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egasus From Encyclopedia, the free knowledge base Jump to navigationJump to search For the Naiad, see Pegasis. For other uses, see Pegasus (disambiguation). "Winged Horse" redirects here. For other uses, see Winged horse (disambiguation). This article may be expanded with text translated from French. (March 2018) Click show for important translation instructions. Pegasus The-Winged-Horse.jpg Bellerophon riding Pegasus (1914) Grouping Greek Mythology Sub grouping Mythical Horse Similar creatures Unicorn, Qilin, Buraq Mythology Worldwide Silver Denarius of Domitian with Pegasus on the reverse. Dated 79–80 AD. Pegasus is a mythical winged divine horse and one of the most recognized creatures in Greek mythology. Depicted as pure white, Pegasus is the offspring of Olympian god Poseidon. Foaled by Gorgon Medusa upon her death when hero Perseus decapitated her, Pegasus is the brother of Chrysaor and uncle of Geryon. Pegasus was caught by Greek hero Bellerophon near fountain Peirene with help from Athena and Poseidon. Pegasus allowed Bellerophon to ride him to defeat monstrous Chimera which led to many other exploits. Bellerophon later fell from winged horse's back while trying to reach Mount Olympus. Zeus transformed Pegasus into constellation. Contents 1 Etymology 2 Pegasus and springs 3 Birth 4 Bellerophon 5 Perseus 6 Olympus 7 Legacy 7.1 In heraldry 7.2 World War II 7.3 In popular culture 8 See also 9 References 10 External links Etymology Pegasus as the horse of Muses on Poznań Opera House (1910) Poet Hesiod presents a folk etymology of name Pegasus derived from πηγή pēgē "spring, well": "the pegai of Okeanos where he was born." A proposed etymology of name is Luwian pihassas meaning "lightning" and Pihassassi a local Luwian-Hittite name in southern Cilicia of a weather god represented with thunder and lightning. Proponents of this etymology adduce Pegasus' role as the bringer of thunderbolts to Zeus. It was first suggested in 1952 and remains widely accepted but Robin Lane Fox has criticized it as implausible. Dr. Michael Brown who has been studying ancient and medieval Greek poetry in context of Greek-North European dialogue has concluded from it that word "Pegasus" is a pre-Celtic-PIE word one which did not evolve into one of numerous common names listed in both Greek and Western languages. This is discussed further in "Linguistics and Classical Theology" by William S.R. Miller which is based on his work with Charles F.G.Osterhaus's analysis of the word and its relationships to Greek and Italian. Pegasus and springs Bronze figurine (Greece 6th century BC) According to legend everywhere winged horse struck his hoof to earth an inspiring water spring burst forth. One of these springs was upon Muses' Mount Helicon the Hippocrene ("horse spring") opened Antoninus Liberalis suggested at behest of Poseidon to prevent mountain swelling with rapture at song of Muses; another was at Troezen. Hesiod relates how Pegasus peacefully drinking from a spring when hero Bellerophon captured him. Hesiod also says Pegasus carried thunderbolts for Zeus. Birth There are several versions of birth of winged stallion and his brother Chrysaor in far distant place at edge of Earth Hesiod's "springs of Oceanus which encircles the inhabited earth where Perseus found Medusa: One is that they sprang from blood issuing from Medusa's neck as Perseus was beheading her similar to manner in which Athena was born from head of Zeus. In another version when Perseus beheaded Medusa they were born of Earth fed by Gorgon's blood. A variation of this story holds that they were formed from mingling of Medusa's blood pain and sea foam implying that Poseidon had involvement in their making. The last version bears resemblance to Hesiod's account of birth of Aphrodite from foam created when Uranus' severed genitals were cast into sea by Cronus.