Nutrition

What do you call half human and half horse? Horse (horse) in mythology. See what "Horse is a man." in other dictionaries

The god of war, Ares, was depicted on a chariot drawn by four white horses. The goddess of fertility and agriculture, Demeter, was depicted with the head of a black mare, and her priestesses were called “mares.” The god of the sea, Poseidon, was considered the patron of horse breeding and had the nickname Hippias (Equestrian). In his honor, the Isthmian Games were organized with equestrian lists. The cult of Poseidon was widespread throughout Greece, especially in the coastal area and on the islands. His temples stood on high capes and isthmuses. The sacred animals of Poseidon were the horse, dolphin, and bull. White horses were especially valued in Ancient Greece and were used for sacrifices. They were drowned in the sea, trying to win the favor of Poseidon, and on the island of Rhodes there was a custom of harnessing a white horse to a burning chariot and driving it into the sea, thereby symbolizing the rebirth of the sun after winter.

Ancient Greek mythology is full of stories about horses; many gods were portrayed as these creatures; they were the masters and parents of the mythical creatures centaur and pegasus. Pegasus translated from Greek means “stormy current”, this meaning is directly related to its place of birth - at the source of the Ocean. According to legend, there are two versions of the appearance of this hero, the first is that he was born by the gorgon Medusa from Poseidon. Jumped out of Medusa's body along with his warrior brother Chrysaor after Perseus cut off her head. According to the second, he was born from the blood of Medusa that fell on earth.

In mythology, he was described as follows: Pegasus flew with the speed of the wind, lived in the mountains, had a stable in Corinth, and was the favorite of the Muses. Pegasus could knock out springs with a blow of his hoof on the ground. So, in particular, on Mount Helikon near the Grove of the Muses, the source of Hippocrene (the Key of the Horse) arose, from which poets drew inspiration; it was from the court that the expression “to ride Pegasus” - to receive poetic inspiration.

Pegasus looked like a snow-white horse, larger in size than its earthly counterparts, only with large white wings. He served Zeus and, according to legend, brought thunder and lightning to Olympus on his magical wings. Pegasus was chosen as an emblem by the Templars. It symbolizes glory, eloquence and contemplation. In European heraldry it is depicted on the coats of arms of “thinkers”. During the Second World War, Pegasus, along with the Ballerophon on its back, was the sign of the airborne troops. Placed in the sky in the form of the constellation Horse (however, it does not have wings), now this constellation is called Pegasus.

Another heroes of ancient Greek mythology are centaurs.

Centaurs were considered descendants of Ixion and Nephele - either direct, or through the common ancestor of the tribe, the Centaur, who foaled Magnesian mares. Some say that the centaurs were raised on Pelion by nymphs and, having matured, entered into relations with mares, from which two-natural centaurs were born. Centaurs are sometimes considered the offspring of Poseidon.

Typically, centaurs are shown as wild and unrestrained creatures in which animal nature predominates, but wise centaurs are also known, primarily Phol and Chiron, friends and teachers of Hercules and some other heroes. Centaurs lived in the mountains of Thessaly until the day when Hercules scattered them throughout Hellas. Most of them were killed by Hercules. Those who escaped from Hercules listened to the sirens, stopped eating and died of hunger.

One of the centaurs, Nessus, played a fatal role in the death of Hercules. He tried to kidnap Hercules' wife Dejanira, but was struck down by an arrow containing the poison of the Lernaean Hydra. Dying, Nessus decided to take revenge on Hercules, advising Deianira to collect his blood, as it would supposedly help her retain the love of Hercules. Dejanira soaked Hercules' clothes with the poisonous blood of Nessus, and he died in terrible agony.

The most famous centaur in mythology, Chiron, is said to have been the mentor of Achilles and Aesculapius, and taught the art of music, dog breeding, warfare, and even surgery and medicine. Chiron was considered the son of Zeus and the mare Philyra, Pholus was considered the son of Silenus. The main weapon of a centaur is a bow; it was Heron who taught the art of archery to Achilles and Hercules.

Unlike most other centaurs, who were famous for their violence, tendency to drink and hostility towards people, Chiron was wise and kind. He lived on Mount Pelion. He was a student of Apollo and Artemis.
Famous names of centaurs: Heron, Euridite, Nessos, Tsillar, Gilonoma (centaur - girl)

The assumption about the appearance of this mythical hero is that the Greeks of the Homeric era did not ride horses. The first nomad they saw, she was mistaken for one with a horse. There were many variations of centaurs, including those with wings. The following are known: Onocntaurus (man - donkey), Bucentaur (man - bull), Leocentaurus (man - lion), etc.

Transformation into horses:
Kronos turned into a horse, and from him Philyra gave birth to Chiron.
Demeter, in the guise of a mare, gave birth to Arion and/or Despina from Poseidon, who became a horse.
Hippa (aka Melanippe or Okironeia). Daughter of Chiron, turned into a mare by Artemis and became a constellation.
Mestra took the form of a mare.
According to the version, Odysseus was turned into a horse and died of old age.

Horses dangerous to people:
Mares of Diomedes the Thracian. They ate Abdera. Hercules threw their owner to them to be devoured.
Hippolytus' horses tore him to pieces.
The mares devoured Glaucus (son of Sisifus).
The horses ate Anf (son of Autonous).
The horse tore to pieces the daughter of Hippomenes, the historical archon of Athens.
Limona is torn to pieces by horses for adultery.
The Thracian Lycurgus was torn to pieces by horses.

Heroes who died during the ride:
Demophon (the son of Theseus) fell from his horse onto his sword due to Phyllida's curse.
Kikhir fell from his horse and died (see Balkans in ancient Greek mythology).
The phaeton fell from the chariot.

Fed by mares:
Hippophon was suckled by a mare.
Hippothus was nursed by a mare
Harpalika (daughter of Harpalika) was fed with the milk of cows and mares.
Camilla was suckled by a mare.

Rhea allowed Kronos to swallow the foal instead of Poseidon.
Poseidon tamed a horse for the first time.
Poseidon created a horse by striking the shore with his trident.
Poseidon gave horses to the Dioscuri.
In Athens there was a statue of Poseidon on horseback throwing a spear at Polybotes.
Poseidon became a horse to capture Demeter, and he was named Hippias.
When Odysseus found horses, he dedicated a temple to Poseidon Hippias.
Hippocampi - sea horses, are identified with chum salmon.
The creation of cavalry in Argos was attributed to King Agenor.
The Argive Orsilochus invented the quadriga.
Erichthonius (king of Athens) invented the quadriga.
Pelephronius invented the bridle and blanket.

