Bellerophon
Bellerophon, grandson of Sisyphus, received from the gods both beauty
and manliness, but the heavenly gifts wrought his ruin. Hardly had Queen
Antia looked upon him before she forgot her duty to the king and tried
to win him for a husband. When Bellerophon learned her purpose, he
turned from her with abhorrence. Thereupon she determined to destroy
him, and said to her husband: "Kill that profligate who has tried to
make me faithless to thee."
The king's heart was filled with anger when he learned this, and yet he
was reluctant to kill the youth himself. So he wrote a letter and sent
Bellerophon with it to his father-in-law, the prince of the rich country
of Lycia, who extended hospitalities to him and gave a feast in his
honor, which lasted several days. Bellerophon then took the letter,
whose contents he did not understand, and gave it to the prince. He was
amazed when he read that Bellerophon must die, and disliked to deprive
so handsome a youth of his life.
Finally he ordered him to fight with the dreadful Chimæra, a monster
having the fore part that of a lion, the middle that of a goat, and the
hind part that of a dragon, which continually emitted fire from its
jaws. The gods, compassionating the innocent one, sent Pegasus, the
winged horse, to him, so that he could raise himself in the air. But he
could not catch the horse. Wearied with his exertions, he slept by the
edge of a spring. Athene appeared to him there, gave him a golden
bridle, and said: "Make an offering to Poseidon, the sea god, and he
will aid thee." When the youth awoke he was holding the bridle in his
hand. He at once made the offering and erected an altar to Athene. Then
he started to catch the horse, which came to him of its own accord. He
placed the golden bridle on it and in his brazen armor vaulted upon the
back of the divine steed. It extended its wings at once and took him to
the lair of the Chimæra.
Now the battle began. His steed sinking towards the earth, Bellerophon
hurled a lance at the animal which penetrated deep into its back.
Roaring with rage and pain, the monster reared its dragon body and
emitted flames. But its exertions were useless, for Pegasus flew still
farther upwards with the youth. It writhed upon the ground and sought to
pull out the bronze spear with its jaws. Then it crawled over the
fields, streaking them with blood. Bellerophon followed it, when
suddenly it coiled itself up as if dead. But it did not deceive him.
From on high he shot down a deadly arrow which pierced through its mane
into its neck. It sprang up again, but could not reach the youth. Hardly
had it sunk down to the ground before another arrow was driven through
its eyes. Fearful was its roar. Men and beasts fled far away in terror,
but Bellerophon was not afraid. Unerringly he shot the third arrow,
which struck the monster between the vertebræ and pierced the marrow.
Spouting fire and blood, it died.
When Bellerophon returned from his battle, still harder tasks awaited
him. He had first to encounter the famous Solymi and then the bold
Amazons. With the aid of the gods he was victorious, but on his homeward
way new danger awaited him. The king sent out a troop of his most
valiant men against him and they approached the unsuspecting Bellerophon
from an ambush. But it was of no avail, for after a short battle he
overcame them. When he appeared before the prince, the latter said:
"Surely thou art innocent and a favorite of the gods, else thou couldst
not have escaped all these dangers." He loved him from that moment and
gave him his daughter to wife.
Rich in possessions and honors, Bellerophon lived in Lycia. But his good
fortune did not last long. He attempted to fly to heaven with Pegasus to
participate in the assemblies of the gods. His efforts were useless and
he lost their favor. Pegasus was frightened and threw his rider to the
earth, who fell into a field called Aleius because he wandered in it
blind the rest of his life. Joyless were his days and at last he died,
his heart broken by sorrow. But Pegasus was placed among the stars.