Flights of Pegasus: literary history of a symbol and its relevance for poetry therapy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dating back to the ancient Greek poets and artists, and sustained through later European art and literature, the winged horse Pegasus is linked with heroic deeds and with poetry and creativity through his association with the Muses. The reception of Pegasus since antiquity divides into two main strands: his role in the Perseus and Bellerophon myths, connecting the winged horse with heroic deeds and battles with monsters; and an allegorical-symbolical interpretation, based on Pegasus’ association with the fountain of the Muses. This article traces the literary sources of Pegasus, providing English translations of the relevant ancient Greek and Latin texts, and sampling early modern and modern Italian, German, and English works. Demonstrating the development of the heroic and the allegorical-symbolical avenues of interpretation, the paper also summarizes the satirical aspect of Pegasus. Full attention to all these aspects reinforces the excellence of Pegasus as a symbol of poetry therapy.