Pegasus

Pegasus is a figure from Greek mythology. He is the son of Poseidon and Medusa, and takes the form of a beautiful winged horse.

Description:
Pegasus is a beautiful winged horse, usually described as being either white, white with gold wings, or completely gold. He is revered as a noble and graceful figure.

According to the legends surrounding Pegasus, anywhere his hoof struck the ground, a beautiful water spring would form.

Birth:
There are multiple differing myths regarding Pegasus' birth. In the most prominent version, he and his brother Chrysaor leap out from the neck of Medusa after the hero Perseus slices off her head. In other versions of the story, they are born of Medusa's spilt blood. Another yet version claims they were born of a mixture of Medusa's blood and sea foam, and another suggests they were born solely of sea foam similarly to Aphrodite.

Bellerophon & the Chimera:
Pegasus assisted the hero Bellerophon in fighting the Chimera. There are a variety of different myths on how the two met, the most popular of which states that Bellerophon was given a golden bridle by Polyeidos and told to sleep in the temple of Athena. When Bellerophon awoke, they found Pegasus at the Pierian spring and caught and tamed him.

Steed of Zeus:
Pegasus served for many years as one of Zeus' trusty steeds, and was tasked with carrying his thunderbolts alongside the rest of Zeus' entourage. After years of faithful service, Zeus honored Pegasus by turning into the constellation of the same name. It is said that when Zeus did so, a single of Pegasus' feathers fell near the city of Tarsus.

In Popular Culture:
Pegasus is a beloved figure and a favorite of artists, even still in the modern day. Species of pegasi based on him have appeared in many a fantasy piece. The British Airborne Forces of WWII notably used an image of Bellerophon riding Pegasus as their emblem.