Starting today, we will be presenting in our blog our creations out of our Ancient Greek Jewelry Collection and the fascinating stories of Greek mythology behind them. First one to go is Pegasus, the flying horse!
Pegasus Ring, The Flying Horse http://goo.gl/IJBcaq
The story…
Maybe the most popular and beloved figure of Greek mythology, Pegasus, the marvelous white winged horse that was born in the oddest and yet impsessive way that only ancient Greeks could think of!
According to Hesiod’s “Theogony”, the ancient Poet who lived approximately around 800 or 700 B.C. after Homer, Pegasus was born when Perseas, the ancient hero and son of Zeus, beheaded Medusa with the assistance of Athena, and Pegasus sprang from her neck. So, Pegasus was considered son of Poseidon, God of the sea, and Medusa’s, which is why Pegasus relates closely to the element of water. Medusa, Pegasus mother is known as the Gorgon with the living snake hair that stoned anyone who looked into her eyes. But, according to the myth, this appearance came as a punishment from Goddess Athena. Medusa at first was a gorgeous priestess of Athena. Poseidon fell for her and transformed himself into a horse so as to approach her in the holy temple of Athena, where, according to the myth they made love. Athena was furious and as she could not take it out on her sibling and god, Poseidon, she cursed Medousa with this hideous appearance and power.
Pottery depicting Pegasos bursting forth in birth, from the decapitated neck of the Gorgon Medusa, 500 – 450 BC
This story explains in many ways why Pegasus is considered a creature of beauty and grace. When dying Medusa probably set free from Athena’s curse and Pegasus symbolizes the mating between Poseidon and Medusa in her first look and grace that resulted to strength and heroic action.
Bellerophon and Pegasus
Pegasus was so loved by the ancient Greek world, and especially in the ancient city of Corinth where he was worshiped as deity and coins where cut after this dazzling creature. The Corinthians adored Pegasus because it was captured and tamed by a mighty local hero, Bellerophon, slayer of monsters before Hercules, with the help of Poseidon and Athena.
On the left the original Corinth coin depicting Pegasus
Pegasus allowed Bellerophon to ride him and together they set off to defeat a dangerous creature called Chimaera who was depicted in the “Iliad” of Homer as a lion, with the head of a goat arising from its back and also dragon, with a tail that ended in a snake’s head.
Bellerophon and Pegasus
Chimaera was killed by Bellerophon on the back of Pegasus and his fame grew even more. He thought it was time for him to reach mountain Olympos, the realm of the gods, a presumption that enraged Zeus. He sent a gad-fly to sting the horse causing Bellerophon to fall all the way back to Earth. Pegasus completed the flight to Olympus where Zeus used him as a pack horse for his thunderbolts from Ifaistos’ workshop to Olympos.
Bellerophon killing Chimaera
Bellerophon killing Chimaera
Eventually, the gods offered Pegasus an eternal place in the sky, creating the constellation of Pegasus that remains in modern astronomy.
Pegasus was also the horse of the Muses, the nine goddesses of the inspiration of arts (especially for literature, poetry, music and dance) and science, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (who was memory personified). Moreover, Pegasus is thought as the horse of artists and especially poets, whom they can ride and fly towards artistry.
Pegasus on Pottery
According to the myth, the Muses once competed in singing with Pierides, the nine daughters of King Pieros, near by the river Elikonas. The muses sang so beautifully that everything in the world stopped. The sky, the sea, the rivers, all of them stopped so as to listen to the Muses’ exquisite hymns. Elikonas, filled with joy and happiness from their song, started to rise its peak towards the sky. Under Poseidon’s orders, Pegasus stopped Elikonas river with his hooves and made him drop down. Out of this move, a majestic spring was created called Ippokrini, meaning spring of the horse, that inspired the Muses ever after…
Carried away by this fascinating myth of Greek mythology and after the ancient coin of Pegasus we have created this magnificent Pegasus Ring . Definately a statement piece, it symbolizes force, beauty and artistry. The theme is micro-sculptured on black background of light-cured porcelain closing in on 925 silver and covered with 18 carat gold leaf. Mineral glass adornes the carved silver. Love it yet?!
Thanks for reading,
SilverTownArt 