bellerophontēus

Bellĕrŏphōn, ontis ( Bellĕrŏ-phontes, ae, Aus. Ep. 25 fin.; Serv. ad Verg. A. 5, 118; 6, 288), m., = Bellerophôn, Theocr. (regularly formed Bellerophontês), son of Glaucus and grandson of Sisyphus; he was sent by Prœtus, at the calumnious instigation of his wife Sthenebœa, with a letter to Iobates, in which the latter was requested to put him to death;

he received from him the commission to slay the Chimæra, which he executed, riding upon the flying Pegasus,

Cic. Tusc. 3, 26, 63; Hor. C. 3, 7, 15; 3, 12, 7; 4, 11, 28; Manil. 5. 97; Juv. 10, 325; Hyg. Fab. 2; 57; id. Astr. 2, 18; Serv. l. l.; Fulg. Myth. 3, 1.—Prov. for any one who carries a message unfavorable to himself (cf. Uriah's letter), Plaut. [p. 226] Bacch. 4, 7, 12.—Hence,

Bellĕrŏ-phontēus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Bellerophon:

equus,

i. e. Pegasus, Prop. 3 (4), 3, 2:

habenae,

Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 560:

sollicitudines,

Rutil. Itin. 1, 449.