and created a magical spring with his hoofprint. He was also said to have helped the goddess Eos in bringing the dawn each morning and brought Zeus his lightning bolts and thunder when called upon. In astronomy, Pegasus is also a modern constellation with a distinctive square-shaped pattern that is prominent in the autumn night sky.

Background

The figure of a winged or flying horse is common in several of the world’s ancient mythologies. The Chollima originated in Chinese mythology and was later adopted by other East Asian cultures. The Chollima was said to be so fast that in a single day it could cover a distance of 1,000 li—about 250 miles or 400 kilometers. In Indian myth, Uchchaihshravas was a seven-headed flying horse that was either the mount of the god Indra or the demon king Bali. To the Turkic people of Central Asia, the Tulpar was a winged horse that was said to be a combination of a horse and a bird of prey. In Islamic myth, the Al-Burāq was a human-faced flying horse that was said to have carried the Prophet Muhammad on his journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and into Heaven.

According to Greek mythology, Medusa was one of three sisters born to the sea deities Phorcys and Ceto. Unlike her monstrous sisters, Medusa was a beautiful maiden who caught the attention of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Poseidon was said to have forced himself upon Medusa in the temple of Athena, making her pregnant. Athena was angry that Medusa allowed herself to be defiled in her temple and punished the maiden by turning her into a monster with snakes for hair. Later in the myth, the hero Perseus was tasked with killing Medusa, who had the power to turn those who looked upon her to stone. With the help of a reflective shield, Perseus was able to safely approach Medusa and behead her. From the blood of her decapitated head were born the warrior Chrysaor and the winged horse Pegasus.

Overview

The name Pegasus is believed to have originated from the word pêgê, “of the spring,” a reference to the horse’s ability to create springs from his hoofprints. Another possible origin of his name is from the word pêgazô, “spring forth,” a nod to his birth springing from the blood of Medusa.

In some versions of the Perseus myth, the hero rides Pegasus into battle to save his lover Andromeda from being devoured by a sea creature. In other myths, Athena delivers the newly born Pegasus to the Muses, nine goddesses said to inspire artistic creativity. While serving the Muses, Pegasus struck a rock on Mount Helicon with his hoof, creating the Hippocrene, a sacred spring said to have brought poetic inspiration to those who drank from it.

Pegasus appears most prominently in the myth of Bellerophon, another son of Poseidon by the mortal woman Eurynome. In some versions of the myth, Poseidon presented Bellerophon with Pegasus as a gift; in other tales, the hero came upon the horse on his travels and attempted to tame the creature. After failing numerous times, Bellerophon sought the help of a seer who told him to spend the night in the temple of Athena. There, he dreamt that the goddess offered him a golden bridle, and when he awoke, he found the bridle in his hands. Using Athena’s gift, Bellerophon was able to tame Pegasus and took the flying horse as his mount.

Later, Bellerophon angered King Proetus, who accused the hero of trying to seduce his wife. As punishment, Bellerophon was sent to Iobates, the King of Lycia, and given several seemingly impossible tasks that were expected to result in his death. One of those was to defeat the deadly Chimera, a fire-breathing monster with a lion’s body and head, a snake’s tail, and the head of a goat on its back. Bellerophon rode Pegasus into the battle and killed the Chimera with a spear. With the help of Pegasus, Bellerophon was able to complete the other tasks and escape his fate. However, the hero became so arrogant with his success that he attempted to ride the horse into the heavens and take his place among the gods. Instead, Pegasus threw Bellerophon from his back where he fell to Earth and wandered the world in disgrace.

Pegasus continued on, eventually reaching the realm of the gods. In some accounts, he became the steed of Eos, goddess of the dawn, and carried her on her morning rounds. In other myths, he carried thunder and lightning bolts to Zeus, the king of the gods. Zeus later immortalized Pegasus by placing him among the stars.

The constellation of Pegasus was one of forty-eight star patterns categorized by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century Common Era. In the twentieth century, it was among the eighty-eight official constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The constellation is one of the largest in the heavens and reaches its most prominent point in the northern sky in late summer and autumn. The constellation is well-known for the Great Square of Pegasus, a large, four-star pattern that is often used by stargazers as an easily identified celestial landmark. Pegasus is also home to several star clusters and galaxies that can be viewed through backyard telescopes. One of the constellation’s stars, known as 51 Pegasi, holds the distinction of being the first sun-like star known to be orbited by a planet. In 1995, astronomers discovered the planet, which is a Jupiter-like world unlikely to support life.

As the twenty-first century progressed, the name Pegasus had come to represent different symbols and meanings. For example, it could suggest positivity and purity. Other connotations of Pegasus were as a symbol of freedom and transcendence.

Another symbol that employs many of the likenesses of a horse is a centaur. It is a mythical creature that has the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse. In Greek mythology, a centaur named Chiron was said to be the mentor of the great human warrior Achilles.

A fictional symbol that bears similarities to Pegasus is called a unicorn. A unicorn is also a horse-like character but with the additional characteristic of having a horn which protrudes from its forehead. Some renditions of unicorns also have it as a winged animal. The term “unicorn” has entered the popular lexicon but in a unique way. A unicorn can symbolize different things, depending on the topic or context in which it is used. One of the most common is something whose reputed capabilities are exaggerated or hyped. It is mostly a negative connotation that implies something is too good to be true. In the terminology of commerce, a unicorn is a business that is less than ten years old but that has achieved a valuation of over $1 billion.

Bibliography

Atsma, Aaron J. “Pegasos.” Theoi Project, 2017, www.theoi.com/Ther/HipposPegasos.html. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.

Cartwright, Mark. “Pegasus.” World History Encyclopedia, 13 Feb. 2013, www.ancient.eu/Pegasus. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.

Garcia, Brittany. “Medusa.” World History Encyclopedia, 30 Aug. 2013, www.ancient.eu/Medusa. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.

Greenberg, Mike. “Pegasus: The Winged Horse of Greek Mythology.” Mythology Source, 23 May 2020, mythologysource.com/pegasus-greek-mythology. Accessed 29 May 2024.

Hood, Nathanael. “Top 10 Mythical Horses.” TopTenz, 13 Oct. 2013, www.toptenz.net/top-10-mythical-horses.php. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.

“How to See the Great Square of Pegasus.” EarthSky, 18 Sept. 2019, earthsky.org/favorite-star-patterns/great-square-of-pegasus-wings-in-sept-equinox. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.

“Pegasus.” Ancient-Greece.org, 2021, ancient-greece.org/culture/mythology/pegasus.html. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.

“Pegasus Constellation.” Constellation Guide, 2021, www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/pegasus-constellation. Accessed 2 Apr. 2021.

“Pegasus Symbolism & Meaning.” Symbolopedia, 15 Feb. 2024, symbolopedia.com/pegasus-symbolism-meaning. Accessed 29 May 2024.

Ridpath, Ian. “Pegasus.” Star Tales, 2nd ed. Lutterworth P, 2018.

“Unicorn.” Dictonary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/unicorn. Accessed 29 May 2024.