Myths are generally stories that have been handed down for generations, popular tales that embody a collective knowledge. While some may have originated with shamans, priests, or poets, myths belong to a primitive or pre-scientific people as part of their cultural heritage. Usually they have been shaped and molded by the folk imagination. Very often myths were accepted as the literal truth. They were not presented as engaging fiction but as fact. Even in sophisticated classical Greece myths were often viewed as actualities. The following stories relate to Pegasus, from birth to the legend he is most famous for, flying through the air with Zeus on his back throwing lighting bolts.

But first, let me set the scene. In those days Mount Olympus sat at the center of the earth. It is where the gods lived and held court. Sometimes Olympus was thought of as the actual mountain in Greece, but more often it was thought to be a lofty region in the heavens. Around the earth there ran a limitless river called Ocean. On the northern shores of this river lived the Hyperboreans, a fortunate race of men who never knew care, toil, illness, or old age. This land was unapproachable by land or sea. It enjoyed perpetual light and warmth.

To the West lay Hesperia, the land of the evening star, where the golden apples of Hera were guarded by the dragon Ladon and by seven immortal maidens, the Hesperides. The western lands and seas were populated by monstrous beings: the one-eyed Cyclopes the cannibalistic Laestrygonians Scyalla and Charybdis, the Sirens and the Titan Atlas. Also to the far west was the Elysian Fields, or Isles of the Blessed, where certain favored mortals went when they died.

In the far South were the Ethiopians, a lucky, virtuous people with whom the gods banqueted. And in the East were the barbarians, or non- Greek speaking races to whom the blessings of civilization were unknown.

Beneath the earth was Tartarus, where the Titans were confined, a vast, neblous realm of darkness. Between earth and Tartarus was the under world kingdom of Hades, the ruler of the dead. The entrance to this realm was quarded by Cerberus, the three headed dog. And once the departed spirits passed they had to be ferried across the River Styx by Charon, the foul-tempered boatman. The place was thought of as cavernous and dim,
a joyless place in which the dead gradually faded into nothingness.

Now for our story, gather round and I will try to tell you how Pegasus came to be. In these days the King Acrisius ruled Argos but possessed no heir to take over his kingdom when he died. His only child was the lovely maiden, Danae, but back then girls did not count for much :( Acrisius went to an oracle that informed him he would have no son, but that his grandson would kill him. Greatly alarmed, the king had an underground chamber built, one with a skylight, and he imprisoned Danae there in order the she might not bear any children. But, Zeus saw the beautiful girl in her bronzed chamber and visited her in the form of a golden shower. Nine months later she gave birth to a son, PERSEUS. When Acrisius learned of this he was wrought to put both of them to death, so instead he had his daughter and grandson sealed in a chest and cast out to sea.

After much time the chest landed on a beach and was found by a fisherman, Doctys. Being a kind man he took them home to his wife. The couple, who had no children of their own, deceided they would care for Danae and raise Perseus as their own son.

As the years passed, Danae did not loose her beauty and Dictys brother, the tyrannical king Polydectes, wanted to marry her. But Polydectes thought Perseus would object so he conjured up a plan. He told everyone he was to marry another woman so that everyone, including Perseus, would have to give him a wedding gift. Well, he knew that Perseus had nothing to give and on the day of the gift-giving feast Perseus, to save face, foolishly promised to bring the king the head of the Gorgon Medusa as his gift. Polydectes was pleased, knowing surely that Perseus would die in the attempt, for one look from that snake headed monster turned men to stone.

Perseus being so upset at what he had done, left immediately and set sail for Greece. He went straight to Delphi to see the oracle to learn the where abouts of the Gorgons. But the oracle could not tell him but instead directed him to Dodona, the land of the whispering oaks. There he learned little but in his travels he met the god Hermes, who told him he must acquire some magic objects from the Stygian nymphs. A pair of flying sandals, a magic wallet, and a helmet of invisibility if he ever planned on succeeding.

These crones lived far to the west beyond the river of Ocean, and had but one eye among the three of them. Hermes guided Perseus to them and while they were passing the one eye from one to the other, Perseus jumped behind them and grabbed it. In order to get their eye back they told Perseus the Graeae told him where the Stygian nymphs lived. Again Hermes helped him find his way and they were able to borrow the magic items from the nymphs and Hermes also gave Perseus a sharp sickle with which to sever Medusa's head.

The goddess Athena took part and showed Perseus how to tell which of the three awful Gorgons was Medusa, for only Medusa could be killed and it was her head that was promised. The goddess also gave him a mirror like shield that would allow him to see the Gorgons reflection and save him from being instantly petrified.

At last he was ready! With his winged sandals he flew to the land of the Hyperboreans, and there he found the Gorgons sleeping. Gazing into his mirrored shield, Peresus approached them. As the goddess guided his hand he stuck off Medusa's monstrous head with one blow. At that moment, from the blood of Medusa, sprang PEGASUS, the winged horse, and a terrible warrior.

Quickly Peresus put the head in his magic wallet and put on his helmet of invisibility, just in the nick of time too, for immeadiately the other two Gorgons awoke. Seeing what had happened to their sister, they went straight away to find her murderer, but Perseus had no trouble getting away as he could fly and was invisible!

See these Links for more about Greek Mythology

Ancient Greeks Virtual Tour

Encyclopedia Mythica

Classical Myth