In Greek mythology, Bellerophon was a hero and warrior who accidentally killed two men, including his own brother. He sought protection from King Proteus of Tiryns, who allowed him to stay under his roof. Proteus's wife, Anteia (also called Stheneboea), tried to seduce Bellerophon, but he resisted her. Angry at being rejected, Anteia told her husband that Bellerophon had tried to rape her. Proteus was furious but did not want to kill his guest, so he sent Bellerophon to Anteia's father, King Iobates of Lycia. He also sent a note explaining what had happened and asking Iobates to kill Bellerophon.

Iobates, too, was reluctant to kill his guest, so he sent him on dangerous missions instead. First, he asked Bellerophon to kill the Chimaera, a fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. With the help of the gods, Bellerophon tamed the winged horse [The entire page is 426 words long]