Distribution of horse breeding:
Augeas. Owner of the Augean Stables.
Autolycus. Could change the color of horses.
Autolycus stole Eurytus' horses from Euboea and sold them to Hercules. Ifit (son of Eurytus) was looking for them.
Admet's mares were shepherded by Apollo.
Acastus (son of Pelias) had famous horses.
Dameon's horse from Phliunt.
The best horses were found on the Dotian plain in Thessaly.
Even killed his horses and threw himself into the river named after him.
Eioneus took Ixion's horses as collateral.
Magnesian mares gave birth to centaurs.
The ocean is the owner of a winged horse.
Oxilus (son of Haemon) sat on a one-eyed horse.
Orithia gave Pilumnus horses.
Polydectes wanted to woo Hippodamia and was looking for horses.
The horse tamer is called Sphenela.
Taking an oath from Helen's suitors, Tyndareus sacrificed a horse.
Troilus practiced horse riding and was killed by Achilles.
Ares gave horses to Oenomaus.
Because of Oenomaus' curse, the Elidians mated horses outside of Elis.
Non-Greek subjects:
The horses of Erichthonius (son of Dardanus) descended from Boreas.
Laomedon's horses, called "wind-footed". He promised them to Apollo and Poseidon, and then to Hercules.
The Horses of Tros are mentioned in the Iliad.
The horse of Kolaksai and the “Enetian horse” are mentioned by Alcman.
Semiramis was in love with a horse.
Mar, one of the Avsons, was half-man and half-horse.
Messapus, son of Neptune - horse tamer (Myths of Italy).
The Persian Erythra sent a herd of horses to the island of Ogiris.
Horse racing:
Games according to Pelias. Bellerophon won.
Olympic Games. Jasius won.

HORSE, horse. Plays an important role in many mythological systems of Eurasia. It is an attribute (or image) of a number of deities. Gods and heroes move on Horses (across the sky and from one element or world to another). In Indo-European mythology, the Horse has a special place, explained by its role in the economy and migrations of the ancient Indo-Europeans. In the Indo-European twin myth, the divine twins were represented in the form of two horses (cf. Old Indian Ashwins, Greek Dioscuri, “children of god” in Baltic mythology) and the two mythological leaders associated with them - the ancestors of the tribe (Anglo-Saxon Hengist and Horsa) . It also seems possible to reconstruct the thunder god of Indo-European mythology - *Per(k)uno-s in the form of a warrior-snake fighter on a horse (or on a war chariot drawn by horses), which is continued in the idea of the Hittite god Pirva and gods related by name in others Indo-European mythologies, which also travel on carts drawn by Horses. (cf. Slav. Perun). Common to Indo-European peoples is the image of the sun god on a war chariot drawn by horses, and the sun itself is represented in the form of a wheel. Comparison of Greek -, “mistress of horses” (in the role of “mistress of animals”), Old Indian. Dvaspa "mistress of prosperous horses", the Celtic goddess Epona (lit. "goddess of horses"), the Prussian horse deity also suggests the presence of a special Indo-European (in most traditions female) mythological image associated primarily with the horse (Hittite. Pirva could also have a female image - similarity to the Hurrians. Ishtar-Shavushka). It is possible that the Asia Minor idea of a female deity influenced K. in the Greek legends about the Amazons, who, according to some characteristics, are identified with the Hittites. Stories about mythical Horses are known in ancient Indian, Celtic and Slavic mythologies. Correspondence to the common Indo-European idea of deity horses can be seen in the ritual of horse sacrifice; Wed other ind. the ritual of killing a horse (ashvamedha), which was equated with the three parts of the cosmos, the Roman rite of Equus October (“October horse”) and similar rituals among the Slavs and Germans. In Scandinavian mythology, the world tree is called Yggdrasil (Old Norse: Yggdrasill), which literally means “Ygg’s horse,” i.e. Odin’s horse; this corresponds to the designation of the world tree in Ancient India (see Ashwattha). A number of mythological and ritual representations associated with the Horse. (symbol of the Horse at the world tree, horse sacrifice, etc.), coincides with the ancient Indo-Europeans and the peoples of Central Asia, who spoke Altai, in particular Turkic, languages, which apparently reflects ancient contacts between these peoples. The English researcher E. Palliblank discovers the influence of Indo-European mythology also in ancient Chinese ideas about “heavenly horses”, compared with horse masks from the Pazyryk mounds of Altai. In Yenisei, in particular Ket, mythology, stories about the origin of horses among different peoples have been preserved; according to A.P. Dulzon, the common Yisei name Horse (qus) goes back to the Indo-European *ek(w)os. A number of researchers also believe that the diffusion of some mythological images associated with animals was possible during the migration of peoples from the centers of domestication of these animals (Anterior Asia or Southeast Europe) in the 2nd millennium BC. e.

From Homer's epic "Iliad" you can learn that Greek heroes fought in chariots harnessed to pairs of horses. To engage in battle they had to dismount from their chariots. Attempts to fight on horseback would have ended in failure - horses were too small to ride back then. Horses were also associated with Greek mythology. The god of war, Ares, was depicted on a chariot drawn by four white horses. The goddess of fertility and agriculture, Demeter, was depicted with the head of a black mare, and her priestesses were called “mares.” The god of the sea, Poseidon, was considered the patron of horse breeding and had the nickname Hippias (Equestrian). In his honor, the Isthmian Games were organized with equestrian lists. The cult of Poseidon was widespread throughout Greece, especially in the coastal area and on the islands. His temples stood on high capes and isthmuses. The sacred animals of Poseidon were the horse, dolphin, and bull. White horses were especially valued in Ancient Greece and were used for sacrifices. They were drowned in the sea, trying to gain the favor of Poseidon, and on the island of Rhodes there was a custom of harnessing a white horse to a burning chariot and driving it into the sea, thereby symbolizing the rebirth of the sun after winter.

