Bellerophon and Pegasus
Bellerophon, the prince of Corinth, accidentally kill his own brother. The king, unable to kill his own son, kicks Bellerophon out of his kingdom and sends him off to the land of Argos, where he is welcomed by King Proetus and Queen Anteia. Queen Anteia tries to seduce Bellerophon but he refuses which causes her to tell a lie to her husband saying that Bellerophon had tried to rape her. King Proetus, knowing that Bellerophon would not do such thing, sends him to king Iobates where he is ordered to kill a monster Chimaera. Bellerophon is given Pegasus from Athena which helps him kill Chimaera. Bellerophon soon thinks too high of himself and decides to join the gods up on Mt. Olympus with an aid of Pegasus. Jupiter sees him approaching his domain, sends a lightbolt which strikes Bellerophon. He falls to the ground while Pegasus continues upward and is placed on the constellations.
This myth, in my opinion, is trying to answer the mysteries of astronomy. Back when the Greeks came up with this myth, they were probably wondering how the stars in the sky can look like Pegasus, and while trying to answer this question, they created this myth. The important virtue of this story is to stay modest in any situation. Bellerophon was considered a great hero in Lycia. After he killed the monster Chimaera, he married king Iobates' daughter and got to keep Pegasus as his bet. Although he had almost everything in the world, he became greedy and sought for a seat up in the Mt. Olympus. His greed makes him fall from Pegasus while trying to go up, and he lives rest of his life wondering around aimlessly. This myth teaches us not to become greedy and be modest.

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