Bellerophon

• 1. Etymological Origins And Name

  ›

  The name Bellerophon appears in ancient texts as a compound of Greek words meaning "slayer" and "Belleros." One theory suggests the root comes from the word for projectile or dart, paired with a verb meaning to slay. Geoffrey Kirk notes that the name might literally mean "slayer of Belleros," referring to a Corinthian citizen killed by accident during knife-throwing practice. This accidental killing forced him into exile and changed his identity from Hipponous, which means "horse-knower," to Bellerophon. Byzantine scholars John Tzetzes and Eustathius of Thessalonica later repeated this etymology without adding new evidence. Robert Graves proposed an alternative interpretation involving bearing darts, while Joseph Shipley simply glossed it as "slayer of monsters." The Scholia on Homer state that the name originated after he slew a man named Belleros, though no other authors confirm this specific event before the Byzantine era.

  148910

• 2. Genealogy And Divine Lineage

  ›

  Bellerophon's parentage varies across classical mythographic texts, creating conflicting accounts of his divine status. Hyginus identifies his mother as Eurynome, while Apollodorus names her Eurymede. His father is consistently listed as Poseidon, the god of the sea, in most versions. However, some narratives claim his biological father was Glaucus, King of Potniae and son of Sisyphus. Karl Kerenyi suggests that the sea-green figure of Glaucus acts as a double for Poseidon, who looms behind many elements of the myth. Pegasus and Chrysaor are born from Medusa at the moment of her death, making them brothers to the immortal horse. This lineage connects Bellerophon to both mortal kings and divine forces. He had a brother named Deliades, also known as Peiren or Alcimenes. His children included Isander, Hippolochus, and Laodamia by Philonoe, daughter of King Iobates of Lycia. Some accounts mention Hydissos, fathered by Asteria, daughter of Hydeus.

  611121420

• 3. The Exile And False Accusation

  ›

  In one narrative, Bellerophon murdered his brother Deliades, leading to his exile from Corinth. A more precise version describes him slaying a citizen named Belleros accidentally while practicing knife-throwing with friends. This crime required atonement through a plea to Proetus, king of Tiryns. Proetus cleansed Bellerophon of his guilt but could not punish him directly due to guest rights. The wife of Proetus, either Anteia or Stheneboea, made advances toward Bellerophon which he rejected. She then accused him of attempting to violate her instead. Robert Graves notes parallels in Egyptian tales and biblical narratives involving false accusations. Proetus sent Bellerophon to King Iobates in Lycia with a sealed letter demanding his death. The letter read: "Please remove this bearer from the world: he attempted to violate my wife, your daughter." Such letters became known as bellerophontic letters, appearing later in Shakespeare's Hamlet and ancient Mesopotamian stories.

  151923

• 4. Taming Pegasus And The Chimera

  ›

  Polyeidos, a Corinthian fortune teller, advised Bellerophon to sleep in Athena's temple to receive guidance. While sleeping, Athena appeared in a dream placing a golden bridle beside him. She instructed him to show the charm to his father when sacrificing a white bull. Upon waking, Bellerophon approached Pegasus drinking from the never-failing Pirene well on the citadel of Corinth. He mounted the winged horse and flew to Lycia where the fire-breathing monster dwelled. The Chimera possessed a lion's head, goat body, and serpent tail, breathing terrible blasts of burning flame. Bellerophon could not harm it directly despite riding Pegasus. He devised a plan using a large block of lead attached to his spear. Flying head-on toward the beast, he lodged the lead inside its throat. The creature's fire melted the metal, blocking its air passage and suffocating it. Some red-figure pottery painters depict Bellerophon wielding Poseidon's trident instead of a spear during this battle.

  131516

• 5. Hubris And The Fall From Grace

  ›

  As Bellerophon's fame grew following victories over the Amazons and Solymi, his pride increased. He believed he deserved to fly to Mount Olympus after defeating the Chimera. This act angered Zeus who sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus mid-flight. The insect caused Bellerophon to fall back to Earth and die. Pegasus completed the journey alone, serving as a pack horse for Zeus's thunderbolts elsewhere. Other narratives describe him living out his life in misery on the Plain of Aleion in Cilicia. There he was blinded by falling into a thorn bush and lived "devouring his own soul" until death. Pindar records that he died in wretched conditions after being cast down from the sky. His story parallels those of Icarus and Phaeton, both punished for overreaching human limits. The fall marked the end of his heroic career and demonstrated divine retribution against hubris.

  162025

• 6. Euripides Lost Tragedy And Atheism

  ›

  Enough fragments survive from Euripides' lost tragedy Bellerophon to allow scholars to assess its themes. Approximately thirty quotations remain embedded in surviving texts discussing the tragic outcome of storming Olympus. An outspoken passage suggests Bellerophon doubted the existence of gods due to contrasting lives of the wicked and suffering good people. Aristophanes used this material to impute atheism to Euripides himself. The play explored divine injustice through the lens of mortal suffering versus impious ease. These fragments provide insight into how ancient dramatists questioned traditional religious beliefs. The narrative structure emphasized the consequences of challenging divine authority directly. Scholars rely on these scattered lines to reconstruct the original argument about fate and morality.

  192325