Chimera

• In Greek Mythology the Chimera was a monster that lived in Lycia in Asia Minor and terrorised the people and lands thereabouts.

The Myth

• The Chimera was a fire breathing monster with two heads, the head of a lion and the head of a goat, it had the body of a goat and its tail ended in a serpent’s head.
• It was thought to have been a female and possibly the mother of the Sphinx and the Nemean Lion.

Bellerophon

• Bellerophon was sent by King Iobates of Lycia to kill the Chimera.
• Bellerophon was advised that, as no one could approach the monster because of its fire, he would need to use the flying horse, Pegasus.
• Using Pegasus, Bellerophon then flew above the monster and threw a spear with a block of lead into its mouth. The heat of the fire melted the lead in the monster’s mouth and the Chimera suffocated to death.