Bellerophon

Bellerophon, also called Bellerophontes, was the son of Glaucus, king of Corinth, and the grandson of Sisyphus. After accidentally killing a man, he fled to Tiryns, where King Proetus welcomed him and cleansed him of his crime. Antea, Proetus's wife, was so attracted to the handsome young man that she fell in love with him. But Bellerophon did not return her feelings, and in revenge she falsely accused him to the king.

Proetus's first instinct was to kill Bellerophon, but the youth's gentle and charming manner had made him so dear to his host that he could not bring himself to take his life directly. Instead, he sent him to his father-in-law, Iobates, king of Lycia, with a letter containing secret signs that asked for the bearer's death. But the gods watched over the loyal youth and softened the heart of Iobates, a kind ruler. Judging by Bellerophon's noble appearance, he entertained him lavishly for nine days, and only on the tenth morning did he ask his name and purpose.

Bellerophon then gave him the letter from Proetus. Iobates, who had grown very fond of the youth, was horrified by its contents. Yet he assumed that Proetus had good reasons and that Bellerophon must have deserved death. Unable to kill a guest he had come to respect, he decided to send him on dangerous missions where he would likely perish.

His first task was to kill the Chimaera, a monster that was ravaging the land. It had the front of a lion, the middle of a goat, and the rear of a dragon, and flames shot from its jaws.

Before setting out, Bellerophon prayed to the gods for help. In answer, they sent the immortal winged horse Pegasus, offspring of Poseidon and Medusa. But the divine creature would not let itself be caught, and after exhausting himself in vain attempts, Bellerophon fell into a deep sleep beside the sacred spring Pirene. There, Pallas Athena appeared to him in a dream and gave him a magic bridle to capture the horse. When he woke, he reached out and found the bridle lying beside him, while Pegasus calmly drank from the spring. Seizing the horse's mane, Bellerophon slipped the bridle over its head and mounted it without trouble. Then he rose into the air and killed the Chimaera with his arrows.

Next, Iobates sent him against the Solymans, a fierce neighboring tribe. Bellerophon defeated them, and then was dispatched against the dreaded Amazons. To Iobates's amazement, the hero returned victorious again.

Finally, Iobates set an ambush with many brave Lycians to kill him, but none survived, for Bellerophon fought bravely and slew them all. At last convinced that Bellerophon was not a criminal but a favorite of the gods, who had protected him through every danger, the king ended his persecution. He gave Bellerophon a share in the government and married him to his daughter.

But after reaching the peak of earthly success, Bellerophon grew arrogant and vain. He angered the gods by trying to ride his winged horse up to heaven, driven by idle curiosity. Zeus punished his impiety by sending a gadfly to sting the horse. Pegasus reared, throwing his rider, who crashed to the ground. Filled with remorse for offending the gods, Bellerophon sank into deep melancholy and wandered alone in the wildest places for the rest of his life.

After his death, he was honored as a hero in Corinth, and an altar was built for him in the grove of Poseidon.