Bellerophon

Bellerophon
Slayer of the Chimera
Tamer of Pegasus
Member of the Corinthian Royal Family
Relief of Bellerophon petting Pegasus, from Aphrodisias (near Geyre), Turkey (1st century AD)
Other namesHipponous
PredecessorIobates
SuccessorHippolochus
AbodePotniae, later Argos and Lycia
SymbolsCape, Spear
Genealogy
ParentsPoseidon and Eurynome
Glaucus and Eurymede
SiblingsDeliades and several paternal half-siblings
ConsortPhilonoe
Asteria
OffspringIsander, Hippolochus and Laodamia
Hydissos

Bellerophon[1] or Bellerophontes (Ancient Greek: Βελλεροφών; Βελλεροφόντης; lit. "slayer of Belleros") or Hipponous (Ancient Greek: Ἱππόνοος; lit. "horse-knower"),[2] was a divine Corinthian hero of Greek mythology, the son of Poseidon and Eurynome, and the foster son of Glaukos. He was "the greatest hero and slayer of monsters, alongside Cadmus and Perseus, before the days of Heracles".[3] Among his greatest feats was killing the Chimera of the Iliad, a monster that Homer depicted with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail: "her breath came out in terrible blasts of burning flame."[4]

Bellerophon, Pegasus, and Athena, a Roman fresco in Pompeii, first half of the 1st century

Bellerophon was also known for capturing and taming the winged horse Pegasus with the help of Athena's charmed bridle, and earning the disfavour of the gods after attempting to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus.[5]

  1. ^ Tzetzes, Chiliades 7.810 (TE2.149); Scholia on Pindar, Olympian Ode 13.66
  2. ^ Assunçâo, Teodoro Renno. "[www.persee.fr/doc/gaia_1287-3349_1997_num_1_1_1332 Le mythe iliadique de Bellérophon]". In: Gaia: revue interdisciplinaire sur la Grèce Archaïque, numéro 1-2, 1997. pp. 42-43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/gaia.1997.1332
  3. ^ Kerenyi 1959, p. 75.
  4. ^ Iliad vi.155–203.
  5. ^ Roman, Luke; Roman, Monica (2010). Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology. Infobase Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 978-1-4381-2639-5.