Pegasus

Pegasus is the divine winged horse of Greek mythology, one of the most recognizable and beloved mythological creatures in the Western tradition. According to the most common account, Pegasus sprang from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa after the hero Perseus severed her head. A creature of extraordinary beauty and grace, Pegasus was pure white with magnificent wings that carried him effortlessly through the sky. He was captured by the hero Bellerophon with the help of a golden bridle given by Athena, and together they accomplished many heroic deeds, including the slaying of the Chimera. After Bellerophon attempted to fly to Mount Olympus, Pegasus threw him to earth and continued to the heavens alone, where Zeus employed him to carry thunderbolts. Pegasus was eventually transformed into a constellation, and in some traditions, everywhere his hoof struck the earth, a spring of fresh water burst forth, the most famous being the Hippocrene spring on Mount Helicon, sacred to the Muses. Pegasus symbolizes poetic inspiration, the soaring of the creative spirit, and the union of earthly power with divine freedom.