Ancient Greek mythology is full of stories about horses; many gods were portrayed as these creatures; they were the masters and parents of the mythical creatures centaur and pegasus. Pegasus translated from Greek means “stormy current”, this meaning is directly related to its place of birth - at the source of the Ocean. According to legend, there are two versions of the appearance of this hero, the first is born of the gorgon Medusa from Poseidon. Jumped out of Medusa's body along with his warrior brother Chrysaor after Perseus cut off her head. According to the second, he was born from the blood of Medusa that fell on earth.

Horses in ancient Greek mythology

The list includes motifs known from the works of ancient Greek epic and mythography associated with horses, as well as a list of horses named in them.

Poseidon is closely associated with horses. V.V. Ivanov reconstructs the female mythological image associated with the horse, Mycenae. po-ti-ni-ja i-qe-ja. Horses are also associated with the cult of twins.

Motifs associated with horses are not found in Crete. It has been archaeologically established that the horse and its cult were absent from Crete until the Middle Ages. II millennium BC
Main motives

Transformations into horses:
Kronos turned into a horse, and from him Philyra gave birth to Chiron.
Demeter, in the guise of a mare, gave birth to Arion and/or Despina from Poseidon, who became a horse.
Hippa (aka Melanippe or Okironeia). Daughter of Chiron, turned into a mare by Artemis and became a constellation.
Mestra took the form of a mare.
According to the version, Odysseus was turned into a horse and died of old age.

Horses dangerous to people:
Mares of Diomedes the Thracian. They ate Abdera. Hercules threw their owner to them to be devoured.
Hippolytus' horses tore him to pieces.
The mares devoured Glaucus (son of Sisifus).
The horses ate Anf (son of Autonous) (see Others).
The horse tore to pieces the daughter of Hippomenes, the historical archon of Athens.
Limona was torn to pieces by horses for adultery (see Myths of Boeotia).
The Thracian Lycurgus was torn to pieces by horses.

Heroes who died during the ride:
Demophon (the son of Theseus) fell from his horse onto his sword due to Phyllida's curse.
Kikhir fell from his horse and died (see Balkans in ancient Greek mythology).
The phaeton fell from the chariot.

Fed by mares:
Hippophon was suckled by a mare.
Hippothus was nursed by a mare.
Harpalika (daughter of Harpalika) was fed with the milk of cows and mares.
Camilla was suckled by a mare.

Connection with Poseidon:
Rhea let Kronos swallow the foal instead of Poseidon.
Poseidon tamed a horse for the first time.
Poseidon created a horse by striking the shore with his trident.
Poseidon gave horses to the Dioscuri.
In Athens there was a statue of Poseidon on horseback throwing a spear at Polybotes.
Poseidon became a horse to capture Demeter, and he was named Hippias.
When Odysseus found horses, he dedicated a temple to Poseidon Hippias.
Hippocampi - sea horses, are identified with chum salmon.
The creation of cavalry in Argos was attributed to King Agenor.
The Argive Orsilochus invented the quadriga (see Myths of the Argolid).
Erichthonius (king of Athens) invented the quadriga.
The bridle and blanket were invented by Pelephronius (see Myths of Thessaly).

Distribution of horse breeding:
Augeas. Owner of the Augean Stables.
Autolycus. Could change the color of horses.
Autolycus stole Eurytus' horses from Euboea and sold them to Hercules. Ifit (son of Eurytus) was looking for them.
Admet's mares were shepherded by Apollo.
Acastus (son of Pelias) had famous horses.
Dameon's horse from Phliunt. See Taraxippus.
The best horses were found on the Dotian plain in Thessaly.
Even killed his horses and threw himself into the river named after him.
Eioneus took Ixion's horses as collateral.
Magnesian mares gave birth to centaurs.
The ocean is the owner of a winged horse.
Oxilus (son of Haemon) sat on a one-eyed horse.
Orithia gave Pilumnus horses.
Polydectes wanted to woo Hippodamia and was looking for horses.
The horse tamer is called Sphenela.
Taking an oath from Helen's suitors, Tyndareus sacrificed a horse.
Troilus practiced horse riding and was killed by Achilles.
Ares gave horses to Oenomaus.
Because of Oenomaus' curse, the Elidians mated horses outside of Elis.

Non-Greek subjects:
The horses of Erichthonius (son of Dardanus) descended from Boreas.
Laomedon's horses, called "wind-footed". He promised them to Apollo and Poseidon, and then to Hercules.
The Horses of Tros are mentioned in the Iliad.
The horse of Kolaksai and the “Enetian horse” are mentioned by Alcman.
Semiramis was in love with a horse.
Mar, one of the Ausons, was half-man, half-horse (see Myths of Italy).
Messapus, son of Neptune - horse tamer (Myths of Italy).
The Persian Erythra sent a herd of horses to the island of Ogiris.

Horse racing:
Games according to Pelias. Bellerophon won.
Olympic Games. Jasius won.

Chariots

Rubens. "The Fall of Phaeton"

Narva triumphal gate
Helios entrusted his chariot to Phaeton, but he lost control. Phaeton's chariot was shown in Corinth.
Poseidon gave Pelops a chariot drawn by winged horses. Pelops' chariot was shown in Phlius.
Poseidon also gave the winged chariot to Idas (son of Aphareus), and he kidnapped Marpessa.
Salmoneus, sitting on a chariot, depicted lightning.
Amphiaraus descended into Hades in a chariot.
Amphitryon taught Hercules how to ride a chariot.
Dejanira, Cyrene and Myrina rode in a chariot.
Aetolus ran his chariot into Apis and killed him.
Hippia. Epithet of Athena, who defeated Enceladus in her chariot.
The Molionids were depicted on the chariot.
Chariot Gordiya.
Gill overtook Eurystheus's chariot and killed him.
Laius kidnapped Chrysippus on a chariot and was later killed by Oedipus.
Girnefo was kidnapped using a chariot.

In myths, not only horses were harnessed to chariots, but also a boar and a lion (Apollo for Admetus), lions (Cybele), swans (Apollo), deer (Artemis), dragons (Triptolemos and Medea). Theodomant rode on a chariot drawn by bulls.

The association of Apollo with the chariot is of a later nature - through his identification with Helios.

