Hippalectryon

A Hippalektryon (Greek ἱππαλεκτρυών of ἵππος hippos "horse" and ἀλεκτρυών alektryōn "rooster" ) in Greek mythology, a hybrid of horse and rooster.

Hippalektryon in the literature

The Hippalektryon is not part of a myth, and is therefore in Greek literature rarely mentioned. Aeschylus mentioned in his lost tragedy The Myrmidons a Hippalektryon as decoration of a ship. Aristophanes made ​​towards the end of the 5th century BC in his comedy The Frogs on Aeschylus fun by letting explain a fictional version of the poet Euripides, in his own pieces did not come such figures not available and Aeschylus should its viewers with such torment incomprehensible terms that confused even the gods. This indicates that the currently Hippalektryon Aristophanes in the literature did not essential. The essence of all probability not invented by Aeschylus but after, for there is already ahead of its time in Greek vase painting and small plastic again.

Hippalektryon in art

The Hippalektryon comes in the black-figure vase painting in front from about the second quarter of the 6th century BC. It has the head, torso and front legs of a horse and hind legs, wings and tail feathers of a rooster. Usually it is as standing on its hind legs and shown rearing. One of the oldest representations of this creature in Greek vase painting - a frieze on a black-figure amphora in the Academic Art Museum in Bonn - shows the Hippalektryon between other hybrid creatures such as sirens. In contrast to the other mythical creatures there wearing a bridle, but is shown without tab. In most other representations of the Hippalektryon carrying a rider on his back, a mostly unspecified young man, in one case, a bearded man with a trident, which probably represents the god Poseidon.

A Hippalektryon on which rides a warrior with helmet, also shows a terracotta figure from Thebes in Boeotia, probably also dates from the late Archaic period.

Unlike many other popular at this time of hybrid creatures like the siren, the Sphinx or grasping the Hippalektryon does not seem to go back to Egyptian and Near Eastern models and may be a Greek invention. About the same time occurred in Greek art, other beings with parts of a faucet body on, including hybrid of wild boar and Hahn, Panther and cock or bull and cock. Among them, however, can be brought into connection only Hippalektryon with a traditional literature through the ancient name.