Who was Bellerophon, and why is he associated with Pegasus?

Long ago, in the city state of Corinth, there lived a young man named Bellerophon, son of King Glaucus, though some say Bellerophon's true father was the god of the sea, Poseidon. Bellerophon grew up to be a fine horseman, and when he was 16, he set off to travel the world. read more

Bellerophon or Bellerophontes is a hero of Greek mythology. He was"the greatest hero and slayer of monsters, alongside Cadmus and Perseus, before the days of Heracles", and his greatest feat was killing the Chimera, a monster that Homer depicted with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail:"her breath came out in terrible blasts of burning flame." Bellerophon was born at Corinth and was the son of the mortal Eurynome by either her husband Glaucus, or Poseidon. read more

Pegasus and Bellerophon’s Adventures Riding on Pegasus, Bellerophon was capable of overcoming the Amazons, the fire-breathing Chimaera, and the warlike Solymi. In addition, Pegasus was the means through which Bellerophon exacted his revenge on Jobates’ wife, Stheneboea, who testified falsely against Bellerophon after he had rejected her advances. read more

Other stories tell that Bellerophon became associated with Pegasus whilst in Lycia, with the noted seer Polyeidos telling him to sleep in the temple of Athena, at which point Athena came to assist the hero. read more