Chariot races:
Hippodamia. Pelops defeated Oenomaus with the help of Myrtilus.
Pallene (daughter of Siphon).
Thebe (daughter of Kilik). Hercules defeated her in a chariot race.
Olympic Games founded by Hercules. Either Sem or Iolaus won.
Games according to Pelias. Euphem won.
At the Nemean Games (described by Statius).
Games according to Ophelt during the Indian campaign (described by Nonnus).
Games based on Patroclus (described by Homer). Diomedes won.
Games according to Achilles. Either Eumelus (son of Admetus) or Menelaus won.

Known by horse names

Horses of the Gods

Winged horses. Etruscan sculpture

Two horses. Painting of black-figure Corinthian pottery
Abraxas is the horse of Helios.
Actaeon (Actin) - the horse of Helios-Apollo.
Alastor is Pluto's horse.
Bel is the horse of Helios.
Bronta is Helios's mare.
Deimos is the name of Ares' horse.
Iao is the horse of Helios.
Lampos (en: Lampos) - the horse of Helios.
Nyctaeus is the horse of Pluto.
Orphneus ("Dark") - Pluto's horse.
Piroent (Pyroy) - the horse of Helios.
Soter is the horse of Helios.
Sterope - Helios's mare.
Phaeton is the horse of Helios.
Philogeus (Philogevs) - the horse of Helios-Apollo.
Phlegon is the horse of Helios.
Phobos is the horse of Ares.
Eoi is the horse of Helios. Epithet of Helios.
Erifrey - the horse of Helios-Apollo.
Ephon is the horse of Helios.
Ephon is the horse of Pluto.
Efops (Aitops) - stallion of Helios.

Horses of heroes
Arion.
Askhet is the horse of Amphiaraus.
Baliy is the name of two horses:
Baliy (horse of Achilles) - see Baliy and Xanthus.
Baliy is the horse of Skelmis, from the blood of Zephyr.
Harpagus is a horse, the son of Podarga, a gift from Hermes to the Dioscuri.
Harpinna - Oenomaus's horse.
Dean (Dinos) - the horse of Diomedes the Thracian, who ate human flesh.

"Glory Riding Pegasus", sculpture by Antoine Coycevo

“Automedont with the horse of Achilles”, painting by Henri Ragno
Iris is Admet's mare at the Nemean Games.
Ker - Adrast's horse.
Kidon is the horse of Hippodamus at the Nemean Games.
Cycnus is the horse of Amphiaraus.
Killar is Castor's horse, a gift from Hera. It was huge. Or the horse tamed by Polidevko.
Xanthus is the name of several horses in Greek mythology:
Xanthus (Achilles' horse) - see Balius and Xanthus.
Xanth - Hector's horse.
Xanth - the horse of Diomedes the Thracian, who ate human flesh and was killed by Hercules.
Xanthos is a gift from Hera to the Dioscuri. Castor's horse predicted danger for him. Possibly identical to Achilles' horse.
Xanthus - son of Boreas and Harpy, ransom for Orithia.
Lamp is Hector's horse.
Lampon - the horse of Diomedes the Thracian, who ate human flesh.
Parthenia is the mare of Marmak, the first groom of Hippodamia. The river Parthenia in Elis is named after her.
Pegasus.
Pedas is the horse of Patroclus. Killed by Sarpedon.
Podarg (Gift) is the name of several horses in Greek mythology:
Podarg - Hector's horse.
Podarg - the horse of Diomedes the Thracian, who ate human flesh.
Podargus is the horse of Menelaus.
Gift - the Foanta horse at the Nemean Games.
Podarka is the daughter of Boreas and Harpy, the mare of Erechtheus. Ransom for Orithia.
Psilla is the horse of Oenomaus.
Reb - Mezentius's horse. Killed by Aeneas.
Scythian is a horse. See Myths of Thessaly.
Strymon is the horse of Chromius (son of Hercules).
Phlogius is a horse, the son of Podarga, a gift from Hermes to the Dioscuri.
Foloia - Admet's mare at the Nemean Games.
Foya is Admet's mare at the Nemean Games.
Erifa is Marmak's mare. See Parthenia.
Efa is Agamemnon's mare.
Ephion - Euneus's horse at the Nemean Games.
Ephon - Hector's horse.
Ephon is Pallant's horse.

In mythology, he was described as follows: Pegasus flew with the speed of the wind, lived in the mountains, had a stall in Corinth, and was the favorite of the Muses. Pegasus could knock out springs with a blow of his hoof on the ground. Thus, in particular, on Mount Helikon near the Grove of the Muses, the source of Hippocrene (the Key of the Horse) arose, from which poets drew inspiration; it was from the court that the expression “to ride Pegasus” - to receive poetic inspiration.

Pegasus looked like a snow-white horse, comparable in size to its earthly counterparts, only with large white wings. He served Zeus and, according to legend, brought thunder and lightning to Olympus on his magical wings.
Pegasus was chosen as an emblem by the Templars. It symbolizes glory, eloquence and contemplation. In European heraldry it is depicted on the coats of arms of “thinkers”. During the Second Myrrh War, Pegasus, along with the Ballerophon on its back, was the badge of the airborne troops. Placed in the sky in the form of the constellation Horse (however, it does not have wings), now this constellation is called Pegasus.

Another heroes of ancient Greek mythology are centaurs.
Centaurs were considered descendants of Ixion and Nephele - either direct, or through the common ancestor of the tribe, the Centaur, who foaled Magnesian mares. Some say that the centaurs were raised on Pelion by nymphs and, having matured, entered into relations with mares, from which two-natural centaurs were born. Centaurs are sometimes considered the offspring of Poseidon/

"Centaur" - "Pallas and the Centaur", painting by Sandro Botticelli, 1482, Uffizzi

Images of centaurs are captured in the starry sky in the constellations Sagittarius and Centaurus.

In Slavic mythology, the analogue of the centaur is the kitovras. In “The Tale of Bova Korolevich” the half-man, half-horse Polkan acts. The centaur was depicted on coins minted in the Serpukhov-Borovsky principality in the 14th century.

Horse in Celtic mythology

In various mythopoetic traditions, animals sometimes appear as assistants to mythological characters, their attributes or symbols. Among the Celts, such an animal was the horse. Among the cult objects that make up the heritage of the Celts is the original chariot on which sits a goddess with a spear chasing a boar. Researchers believe that this is the goddess Epona, who was often depicted riding a horse or standing by a horse.

