Bellerophon trying to take Pegasus to Mt. Olympus
The Greeks embody perseverance, which is one of the main characteristics of Pegasus. In one myth, Bellerophon, a Greek hero, wished to take Pegasus to new heights, literally and figuratively. He tamed Pegasus by being devout in his conquest by spending the night in the temple of Athena. When he had woken up, there was a golden bridle in his hands, which was given to him by the Goddess Athena (Sunblind). A short while later after leaving the temple, he found Pegasus taking a drink from a nearby stream. Bellerophon was successfully able to tame Pegasus, portraying that by being constant in beliefs and actions, one can achieve the unthinkable. Another depiction of perseverance is presented when Bellerophon wants to fly up to Mount Olympus to meet the great Gods that reside there and take his "rightful place". Zeus took notice of Bellerophon's attempts to reach Mt. Olympus, and sent a gadfly to bite Pegasus and hinder Bellerophon from reaching the heavens (Gaisser 170). Even after Pegasus was bit, and Bellerophon fell back down to the earth, Pegasus continued the mighty journey to the heavens, and in doing so was rewarded by becoming the helper of the Gods. His duties included being the carrier of thunderbolts that belonged to Zeus, and the Gods honored him by giving him a constellation in the sky. Therefore, Pegasus' actions were rewarded due to his constant perseverance, depicting an important virtue of Greek society.