Usually depicted as a magnificent white stallion, Pegasus is, in Greek mythology, a winged horse capable of flying freely, with great speed and agility. He was sired by Poseidon, god of the sea, earthquakes and horses, and emerged from the blood of Medusa – the most famous, and only mortal, Gordon – when she was beheaded by the Greek hero Perseus, alongside his brother, Chrysaor.
Pegasus is captured and tamed by another Greek hero, Bellerophon, with the aid of a charmed golden bridle supplied by Athena, the goddess of goddess of reason, wisdom, and war. The pair subsequently embark on various adventures, not least the slaying of the fire-breathing female monster known as the Chimera. Considering himself the equal of the gods, Bellerophon attempts to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus but, enraged by his arrogance, Zeus sends a fly to bite the winged horse, who rears, sending the hero hurtling back to earth.
Pegasus is credited with creating Hippocrene, the fountain, or spring, on Mount Helicon, the water from which was supposed to precipitate poetic inspiration when consumed. He later became a servant of Zeus, the chief Greek deity, who instructed him to bring lightning and thunder from Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, and subsequently a constellation, one of the largest in the sky, of which the so-called ‘Great Square’ is the most recognisable feature.
Pegasus, is a prominent figure in literature, ancient and modern works, where is often associated with heroism, poetic inspiration, and divine power. Symbolically, he represents creativity and, allegorically, the immortality of the soul and his influence has been referenced by countless artists, poets and writers down the years. Pegasus has also been the subject of lavish iconography, not least in the pottery of ancient Greece and the paintings of the great Renaissance artists, including Girolamo Romanino, Joos de Momper and Peter Paul Reubens, to name but three.