Balius and Xanthus Horses of Aquiles
Balius and Xanthus
Poseidon gave the two horses to King Peleus of Phtia, as a wedding gift, when Peleus married the Ocean goddess Thetis. Peleus later gave the horses to his son Achilles who took them to draw his chariot during the Trojan War.
Achilles had a third horse, Pedasos (maybe "Jumper", maybe "Captive"), which was yoked as a "trace horse", along with Xanthus and Balios. Achilles had captured Pedasos when he took the city of Eetion. Pedasos was mortal, but he could keep up with the divine horses. Sarpedon, prince of Lycia and ally of Troy, killed Pedasos when his spear missed Patroclus. Achilles' comrade-in-arms Patroclus used to feed and groom these horses. In the Iliad, it is told how, when Patroclus was killed in battle, Xanthus and Balius stood motionless on the field of battle, and wept.
Automedon, Achilles' charioteer, states that only Patroclus was able to fully control Xanthus and Balius. Myth about Xanthus says that was rebuked by the grieving Achilles for allowing Patroclus to be slain. After that Hera granted Xanthus human speech which broke Divine law, saying that a god had killed Patroclus, and that a god would soon kill Achilles too.
Handmade horses, design by Ben Morani
Poseidon gave the two horses to King Peleus of Phtia, as a wedding gift, when Peleus married the Ocean goddess Thetis. Peleus later gave the horses to his son Achilles who took them to draw his chariot during the Trojan War.
Achilles had a third horse, Pedasos (maybe "Jumper", maybe "Captive"), which was yoked as a "trace horse", along with Xanthus and Balios. Achilles had captured Pedasos when he took the city of Eetion. Pedasos was mortal, but he could keep up with the divine horses. Sarpedon, prince of Lycia and ally of Troy, killed Pedasos when his spear missed Patroclus. Achilles' comrade-in-arms Patroclus used to feed and groom these horses. In the Iliad, it is told how, when Patroclus was killed in battle, Xanthus and Balius stood motionless on the field of battle, and wept.
Automedon, Achilles' charioteer, states that only Patroclus was able to fully control Xanthus and Balius. Myth about Xanthus says that was rebuked by the grieving Achilles for allowing Patroclus to be slain. After that Hera granted Xanthus human speech which broke Divine law, saying that a god had killed Patroclus, and that a god would soon kill Achilles too.
Handmade horses, design by Ben Morani
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