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Bellerophon
Bellerophon , in Greek mythology, son of Glaucus; originally called Hipponoüs. He changed his name after he murdered a countryman and was forced to flee to exile. He became a suppliant at the court of King Proetus of Argos, whose wife Anteia falsely accused him of trying to seduce her. Proetus sent him to Iobates, king of Lycia, with a sealed message requesting the death of its bearer. Iobates gave Bellerophon the seemingly impossible task of killing the Chimera, a beast that was part lion, part goat, part dragon. Bellerophon, however, with the aid of the flying horse Pegasus, killed the monster. Iobates sent him on other difficult missions, but finally decided that Bellerophon was favored by the gods and gave him his daughter in marriage. At the height of his prosperity, however, Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus to the throne of the gods atop Mt. Olympus, and Zeus in anger caused Pegasus to throw him to the ground. Bellerophon then wandered alone, crippled, blind, and humiliated, until he died. |
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"Bellerophon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Bellerophon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Bellerop.html "Bellerophon." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Bellerop.html |
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Bellerophon
Bellerophon in Greek mythology, an ancient Corinthian hero, said in some accounts to be the son of Poseidon. Anteia, wife of Proetus king of Argus, fell in love with him, and when he rejected her accused him publicly of trying to seduce her (cf. Potiphar's wife). Proetus, unwilling to violate the laws of hospitality, sent Bellerophon to the king of Lycia, with a sealed letter requesting the king to kill Bellerophon. The king set him a number of tasks likely to prove fatal, such as killing the Chimaera and defeating the Amazons, but Bellerophon with the help of the winged horse Pegasus was always successful. He was finally reconciled to the king, and married his daughter.
Afterwards Bellerophon incurred the anger of the gods by his presumption in trying to ride Pegasus to heaven, but the horse threw him. He ended his life as a lonely outcast. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Bellerophon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Bellerophon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Bellerophon.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Bellerophon." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Bellerophon.html |
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Bellerophon
Bellerophon
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Cite this article
"Bellerophon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Bellerophon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Bellerophon.html "Bellerophon." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Bellerophon.html |
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