Bellerophon, a Corinthian prince, tamed the winged horse Pegasus with a golden bridle given to him by Athena, who appeared to him in a dream. Mounted on Pegasus, he became capable of feats no purely earthbound hero could manage.
The Chimera and False Accusation
Bellerophon's story begins with exile: after accidentally killing a man at home, he took refuge with King Proetus, whose wife falsely accused him of assaulting her when he refused her advances. Rather than kill a guest directly, Proetus sent him to his father-in-law, King Iobates of Lycia, carrying a sealed letter asking that the bearer be killed. Iobates instead set him a task meant to be fatal: killing the Chimera, a monster that was lion, goat, and serpent combined and breathed fire. Riding Pegasus, Bellerophon killed it from the air, out of reach of its flames.
The Fall
Having survived further trials Iobates set for him, Bellerophon was accepted as a hero and married into the Lycian royal family. His downfall came from pride: he attempted to ride Pegasus up to Olympus itself, to take his place among the gods. Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, throwing Bellerophon back to earth, where he lived out his life crippled, blinded, and shunned, as recounted by Pindar and referenced in the Iliad.
Parentage
Mortal parent: Glaucus, king of Corinth (or, by a variant tradition, Poseidon)
Homer treats him as Glaucus's son; a rival tradition makes Poseidon his true father, a common motif for heroes with an unusual bond to horses.
Key Deeds
•Tamed Pegasus with a golden bridle given by Athena
•Killed the Chimera by attacking it from the air
•Survived further trials set by King Iobates of Lycia and married into his family
•Attempted to fly Pegasus to Olympus and was thrown back to earth by Zeus
Fate
Thrown from Pegasus by Zeus's gadfly after attempting to reach Olympus; lived out his remaining years crippled and shunned by the gods and by men.
Primary Sources
Historical texts and references
“But when even Bellerophon came to be hated by all the gods, he wandered alone over the Aleian plain, devouring his own soul, and avoided the paths of men.”
“Seeking to reach the dwellings of heaven and the company of Zeus, Pegasus threw his rider, who fell to earth.”
