365
Days in Horse Country – Mares of
Diomedes
Most horses
in mythology are benevolent creatures, mystifying humankind with their beauty
and magical powers. In the case of the
Mares of Diomedes however, horses take the form of monsters.
In Greek mythology, the Mares of Diomedes were wild and spectacular, but they were also man-eaters. The four fire-breathing horses belong to Diomedes, a giant who lived on the shores of the Black Sea. One of the Twelve Labours, dangerous tasks carried out by Heracles as penance for killing his wife and children, was to steal the Mares. Two different versions of this myth exist. In one, Heracles’ favorite companion, Abderus, was eaten by the Mares, garnering Heracles’ wrath and causing him to kill Diomedes and feed him to the Mares. In the other version, Heracles used the Mares to lure Diomedes to him and then fed the body of Diomedes to the Mares.
The Mares of Diomedes are pictured in both Greek and Roman art as wild, untamable beasts thirsting for blood. Alexander the Great’s horse, Bucephalus, was believed to be descended from the Mares.
Michael