The horse appears frequently in early Celtic literature. For example, Gilles de Caires, appearing in one of the tales of the cycle about Finn - the legendary sage and seer, and sometimes warrior - meets Finn's army, leading a pitiful-looking gray horse on the reins, and then throws the reins, and the animal attacks the cavalry of the conquerors and mercilessly destroys her. This horse is certainly magical, because it takes fourteen people to bridle it. When people sit astride it, it is no longer possible to get off it, and it rushes with such speed that it takes your breath away.
In the story we present, the horse brings its unfortunate riders to the afterlife, the ruler of which turns out to be Gilles de Caire.

Magic horses appear in numerous Celtic legends: as a rule, this is a “water horse”. She comes out of the water, somehow lures a person to sit on her, deprives him of the opportunity to dismount, and is carried away into the sea along with the unfortunate victim.

The role of the horse in Irish onomastics can also be noted. The urine of horses and gods often causes lakes and springs to appear in this place. For example, the formation of Loch Nee is explained as follows: once upon a time the horse of the god Aegnus urinated, and a spring appeared in this place. The guardian, assigned to monitor the divine spring, once forgot to cover it with a lid. The divine liquid began to pour out violently, eventually forming Lake Lough Nee.

The story of the origin of Lough Ree is also similar, but in this case the horse of the god Midir released urine, and soon a man named Ree drowned in the lake, and the lake was named in memory of him.

Perhaps the beginning of humor in the literature of the British Isles was a fragment from the story of Black Moro - the horse of Elidir Mvinafavr, who could carry seven and a half people on his back. Seven “real” people are listed, and then it is said: “... and Gelbeirin, their cook, who could swim only by holding on to the horse’s croup with both hands, so that he was only half a man.”

And eternal battle! Rest only in our dreams
Through blood and dust...
The steppe mare flies, flies
And the feather grass crumples...

A.Blok

The horse plays an important role in many mythological systems. They are an attribute (or image) of a number of deities. The symbolism of the horse is extremely complex and not entirely clear. The horse symbolizes intelligence, wisdom, nobility, light, dynamic strength, agility, quickness of thought, and the passage of time. It is a typical symbol of fertility, courage and powerful power. This image is also an ancient symbol of the cyclical development of the world of phenomena (the horses carrying Neptune with a trident from the depths of the sea embody the cosmic forces of primeval chaos).

In the traditions of many peoples, the horse is revered as a sacred animal. He acts as a necessary attribute of the highest pagan gods and at the same time is a chthonic creature associated with the cult of fertility and death. Among the Slavs (and not only among them), horse mummers participated in calendar rituals, including Kolyada, Christmastide, etc. The Dictionary of Slavic Mythology reports:
“...The horse was equally considered the brainchild of Belobog (the element of light) and Chernobog (the element of darkness), moreover, a white horse was dedicated to the good god, and a black one to the evil one. With the division of power over the world and all the phenomena of its existence, white horses are transferred in the popular imagination to the sun god, the thunder god (first Perun, then Svyatovid and, finally, Svetlovid-Yarila), black horses become the property of Stribog and all the violent winds - Stribog's grandchildren . The sun is a heavenly horse, running around the sky from end to end during the day and resting at night.”

Skates are still placed on the roofs of Russian huts to this day as a sign of the sun, calling for a harvest, and, consequently, prosperity for the home. And in the old days, when building a house, a horse was laid in the foundation, and when the house was moved, its skull was taken out of the ground and buried under the foundation in a new place. The city wall was erected in the same way.

In ancient Russian pagan mythology, the Horse is one of the most revered sacred animals, an attribute of the highest pagan gods, special creatures associated simultaneously with the productive power of the earth (water) and the killing potency of the underworld. In Ancient Rus' it was believed that the horse was endowed with the ability to foretell fate, and above all death, to its owner. In pagan times, the horse was buried along with its owner.
The veneration of the horse in Russia was such that even in Christian times special patron saints and horse holidays were established for it. The patron saints of horses were St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Florus and Laurus, St. George the Victorious and St. Elijah the Prophet. Special “horse holidays” were celebrated on the day of memory of St. Flora and Lavra and on spring St. George's Day.

The Indian Upanishads describe the ritual of sacrificing a horse to the gods. A similar thing is present in the Shatapatha Brahmana, Vajasaneya Samhita of the Yajurveda, which indicates the creation of the world from parts of a horse during its sacrifice.

The Zoroastrians also worshiped horses, in whose mythology the chariot of the god Ardvisura Anahita is drawn by four white horses: wind, rain, cloud and sleet. And the thunderer Tishtriya, personifying Sirius, according to legend, descends from the sky every year in the form of a white golden-eared horse to battle the demon of drought Apaoshi, who appears in the form of a black, shabby, ugly horse. According to the beliefs of the Iranians, the outcome of their battle depended on whether there would be rain, and therefore fertility and life itself.

In the Komi-Permyak tradition, horses are the holders of the earth: “The earth rests on three horses: black (raven), red and white. When a black horse holds, there is famine and pestilence on the earth, when a white one, there is continuous war and death on the earth, when a red one, peace, tranquility and prosperity reign.”

In China, the horse represents heaven, fire, yang, south, speed, perseverance, and good omen. In Japan, the goddess Batō Kannon, the merciful Great Mother, appears either as a white horse, with the head of a horse, or wearing a crown with the figure of a horse.

Buddhism considers the horse a symbol of indestructibility, the hidden nature of things. The winged horse Cloud is one of the images of Avalokiteshvara. Another winged horse, Pegasus, is represented in ancient mythology. He was the son of Poseidon and Medusa. Poseidon is generally considered the creator, father or giver of horses. One day he pursued Demeter, inflamed with love for her. Trying to escape, she turned into a horse, but he took the form of a horse and managed to achieve his goal. From this marriage was born Arion, a divine horse who could speak.

In the Roman pantheon there was a goddess-protector of horses, borrowed from the Celts, named Epona, associated with fertility, abundance, healing and at the same time with the cult of death (acting as a guide and guardian of dead souls during the transition to the kingdom of the dead). The Celts generally had a lot to do with horses. In Ireland and Wales, the word “horse” (Irish: Ech) is present in the names of many mythical characters associated with the solar cult and the other world. For example, the good god Dagda is called Eochaid, the Father of all, and one of the rulers of the Fomorians is called Eoho Ehkend (“Eoho horse’s head”).

