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From Greek and Roman Mythology & Heroic Legend, by Professor H. Steuding, Translated from the German and Edited by Lionel D. Barnett. The Temple Primers, London: J. M. Dent; 1901; pp. 78-79.

[78]

Heroic Poetry

III.  Corinthian Legends.   § 132.  Closely connected with Argos was Corinth, which owing to its position developed early into an important trading city, and was especially influenced by Phoenicia.

The Iliad already knows of the wily gain-loving Sisyphos, the ruler of Ephyre, i. e. of Akrokorinthos, the citadel of the town, where he had a temple. Later he degenerated into a mere calculator and intriguer, the prototype and image of the Corinthian trader. For having offended Zeus he was doomed in the lower world to eternally push up a hill a rock which ever rolled back from its summit. As his grave on the Isthmos and his relations with Poseidon mark Sisyphos out as an ancient sea-god, this punishment is perhaps to be regarded as a picture of the billow ceaselessly rolling hither and thither the stones of the beach.

§ 133.  His grandson Bellerophontes, or, with a shortened name, Bellerophon, possesses the winged horse Pegasos (§ 59). Being sent to Lycia, he slew with its aid the terrible Chimaira 79 (literally ‘she-goat’), a monster compounded of a goat vomiting fire, a lion, and a snake, which probably personifies volcanic phenomena. Then he fought against the mountain-folk of the Solymoi and the man-like Amazons. At length he sought to force his way upon his steed into heaven itself, but was hurled down to perish miserably. He enjoyed divine honours both in Corinth and Lycia.





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Heroic Poetry :

II.  Lakonian Legends.



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