Pegʹasos (Greek; Pegasus, Latin)
.The inspiration of poetry, or, according to Boiardo (Orlando Inamorato), the horse of the Muses. A poet speaks of his Pegʹasus, as “My Pegasus will not go this morning,” meaning his brain will not work. “I am mounting Pegasus”—i.e. going to write poetry. “I am on my Pegasus,” i.e. engaged in writing verses.
Pegʹasus or Pegʹasos, according to classic mythology, was the winged horse on which Bellerʹophon rode against the Chimæra. When the Muses contended with the daughters of Piʹeros, Helʹicon rose heavenward with delight; but Pegʹasos gave it a kick, stopped its ascent, and brought out of the mountain the soul-inspiring waters of Hippocrene [Hipʹ-po-creen].
