Pegasus

Pegasus is a famous winged horse from ancient Greek stories. He was born from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa when the hero Perseus cut off her head. Poseidon, the god of the sea, was his father, and he had a brother named Chrysaor.

Pegasus created a special fountain called Hippocrene on Mount Helicon. The hero Bellerophon captured Pegasus with help from the gods Athena and Poseidon. Pegasus let Bellerophon ride him to fight a terrible monster named Chimera and to do many other brave deeds. However, Bellerophon later tried to fly to Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, and fell. Both Pegasus and Bellerophon were said to have been stopped by Zeus for trying to reach the gods' home.

Today, Pegasus is still remembered as a bright star pattern in the sky and appears in many old paintings, sculptures, and artworks from ancient Greece and later times.

Etymology

The poet Hesiod explains the name Pegasus as coming from the word for "spring, well", which refers to where he was born.

Some believe the name comes from an old word meaning "lightning", because Pegasus was known for bringing thunderbolts to the god Zeus. This idea was first shared in 1952 and many still agree with it, though some experts have questioned it.

Springs

In old stories, wherever the winged horse Pegasus touched the ground with his hoof, a special spring of water would appear. One of these springs was on Mount Helicon, home of the Muses, called the Hippocrene or "horse spring." Some believe the god Poseidon helped create this spring. Another spring linked to Pegasus was near the city of Troezen. The poet Hesiod tells how Pegasus was drinking calmly from this spring when the hero Bellerophon met him.

Thunderbolts

Hesiod wrote that Pegasus carried thunderbolts for Zeus.

Roman iconography

A scholar looked at old Roman bronze coins showing Pegasus with an eagle carrying a thunderbolt. This artwork matches stories that say Pegasus carried Zeus’s thunder or pulled the god’s storm chariot, showing that Romans saw Pegasus as connected to strong divine power and stormy weather.

Birth

In ancient Greek stories, the winged horse Pegasus and his brother Chrysaor were born in a magical place at the edge of the world. This place is called the "springs of Oceanus," which is thought to surround the earth where people live. Their birth happened when the hero Perseus fought the monster Medusa.

One story says that Pegasus and Chrysaor came from the blood that sprayed from Medusa’s neck as Perseus cut it off. Another story says they were born from the earth when Medusa’s blood touched it. Yet another version says they were formed from a mix of Medusa’s blood, her pain, and sea foam, which suggests the sea god Poseidon played a part in their creation.

Bellerophon

Pegasus helped the hero Bellerophon fight a monster called the Chimera. There are different stories about how Bellerophon found Pegasus. One common story says that Polyeidos told Bellerophon to sleep in the temple of Athena. During the night, the goddess gave Bellerophon a golden bridle. The next morning, Bellerophon found Pegasus drinking at the Pierian spring. With the bridle, he caught and tamed Pegasus.

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Left: a Hellenistic Greek mosaic of Bellerophon slaying the Chimera, 300–270 BC, Archaeological Museum of Rhodes

Right: a Roman mosaic of Bellerophon slaying the Chimera, 2nd to 3rd centuries AD, Musée de la Romanité, Nîmes

Perseus

When Pegasus was born, he flew to a place where thunder and lightning come from. In some stories, the goddess Athena tamed him and gave him to Perseus. Perseus then flew with Pegasus to Ethiopia to help Andromeda.

Olympus

After Bellerophon fell off Pegasus, Pegasus and Athena continued to Olympus. There, Pegasus joined other horses that belonged to Zeus and was given the important job of carrying Zeus's thunderbolts. Pegasus worked with others, including Astrape and Bronte, who served as attendants, handmaidens, or shield bearers.

Because Pegasus served Zeus so well, he was later honored by being placed among the stars as a constellation. On the day this happened, one of his feathers fell to Earth near the city of Tarsus.

Indo-European context

Pegasus is part of a longer tradition of magical or divine horses found in many cultures. His placement in the stars shows an old belief linking horses to the changing seasons, especially the coming of spring.

Legacy

In heraldry

Pegasus became a popular symbol in British coats of arms. It often appears as a supporter or crest. Sometimes, Pegasus is shown on the main shield, though this is less common. The Inner Temple shows a Pegasus standing proudly, while the Richardson family has a Pegasus in a rare sitting position on their coat of arms.

World War II emblem

During World War II, the image of a warrior riding Pegasus was chosen as a symbol for the United Kingdom's parachute troops in 1941. This design showed a warrior arriving in battle from the air, just like paratroopers do. The symbol was a light blue Pegasus on a maroon background. Some say it was designed by a famous writer, while others believe it was created by a well-known painter. The maroon color was later used for the troops' berets, earning them the nickname "Red Devils" from the Germans. Today, the Parachute Regiment still wears these maroon berets. The selection process for these elite troops is called Pegasus Company. In 2015, some units started using the Pegasus symbol again after 15 years.

During the Normandy invasion in 1944, British airborne troops captured an important bridge over the Caen Canal. This bridge is now called Pegasus Bridge to honor their bravery.

Tuscany

Pegasus has been a symbol of Tuscany since 1537 when it was used on a coin. During World War II, the Tuscan Committee of National Liberation also used Pegasus as its emblem. Today, Pegasus still appears on the Tuscan flag and coat of arms.

In popular culture

Pegasus is a well-known symbol used by many companies. Ecuador launched a weather satellite named Pegaso in 2013. Pegasus Airlines, a low-cost airline based in Istanbul, Turkey, uses the winged horse in its logo. Mobil Oil has used Pegasus as its logo since the 1930s. TriStar Pictures also features a winged horse in their logo.