Last month we thought a bit about flying in the ancient world. Humans were not intended to fly, and whenever they did fly, it didn't work out well. This month we look at a coin from ancient Corinth with an image of Pegasus, the flying horse.

   A man named Bellerophon was in line to become king of Corinth, but got into a mess similar to the problem that faced Joseph in Genesis 39 (look it up). As a consequence Bellerophon was given a series of deadly and impossible missions, beginning with the task of killing a monster called the Chimarea.

   Pegasus liked to drink at a fountain in Corinth, and the goddess Athena gave Bellerophon a magic bridle with which he could capture and control the flying horse. Because of this, Bellerophon succeeded. Having succeeded, he decided he should be like the gods, and flew Pegasus toward the top of Mt. Olympus, residence of the gods. The king of the gods, Zeus, didn't like this, so sent a horsefly after Pegasus. Pegasus bucked, Bellerophon fell, was blinded and made lame, and died as a lost, forgotten beggar.

   St. Paul spent a couple of years in Corinth and we can wonder how this founding myth of the city affected his work there. St. Paul never mentions the myth in his letters, but Pegasus was on all of the coins of Corinth, and the fountain where he was captured was the main source of water for people in the city. The lesson plays out: flying is not good for people, but they can be confident that Jesus will assist them in whatever flight is necessary to get to Heaven.

   This particular coin is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. L.1999.19.24. It was minted around 400 BCE. Feel free to use the photo, but give credit to the photographer, Richard Davies, and please don't use it for commercial purposes.