The flying winged horse named Pegasus is probably more familiar to you than the hero Bellerophon. Like most heroes, he had his flaws, but Bellerophon wound up less sympathetic and in greater trouble than most.
Pegasus was one of the children of Medusa and Poseidon, birthed when Perseus decapitated the mother, either springing from her neck, directly, or from the blood falling to the ground. Perseus acquired the horse while providing a service to the Lycian king, Iobates. Conquering the winged horse required divine help, so Athena gave him a magical golden bridle which placated Pegasus. With the help of Pegasus, Bellerophon conquered the chimera, which task Iobates had given him, and married the king's daughter. When Bellerophon used Pegasus to try to fly to the home of the gods, he incurred divine wrath. Pegasus was stung with a gadfly; Bellerophon fell, was wounded and blinded. He ended his life a disgraced wanderer.
Source: Bulfinch
