Irlandos at 12:20, March 13, 2006

2006-03-13T12:20:24Z

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In [[Greek mythology]], '''Pegasus''' (''Pegasos'') was a winged horse that was the foal of [[Poseidon]], in his role as horse-god, and the [[Gorgon]] [[Medusa]].

Descriptions vary as to the winged stallion's birth and his brother the giant, [[Chrysaor]]; some say that they sprang from Medusa's neck as [[Perseus]] beheaded her, a "higher" birth, like the birth of [[Athena]] from the head of [[Zeus]]. Others says that they were born of the earth as Medusa's blood spilled onto it, in which case Poseidon would not be their sire. [[Athena]] caught and tamed Pegasus, and presented him to the [[Muse]]s.

[[Hesiod]] connects the name ''Pegasos'' with the word for "spring, well", ''pēgē''; everywhere the winged horse struck hoof to earth, an inspiring spring burst forth: one on the Muses' [[Helicon|Mount Helicon]], the ''[[Hippocrene]]'' ("horse spring"), at the behest of Poseidon to prevent the mountain swelling too much and another at [[Troezen]]. The actual etymology of the name is most likely from Luwian ''pihassas'' "lightning", or ''pihassasas'', a weather god (the god of lightning). In Hesiod, Pegasos is still associated with this original significance by carrying the thunderbolts for Zeus.

Pegasus aided the hero [[Bellerophon]], who is a double in some way for Perseus, in his fight against both the [[Chimera (mythology)|Chimera]] and the [[Amazons]]. There are varying tales as to how Bellerophon found Pegasus, some say that the hero found him drinking at the [[Muse|Pierian]] spring and that [[Polyidus]] told Bellerophon how to find and tame him, others that either [[Athena]] or Poseidon brought him to Bellerophon.

Prior to aiding Bellerophon, Pegasus brought thunderbolts to [[Zeus]], and following Bellerophon's death he returned to [[Mount Olympus]] to aid the gods.
In his later life, Pegasus took a wife, Euippe (or Ocyrrhoe) This family is the origin of the winged horses.

Pegasus was eventually turned into a constellation, but a single feather fell to the earth near the city of Tarsus (hence its name).

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[[Category:Greek mythology]]

Pegasus - Revision history

Irlandos at 12:20, March 13, 2006