In Greek mythology, Chimera (in ancient Greek Χίμαιρα Khimaira meaning fabulous animal; in Latin Chimæra) was a hybrid monster daughter of Typhon and Echidna or of the Hydra of Lerna. According to the descriptions, the monster had the body of a goat, the tail of a snake or a dragon, and the head of a lion. Others claimed that she had three heads: one of a lion, another of a goat, which protruded from her back, and the last of a dragon or serpent, which was born on her tail.
The chimera roamed the regions of Asia Minor terrorizing the populations, as this monster is said to spit fire to devastate fertile fields and devour entire herds of cattle. To end the Chimera, King Yóbates of Lycia entrusted the dangerous mission to the brave hero Bellerophon, a demigod son of Poseidon and Eurynome. Before undertaking this difficult task, Bellerophon consulted the soothsayer Polyidus, who advised him to capture the winged horse Pegasus. Pegasus was loved by the muses of Mount Helicon, because with a blow with his leg he had made the source of Hippocrine water sprout from the earth.
Bellerophon did not find Pegasus on Mount Helicon, but in the Pyrenees fountain on the Acropolis of Corinth. The goddess Athena gave Bellerophon a golden bridle in order to tame him, and that Bellerophon placed on her head. In other versions, Athena gave Pegasus directly after having tamed him herself or it was Poseidon himself who gave Pegasus.
Yóbates, Bellerophon, Pegasus and Athena depicted in an 1829 painting by Aleksandr Andréyevich Ivanov - Wikimedia Commonds Public Domain Image
Once armed, he mounted Pegasus to face the Chimera. In order to counter the attacks Bellerophon flew on the beast to keep it at a distance, so he began to shoot arrows at it in an uphill battle. After seeing that the arrows were not effective against the tough skin, the warrior decided to insert the tip of his spear into the monster's jaws, whose fire breath melted the lead tip causing it to drain down his throat, burning all his organs. vital. In this way Bellerophon managed to defeat the fearsome Chimera.
- Bellerophon and Pegasus facing the Chimera - Image by Marc Camelbeke
Nice story, I will start to read more about Greek mythology.