EPISODE 72

IN WHICH BELLEROPHON IS PUNISHED FOR HIS OVERWEENING PRIDE

Previously: The young Bellerophon has succeeded in taming Pegasus, the winged horse. But today he has set his mind on killing the monstrous Chimera.

The Chimera was drawing closer to Bellerophon, its mouth agape, its tail swishing; slowly the hair on the young man’s head stood up on end. He had just seen her swallow in the fraction of a second an entire herd of well-fattened cows. He had just seen her belch a long burst of flames and set an entire little wood afire. Bellerophon stroked the winged horse’s neck to give himself courage; then he took his spear and made a sign to Pegasus to take off. The monster was utterly surprised to see Pegasus and his rider appear from the sky above. When it received the first spear blow from Bellerophon, it let out a scream of pain, turned towards them a head livid with rage and spewed out fire. With a mighty flapping of his wings, however, Pegasus was already far away in the heavens. The horse nosedived down several times to attack the monster. Bellerophon would plunge his weapon and then he would immediately get himself out of range. The Chimera’s blood flowed liberally, yet she fought relentlessly. That was when the fire disgorged by the monster touched the tip of Bellerophon’s spear, which was covered with lead. This heavy metal melted under the effect of the heat, detached itself from the lance and fell on the Chimera’s head. The piece of lead killed the Chimera clean on the spot. Pegasus turned a joyful somersault in the sky and Bellerophon let out a triumphant yell which rang all the way to Olympus: “I am the strooooooongest!” Zeus placed his hands over his ears and said to Hermes, who was still leaning on his elbows against the parapet next to him: “He does not lack either pluck or courage, but he is beginning to get on my nerves with his presumptuousness.”

Hermes did not reply; he was not even listening to him. His gaze had been drawn to a completely different part of the earth. Instead of following the combat between Bellerophon and the Chimera, Hermes could not take his eyes off a ravishing young girl bathing under a waterfall. The water was streaming down her body and the droplets remained attached to her curly hair like so many pearls. She was humming a tune and the notes rose high in the warm breath of summer, exquisite and pure. Hermes had never felt such an emotion before. He was overwhelmed by it. Astonished by his son’s uncustomary silence, Zeus had turned his head and he was contemplating the sight as well.

“You have good taste, my son,” he said. “She is ravishing.”

Hermes started as though he had been caught red-handed. He stammered: “And… and what… what has happened to Bellerophon?”

Zeus repressed a smile under his beard before answering: “Like many men, alas, he’s lost his good sense. His triumph has gone to his head. Look, he is trying to convince Pegasus to bring him here.”

For the first time, Pegasus was refusing to obey Bellerophon. “Take me to Olympus, my good steed,” he implored. “I have well earned the right to know the house of the gods. You saw how strong I am, didn’t you? I am every bit as good as a god, no?” But Pegasus refused to obey. So Bellerophon ceased to beg and he now commanded: “That’s enough! I demand that you take me to Zeus. I am sufficiently superior to all other men to be the equal of a god. I am entitled to it. I have the golden reins of Athena, you must obey me.” Pegasus cast a very long glance at the young man, a sad, reproachful glance. But he had no choice. He had to obey the reins of Athena. Slowly, the sublime horse ascended into the heaven above. Bellerophon laughed, drunk with joy.

He was still laughing when they reached Olympus. Zeus was watching from high up on the terrace. He let out a sigh and murmured: “What a pity, I had rather taken a liking to him…” Then he shouted with a thunderous voice: “Here is what you get, little man, for daring to compare yourself to the gods!” And the master of Olympus sent his thunderbolt towards the winged horse. The animal jolted aside to avoid the lightning bolt. Bellerophon lost his balance, slipped and went crashing all the way down to the earth. Pegasus let out a long neigh of woe and returned to Zeus’ stables. “Well, the little braggart has now been punished, my son,” said Zeus, turning towards Hermes. But where had Hermes gone? Zeus was all of a sudden alone on the terrace.

Down there, all the way down on earth, Hermes was experiencing his first romance, with the beautiful Antianeira.

 

To be continued…