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Story of Bellerophon from Bullfinch's Mythology
The Chimaera was a fearful monster, breathing fire. The fore part of its
body was a compound of the lion and the goat, and the hind part a dragon's. It
made great havoc in Lycia, so that the king Iobates sought for some hero to
destroy it.
At that time there arrived at his court a gallant young warrior, whose
name was Bellerophon. He brought letters from Proetus, the son-in-law of
Iobates, recommending Bellerophon in the warmest terms as an unconquerable hero,
but added at the close a request to his father-in-law to put him to death.
The reason was that Proetus was jealous of him, suspecting that his wife
Antea looked with too much admiration on the young warrior. From this instance
of Bellerophon being unconsciously the bearer of his own death- warrant, the
expression "Bellerophontic letters" arose, to describe any species of
communication which a person is made the bearer of, containing matter
prejudicial to himself.
Iobates, on perusing the letters, was puzzled what to do, not willing to
violate the claims of hospitality, yet wishing to oblige his son-in-law. A lucky
thought occurred to him, to send Bellerophon to combat with the Chimaera.
Bellerophon accepted the proposal, but before proceeding to the combat
consulted the soothsayer Polyidus, who advised him to procure if possible the
horse Pegasus for the conflict. For this purpose he directed him to pass the
night in the temple of Minerva.
He did so, and as he slept Minerva came to him and gave him a golden
bridle. When he awoke the bridle remained in his hand. Minerva also showed him
Pegasus drinking at the well of Pirene, and at sight of the bridle, the winged
steed came willingly and suffered himself to be taken. Bellerophon mounting,
rose with him into the air, and soon found the Chimaera, and gained an easy
victory over the monster.
After the conquest of the Chimaera, Bellerophon was exposed to further
trials and labors by his unfriendly host, but by the aid of Pegasus he triumphed
in them all; till at length Iobates, seeing that the hero was a special favorite
of the gods, gave him his daughter in marriage and made him his successor on the
throne.
At last Bellerophon by his pride and presumption drew upon himself the
anger of the gods; it is said he even attempted to fly up into heaven on his
winged steed; but Jupiter sent 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.
Milton alludes to Bellerophon in the beginning of the seventh book of
Paradise Lost:
"Descend from Heaven, Urania, by that name If rightly thou art called,
whose voice divine Following above the Olympian hill I soar, Above the flight of
Pegasean wing, Up-led by thee, Into the Heaven of Heavens I have presumed, An
earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air, (Thy tempering;) with like safety guided
down Return me to my native element; Lest from this flying steed unreined, (as
once Bellerophon, though from a lower sphere,) Dismounted on the Aleian field I
fall, Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn." |
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