The goddess Epona was considered the heavenly patroness of horses. She was invariably depicted surrounded by horses, often with symbols of fertility and abundance. Epona was often identified with healing, in particular with hydrotherapy. In addition, her cult is associated with death; it is believed that she played the role of guide and guardian, guarding the souls of the dead during the transition to the underworld.

In German-Scandinavian mythology, the horse is dedicated to Odin, who rode the eight-legged mare Sleipnir. Clouds are the war horses of the Valkyries.

In Christianity, the horse symbolizes the Sun, courage, nobility. It is the emblem of the saints (George, etc.). Finally, the four horses of the Apocalypse are war, death, famine and epidemic.

Being a symbol of the Sun or solar god, the horse gradually became an attribute of royal power. But how can a solar symbol be associated with the cult of death? Yes, it’s very simple: just as the Sun circles through the day and night sides of the world, so the horse must carry its rider through death to a new rebirth, to a new life.

Among the peoples of the Caucasus (Abkhazians, Ossetians, etc.), the horse participates in funeral and memorial rites, in particular, it is dedicated to the deceased by leading it around the body, placing the bridle in the hand of the deceased and cutting the horse’s ear or cutting off its hair. On the day of the funeral, circles of animal fat and pieces of meat were hung on the trunk of a branchy tree, and a fire was made under it. Riders at the races competed in the art of snatching lard and meat from the flames of the fire; the winner was given a ram, which he sacrificed as a memorial sacrifice. However, the customs of horse games at weddings, calendar holidays, etc. are also well known.

The suit of the horse is not random. In various traditions, one can notice the predominance of two colors: gray and red. On Russian icons depicting snake fighting, the horse is almost always either white or fiery red. In these cases, the color red clearly represents the color of flame, which corresponds to the fiery nature of the horse. White color is the color of otherworldly creatures, creatures that have lost their corporeality - wherever a horse plays a cult role, it is always white. Thus, the Greeks sacrificed only white horses; in the Apocalypse, death sits astride a “pale horse”; In German folk beliefs, death is riding on a skinny white nag.

The horse represents unbridled passions, natural instincts, and the unconscious. In this regard, in ancient times he was often endowed with the ability of prediction. In fairy tales (for example, those of the Brothers Grimm), the horse, as possessing the qualities of clairvoyance, was often entrusted with the task of promptly warning its masters. Jung believes that the horse expresses the magical side of Man, intuitive knowledge.

The most important and famous Vedic ritual is the “horse sacrifice”, Ashvamedha. In its structure, elements of a cosmogonic nature are visible - the horse practically personifies the Cosmos and its sacrifice symbolizes (i.e. reproduces) the act of creation. The ritual was intended to cleanse the entire country of sin and ensure fertility and prosperity. Traces of this ritual can be found among the Germans, Iranians, Greeks and Latins.

Shamanic tradition:
The horse occupies a very special place in shamanic ritual and mythology. The horse, primarily a carrier of souls and a funeral animal, is used by the shaman in various situations as a means to help achieve a state of ecstasy. It is known that a typical shamanic attribute is an eight-legged horse. Eight-hoofed or headless horses are recorded in the mythology and rituals of German and Japanese “male unions.” The horse is a mythical image of Death, it delivers the deceased to the other world, and makes the transition from one world to another.

Throughout history, horses have been credited with the gift of clairvoyance, which allows them to see invisible danger. Therefore, they are considered especially susceptible to witches' spells. In past times, witches took them at night to go to the Sabbath, they ran around on them for a long time and returned at dawn exhausted and covered with sweat and foam. To prevent "witch races", witchcraft and the evil eye, horse owners placed charms and amulets in their stalls and attached brass bells to their reins. During the witch hunts it was believed that the devil and the witch could turn into horses

Unicorn. It is one of the most romanticized images and has different names, appearance and attributes in different cultures. One of the most popular incarnations of the unicorn in modern Western culture is a white horse with a long, often golden horn growing from its forehead. In Eastern culture, the unicorn is depicted as a cross between a horse and a goat with artiodactyl limbs and a goat's beard. The Japanese unicorn is called "kirin", and in China it is called "ki-ling". Both words come from the Hebrew “re”em,” which means “one horn.” The Greek historian Ctesias wrote the following about unicorns in 398 BC: in appearance it resembles a wild bull, the size of a horse, has a white body, dark red head, blue eyes and one horn.This description probably appeared as a result of colorful stories from travelers who imagined the unicorn as a cross between a wild bull, a Himalayan antelope and an Indian rhinoceros.

Various magical qualities were attributed to the unicorn's horn. For example, the ability to heal the sick and wounded and even resurrect the dead. In some images the horn is white at the root, black in the middle and with a red tip. One medieval tale tells of a unicorn who dipped his horn into poisoned water, thereby purifying it and allowing the animals to drink. This is probably where the tradition of noble and royal families of drinking from vessels in the shape of a unicorn horn originated, thereby protecting themselves from the danger of poisoning.

In Western culture, the unicorn is considered an inaccessible wild animal; in Eastern culture, on the contrary, it is an affectionate and submissive creature.

A similar mythological animal, called indrik, also exists in Russian folklore. Indrik had two horns, he lived on the holy mountain and was the lord of all animals and the ruler of the waters.

Centaurs are very popular mythological characters. From the head to the hips they have the body of a man, and the rest of the body of a horse. Ancient peoples considered centaurs to be bright and kind creatures who did good. An exception to this was the Greek legend that tells of several centaurs who were invited to a feast, where they drank too much wine and started a battle that resulted in the death of many centaurs.

The most famous centaur was Chiron, who was educated by Apollo and Artemis, and was an excellent hunter, herder, healer and soothsayer. According to legend, Chiron became the teacher of the great warrior Achilles. This centaur was so respected by the gods that after his death, Zeus took him to heaven and turned him into the constellation Sagittarius.

The Trojan Horse was a huge hollow wooden horse that helped the Greeks conquer Troy. The Trojan prince Paris fell in love with the beautiful Helen, the wife of the Greek Menelaus, kidnapped her and took her to his kingdom. In retaliation, Menelaus gathered a huge Greek army and began the siege of Troy, which lasted ten years. Finally, the cunning Odysseus came up with the idea of how to outwit the Trojans. He offered to make a huge wooden horse and climb inside the Greek army, before pretending that it had left for its homeland, and that the horse left behind was a gift to the gods. The Trojans believed, opened the gates and dragged a horse into the city. The Greeks got out of it and captured the city. Since then, the expression “Trojan horse” has been a common noun, meaning “cunning, trick.”

