Introduction
The detailed myth of Bellerophon comes from a variety of ancient sources, but the basic tale is found in Homer’s ‘Iliad’. It is a tale of the ‘pride that goeth before a fall’ (Proverbs 16:18), and has a starring role for that most noble of all mythological figures, Pegasus, the winged horse.
AFTER Bellerophon spurned the advances of Anteia, Queen of Tyrins, she had the handsome hero banished to Lycia. With him went a coded letter to the King, Iobates, who just happened to be Anteia’s father, recommending that Bellerophon be put to death.
Iobates thought this could be accomplished without fuss if Bellerophon were sent to tackle the Chimera, a fire-breathing monster with a lion’s head, a serpent’s tail, and a goat’s body. But Bellerophon sought out Athene, and the goddess lent him Pegasus, the magnificent winged stallion sired by Poseidon. With his help, Bellerophon was able to slay the Chimera.
Intoxicated by his victory and his winged mount, Bellerophon rose ever higher, until Zeus realised that he meant to fly to Olympus. So the king of the gods sent a gadfly, and a tormented Pegasus threw his rider far below to earth.
Bellerophon spent the rest of his days wandering in regret, but Zeus kept Pegasus on Olympus, to carry his thunderbolts.*
HMS Bellerophon was one of England’s greatest warships, which saw action at The Glorious First of June in 1794, and was with Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile and The Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. It was aboard Bellerophon that Wellington accepted Napoleon Bonaparte’s surrender following The Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Précis
Bellerophon was sent on a hopeless errand to slay the Chimera, a fire-breathing composite of lion, goat and serpent, and with the help of a winged horse, Pegasus, he accomplished his mission. However, he now thought himself worthy of a place on Olympus, so Zeus made Pegasus throw his rider before he could reach the abode of the gods. (59 / 60 words)
Bellerophon was sent on a hopeless errand to slay the Chimera, a fire-breathing composite of lion, goat and serpent, and with the help of a winged horse, Pegasus, he accomplished his mission. However, he now thought himself worthy of a place on Olympus, so Zeus made Pegasus throw his rider before he could reach the abode of the gods.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: despite, if, just, otherwise, ought, whereas, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Out. Tackle. Victory.
2 Carry. Gadfly. Go.
3 Able. Banish. Hero.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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