IX. THE LYCIAN WOMEN
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That which is said to have happened in Lycia sounds like a myth, yet it has some supporting testimony in the tales that are told. Cf. Homer, Il. vi. 152 ff. and the scholia on Il. xvi. 328; Hyginus, Fabulae, no. 57; Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, ii. 3. Is Chimarrhus a Chimaera? Amisodarus, as they say, whom the Lycians call Isaras, arrived from the Lycian colony in the vicinity of Zeleia, bringing with him pirate ships, in command of which was Chimarrhus, a warlike man, bloodthirsty and brutal. He sailed in a vessel which had a lion as its figurehead at the prow, and a serpent at the stern. He did much evil to the Lycians, and it was not possible to sail the sea or even to live in the cities near the sea.
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This man Bellerophon slew, pursuing him with PegasusBellerophon’s winged horse (which may be found represented on the coins of Corinth). as he was trying to escape. Bellerophon also drove out the Amazons, but met with no just treatment; in fact, lobates was most unjust with him. Because of this, Bellerophon waded into the sea, and prayed to Poseidon that, as a requital against lobates, the land might become sterile and unprofitable. Thereupon he went back after his prayer, and a wave arose and inundated the land. It was a fearful sight as the sea, following him, rose high in air and covered up the plain. The men besought Bellerophon to check it, but when they could not prevail on him, the women, pulling up their garments, came to meet him; and when he, for shame, retreated towards the sea again, Cf. Homer, Il. vi. 162. the wave also, it is said, went back with him.
