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Pegasus FolkLore / Pegasus Symbolism The marvelous winged horse which, in Greek mythology, sprang
from the blood of the decapitated Gorgon, Medusa. The offspring of Poseidon,
Pegasus was tamed by Athena and presented by her to the Muses. With a stroke
of his hoof he caused the fountain Hippocrene to gush forth on Mount Helicon
and it became the fountain of the Muses. He is now associated entirely with
poetry, but originally bore Zeus' thunderbolt and was for a time the mount
of the hero Bellerophon, who captured him with a golden bridle, gift of
Athena. With the aid of Pegasus, Bellerophon fought the Chimaera, the Amazons,
and the Solymi. But when, in overweening pride, Bellerophon tried to ride
him up to heaven, Pegasus threw him to his death. Another version has Jupiter
sending a gadfly which stung Pegasus and made him throw his rider, who became
lame and blind in consequence. After this Bellerophon wandered lonely through
the Aleian field, avoiding the paths of men, and died miserably.
The word Pegasus derives from the Phoenician "pag-sus", or bridled
horse.
The Chinese know it as the kylin and the Japanese as the ki-rin.