And the fabulous horses (“Golden Horse”, “Sivka-Burka”, “The Little Humpbacked Horse”, the horse of Ilya Muromets, and finally)! They are subject to space and time, and have the ability to transport the hero not only over enormous distances - “above a standing forest, below a walking cloud,” but also between worlds. In addition, they transform the hero, who, for example, crawling from the left horse's ear to the right, turns from a ragamuffin into a prince. In addition, they are faithful companions, they help out even after death, finding living and dead water, etc., which means they help to get through and overcome death.

The ancient times are long gone, and even those in which horses were the main means of transportation and the main draft force, too. No, they did not become useless, but the beauty of their appearance and the expressiveness of their gaze remained attractive to us...

Look: over there, on that rock - Pegasus!
Yes, this is it, shining and stormy!
Salute these mountains. The day has gone out
but there is no night... Greet the purple hour.
Above the steepness there is a huge white horse,
like a swan, splashing with white wings, -
and so it soared, and into the clouds, over the rocks,
silver fire splashed its hooves...
Hit them, burned one, then another
and disappeared in a frenzied purple.
Night has come. No peace, no heaven, -
everything is just night. Greet the naked night.
Look at her: the hoof print is steep
recognize in the star that fell silently.
And the Milky Way floats above the darkness
airy, flowing mane.

Images of gods with zoomorphic and anthropogenic features - animal heads and human bodies - are found among different peoples.

A joint Australian-American expedition that studied cave paintings of primitive people in Australia and South Africa discovered more than five thousand Stone Age images, among which there are sketches of half-humans, half-animals - with the body of a lion and the head of a man or with the head of a bull and a human torso. The drawings of unknown creatures discovered by the expedition were made at least 32 thousand years ago. Cambridge anthropologist Christopher Chippendale and Sydney historian Paul Tacon, who studied ancient petroglyphs, came to the conclusion that primitive artists painted mysterious creatures “from life,” that is, they depicted what they saw with their own eyes. It is noteworthy that prehistoric Australians and Africans, who lived on different continents, decorated their caves with drawings of the same creatures.

In Australia, scientists have found images of centaurs, although it is reliably known that horses were not found on this remote continent. How the Australian aborigines managed to depict a horse with a human torso is unknown. It remains to be assumed that in time immemorial, hybrids of humans and animals really existed on our planet.

Probably all these mysterious creatures are the result of genetic experiments by aliens. Moreover, the hybrids created in vitro were intelligent. For example, the god Thoth was considered a scientist by the Egyptians:

The son of the god Cronus and Philyra, the centaur Chiron, trained by Apollo and Artemis in hunting, healing, music and divination, was the teacher of the heroes of Greek myths - Achilles, Asclepius, Castor, Polydeuces, Jason.

Centaurs in Greek mythology are creatures with the body of a horse and a human torso (there are also images of hybrids with the torso of a man and the body of a bull, donkey, sheep or goat).

According to Greek legends, centaurs lived in the mountains of Thessaly and Arcadia and were, with the exception of Chiron and Pholus, wild and violent creatures. One of the most famous acts of the centaurs was the attempt to kidnap Hippodamia, the bride of the Lapith king Pirithous. In the battle with the Lapiths they were defeated. Legends say that horse people came to Greece from the mountains, but due to an excessive craving for alcohol, they were expelled from Hellas by people.

In a superbly preserved Mayan fresco discovered in one of the temples of the city of Bonampak in the Mexican state of Chiapas, you can see strange gods with mandibles instead of mouths and crocodile faces. Similar images are found among the Olmecs, Toltecs, and Aztecs.

Before the creation of man, human-beast hybrids or animals endowed with intelligence were a kind of servants of the gods and performed some economic functions. In Egypt, near the village of Deir el-Medine, a settlement for the builders of the Theban necropolis was opened. Among them were scribes and artists who painted the walls of the tombs. Ancient Egyptian craftsmen left rough sketches and sketches of drawings made on clay fragments or limestone tiles, later called “ostracons” by the famous French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero. During excavations, about 5 thousand drawings were discovered depicting scenes from the life of the Egyptians. Many of them baffle scientists. For example, an Egyptian papyrus kept in the British Museum depicts jackals guarding kids. Both “shepherds” walk on their hind legs and carry baskets behind their backs. The procession is closed by a jackal playing the flute. In front of the whole group, a cat stands on its hind legs and chases the geese with a twig. Another drawing even depicts a “chess tournament” between a lion and a gazelle: they are sitting in chairs in front of the board; the lion bared its teeth, as if saying something, making a move; the gazelle “clasped its hands” and released the figure.

Francois Champollion, who was the first to decipher and read Egyptian hieroglyphs, believed that such drawings were a kind of political satire. But there is no evidence of the existence of this literary genre among the ancient Egyptians.

Some figurines depict mysterious animals that command people or dictate something to scribes.

People with a dog's head were also depicted on old Orthodox icons - St. Christopher

Pliny, Paul the Deacon, Marco Polo, and Adam of Bremen wrote about people with dog or jackal heads as real beings. Anubis, in the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians originally the god of death, the patron of the dead, as well as necropolises, funerary rites and embalming, was usually depicted in the guise of a wolf, a jackal or a man with the head of a jackal. The god of wisdom Thoth was depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or baboon, the goddess Sokhmet as a woman with the head of a lioness, etc. The killing of a sacred animal was punishable by death among the Egyptians. Sacred animals and birds were embalmed after death and buried in special cemeteries.

In the early 1960s, during the construction of a highway in Crimea, a bulldozer turned a stone “box” onto the surface of the earth. The workers opened the lid of the sarcophagus: it contained a human skeleton with the head of a ram, and the skeleton was solid, the head was integral with the skeleton. The road foreman called archaeologists, whose expedition was working nearby. They looked at the bones and decided that the road workers were playing a joke on them, and they immediately left. After making sure that the find did not represent any historical value, the workers razed the sarcophagus to the ground.

Archaeologists sometimes find ancient burials in which animal and human bones are mixed, as well as skeletons of various animals, and often the grave lacks a human head or contains an incomplete set of animal bones. It is believed that these are the remains of sacrificial gifts. But it is quite possible that these are hybrids created by aliens.

