Pegasus is no ordinary horse.
After all, there is nothing average about a winged stallion—let alone one whose feet stamp freshwater wells into the earth, or one who delivers bolts of lightning and claps of thunder in the name of Zeus.
So no, there is nothing ordinary about Pegasus. Not even the story of his birth, which is a remarkable tale. One might say a little too exceptional to be true…
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start from the beginning.
Most of the time, accounts of new life are steeped in joy. This is not one of those stories. The arrival of Pegasus is a tale riddled in tragedy instead of bliss.
Just ask his mother—Medusa.
Before Medusa was a hideous Gorgon who turned humans and gods to stone, she was a beautiful maiden known for her long golden hair. She was so alluring, that Poseidon, the God of the Sea, became enraged when she refused his advances. Despite her rejections and genuine disinterest, Poseidon would not take no for an answer. Drowning in lust, he kidnapped Medusa and fled to Athena’s temple, where he selfishly took her against her will.
Most of us can probably guess what happened next.
When Athena found out about the violation in her temple (which resulted in Medusa’s pregnancy), she was furious. After all, she had been unsuccessfully pining for Poseidon’s attention for eons.
Unable to take out her frustration on Poseidon, she turned her focus towards Medusa. Not only did she transform the beautiful maiden into a repulsive snake-haired Gorgon, but Athena also cursed Medusa so that she was unable to give birth to the children swelling in her belly.
Whether Medusa considered this a blessing or a curse is unknown. Horrified over her appearance, she retreated from human society and isolated herself with other Gorgons.
But, this life of solitude would not last. So long as Athena thirsted for revenge, Medusa would never be at peace.
Eventually, Athena came up with a plan. She tasked Perseus, a fierce monster slayer and the God of War, with hunting down and killing her nemesis once and for all.
Perseus was successful. Partly because he was one of the best warriors before Hercules, but also because he was clever.
In order for Perseus to get close to Medusa while avoiding her stony gaze, he used his shield to deflect her image. This strategy is no doubt what led to his victory. Before Medusa could fight back, Perseus had decapitated the unfortunate maiden with his sword.
Perseus fulfilled Athena’s wish, but then the unexpected happened. From the neck of Medusa’s limp body sprang forth new life—Pegasus and his brother, Chrysoar.
The moments after Pegasus’s birth are a bit blurry, but legend suggests that Perseus rode this wild stallion home to Mount Olympus. Pegasus was never punished by Athena for his relation to Medusa. In fact, it was Athena who cared for Pegasus as if he were her own. As a virgin goddess, she could never give life to another, but that wouldn’t stop her from caring for Pegasus as if he were the child she’d always desired.
