You will have no doubt heard of Medusa, the Gorgon monster from Greek Mythology, famed
for both her striking beauty and savage ferocity. But what you may not have heard is that Medusa
actually had two children, and their identities may just surprise you. So who were these offspring
of the mighty Medusa, and what is their story? Let’s find out together, right now.
Whilst many variations of Medusa’s story exist, most agree that she was the mother
to two other famous names from Greek Mythology. Their birth however was far from a traditional
and joyous one, for it was only when Medusa was slain by the Greek hero Perseus, her head
severed from her body, that they sprang forth into existence, fully formed, much to the
surprise of Perseus. The first was Pegasus, the pure white winged
stallion well known in Greek Mythology. Pegasus was followed swiftly by Chrysaor, a young
man born with a Golden sword in his grasp. Most scholars agree the father of these children
was the God Poseidon, whether as a result of the rape of Medusa or a consensual coupling
depending on the variation of Medusa’s story you choose to believe. It has been theorised
by some that by coupling with Poseidon, Medusa figuratively became a mare as a result of
Poseidon’s connection to horses, thus providing context and justification for the birth of
the horse Pegasus from her body.
Less is known of the second child of Medusa, Chrysaor, who is a somewhat more minor figure
in wider Greek Mythology than his famous brother and parents. He is most commonly depicted
as a man, sometimes a giant. In some alternative cases however, he is described as a winged
boar in line with his brother Pegasus, the winged horse.
His name carries the meaning ‘Golden Blade’ and so he is most commonly depicted wielding
a mighty golden sword. However, this could also be a reference to the golden tusks of
his boar form. In his most widespread depiction as a human
warrior, a little more is known of his story. According to “Theogony” by Hesiod, Chrysaor
ended up marrying Callirrhoe, one of the Oceanids and the daughter of the Titan Oceanus. He
eventually became the King of Iberia and bore a son, the mighty three headed warrior Geryon
who would later be killed by Heracles as part of his 12 labours.
Beyond this, Chrysaor played a small role in the Greek legends. A fate not shared by
his brother.
Pegasus was an immortal, winged horse, pure white and glorious to behold.
Hesiod says that Pegasus’ name originates from the Greek word for springs, pegae, since
he was supposedly born near the springs of Ocean. In addition to this, he was also associated
with water due to an extraordinary trait inherited from his father Poseidon.
Just like the God Poseidon, Pegasus was capable of creating water streams wherever he struck
his hoof. At least two famous springs in Greece, both named Hippocrene or “Horse Spring”,
were widely believed to have been issued forth by the hoof of Pegasus. The more famous one
of the two was located on Mount Helicon, the sacred abode of the Muses; its waters, when
drunk, enthused poets with inspiration and creativeness.
Notoriously wild and free-roaming, Pegasus was finally tamed by one of the greatest Greek
heroes, Bellerophon. But he didn’t achieve this alone, he required a lot of help from
Athena. According to Pindar, one of the most celebrated Ancient Greek poets, the goddess
gifted him with a charmed golden bridle, which Bellerophon used to capture Pegasus whilst
the stallion was drinking water at the Pierian spring, another water source associated with
Pegasus and the Muses. Riding on Pegasus, Bellerophon was capable
of overcoming the Amazons, the fire-breathing Chimaera, and the warlike Solymi. In addition,
Pegasus was the means through which Bellerophon exacted his revenge on Jobates’ wife, Stheneboea,
who testified falsely against Bellerophon after he had rejected her advances. According
to some, afterwards Bellerophon offered her a ride on Pegasus, which she gladly accepted;
however, as they were flying over the sea, the winged stallion flung her down to its
depths. Little did Bellerophon know at the time that
he would soon meet a similar fate. After his numerous victories against all kinds of opponents,
Bellerophon started believing that the mortals were not worthy of his presence and that he
deserved to live amongst the gods on Mount Olympus. So, he mounted his faithful horse
and started the journey upwards. Zeus was angered by Bellerophon’s hubris, and in
response sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus badly enough to cause the winged horse to throw
his rider down to earth, and down to his death. Dazed and confused, after some time the riderless
Pegasus did reach Olympus. Zeus was impressed with his nobility and whilst initially stabling
him with his other steeds, he soon tasked him with pulling his thunderbolt-carrying
chariot across the sky. After years of service, Zeus finally rewarded
Pegasus by transforming him into a constellation of stars, which bears his name to this very
day, thus securing the legacy of the noble creature for eternity.
Whilst it may seem surreal to look at Medusa and in particular Pegasus side by side and
think of them as mother and son, nevertheless Greek Mythology is prone to these somewhat
strange connections. From the death of Medusa came one of the most iconic creatures in all
Greek Mythology, and when you think of it in this way, it seems only fitting that the
parents of the fabled Pegasus held an equally legendary status in the magical narrative
of Greek mythology that we know and love.