Unusual artifacts are discovered in many different areas of the world. Not far from Glauberg, a Celtic settlement of the 5th century BC was discovered in 1997. e. There, in a mound plundered in the Middle Ages, German archaeologists found a 1.8-meter-high statue of a Celtic leader. The warrior is depicted in chain mail, with a Roman-style shield. And the leader’s head is decorated with huge “bunny” ears.

It is curious that images of people with long ears are found quite often, and in areas significantly distant from each other. There are similar drawings on a rock near the Jordan River, on a burial box found in the Altai Mountains. Huge ears crown the heads of “stone women” in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khakassia, as well as Chinese figurines of demons.

Myths about anthropoid animals have been preserved among many peoples. In Greek mythology, the Minotaur, a monster with a human body and the head of a bull, was born of Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos, from a bull sent by Poseidon to Crete for slaughter. Minos refused to sacrifice the bull, then Poseidon instilled in Pasiphae an unnatural passion for the animal. The fruit of their relationship, the Minotaur, was imprisoned in an underground labyrinth built by Daedalus. Every year, seven young men and women were sacrificed to him, sent by the Athenians as a tax to Minos and as atonement for the murder of Minos’ son in Attica. A terrible monster devoured the unfortunate people. The Athenian prince Theseus voluntarily went to Crete among those destined to be devoured by the Minotaur, killed the monster and, with the help of the thread of the royal daughter Ariadne, who was in love with him, got out of the labyrinth.

Especially often images, reliefs and statues of bulls with human heads are found among the Assyrians and Persians.

The aliens conducted experiments on the hybridization of a variety of animals. The historian Eusebius, based on more ancient sources, describes the monsters that the gods created in time immemorial:

Human beings with goat thighs and horns on their heads; others are half people, half horses (centaurs); bulls with human heads; dog-like creatures with fish tails; horses with dog heads and other dragon-like creatures.

In 1850, the famous French archaeologist Auguste Marriet discovered huge vaulted crypts (so-called crypts) in the area of the Saqqara pyramid, in which hundreds of sarcophagi, carved from solid pieces of granite, were preserved. Their dimensions surprised scientists: length - 3.85 meters, width - 2.25 meters, height - 2.5 meters, wall thickness - 0.42 meters, cover thickness 0.43 meters; the total weight of the “coffin” and the lid was about 1 ton.

Inside the sarcophagi were crushed animal remains mixed with a viscous liquid similar to resin. In some burials, small figurines with images of ancient gods were found. After studying fragments of bodies, Marriet came to the conclusion that they were hybrids of a wide variety of animals. The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death and were convinced that a living creature could only be reborn if its body was embalmed and retained its appearance. They were afraid of the creatures created by the gods and, in order to prevent the monsters from being resurrected in a new life, they dismembered their bodies into small pieces, placed them in coffins, filled them with resin, and covered them with massive lids on top.

During excavations in the Gobi Desert, the Belgian scientist Friedrich Meissner discovered a human skull with horns. At first, he assumed that the horns were somehow embedded in the skull, that is, they were transplanted, but studies by pathologists showed that these were natural formations: they formed and grew during the life of this creature.

Several human skulls with horns like this one were discovered in a burial mound in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, in the 1880s. With the exception of bony projections located about two inches above the eyebrows, the people to whom the skeletons belonged were anatomically normal, although they were seven feet tall. It was estimated that the bodies were buried around 1200 AD. The bones were sent to the American Exploration Museum in Philadelphia, where they happily disappeared, never to be seen again.

Similar skulls were found by an Israeli archaeological expedition led by Professor Chaim Rasmon during excavations of the ruins of Subeit. In the lowest cultural layers dating back to the Bronze Age, archaeologists discovered human skeletons whose skulls were crowned with horns. They were held in the skulls so firmly that experts could not come to a clear conclusion whether the horns grew naturally or were somehow “implanted.” Images and reliefs of people with horns are also found in other regions of the world, for example, in Peru.

Doctor of Biological Sciences P. Marikovsky, studying Stone Age rock paintings in the western spurs of the Dzungarian Alatau in the territory of Mesopotamia, discovered images of obvious mutants: mountain goats with two heads; goats with long tails like wolves; unknown animals with straight, stick-like horns; horses with humps like a camel; horses with long horns; camels with horns; centaurs.

Rock paintings, reliefs, sculptures depicting hybrid animals can be seen in different parts of the globe among different peoples. Particularly common are images of the sphinx - a creature with a human head and the body of some animal (lion, snake, dog, etc.), sometimes with the wings of an eagle. The Egyptians depicted three types of sphinxes: with the head of a man and the body of a lion, with the head of a ram and with the head of a falcon. The ancient Greeks created images of half-maidens and half-lionesses.

Perhaps the aliens conducted genetic experiments to create humanoids, as well as various hybrids of humans and animals in the Middle Ages. In the chronicles of the Mongols, curious evidence of unusual children has been preserved:

A khan named Sarva, who was the son of Kushal, the khan of Indian Magada, had the youngest of five sons with turquoise hair and flat arms and legs; his eyes closed from bottom to top...

Since Duva Sokhor had a single eye in the middle of his forehead, he could see at a distance of three nomads.

Medieval scientists reported about the birth of various freaks: A Pare, U. Aldrovandi, Lycosthenes. There is information about the birth of children with the head of a cat, dog, and also with the body of a reptile.

Currently, the media provides numerous information about the birth of deformed children with gills, with cat-like, vertically located pupils, cyclops with one eye in the forehead, with membranes between the fingers and toes, with green or blue skin. In March 2000, a message appeared that in India, in one of the hospitals in the city of Pollachi (Tamil Nadu), a “mermaid” was born - a girl with a fish tail instead of legs. She lived very briefly; her body was transferred to one of the medical institutions for study. In March 2001, the Ananova news agency reported that in India, near Parappanangadi, a strange baby was born to an ordinary sheep. The unusual lamb had no hair on its body, and its nose, eyes, mouth, tongue and teeth were similar to human ones, and its entire face generally resembled the face of a bald man in dark sunglasses. The mutant (or hybrid?) lived only a few hours after birth. Perhaps all these freaks are echoes of experiments conducted by aliens on people in the distant past. Another option cannot be ruled out: genetic experiments on our planet continue.