Gryphon Variations : Pyrippus - The Demonsteed of Hades by @aleilam (Aleister Lam)

Most people are fascinated and are aware of the heavenly horses that soar gracefully above the sky; there are people who devoter an entire passage and even an entire web-site jost on the winged horse, Pegasus. Then on the there is the single horned mythical creature, known as the Unicorn, which have also garnered its own group of loyal supporters and fans. But little is mentioned about the horses that dwells below the earth, the stallions that reign supreme in the hellish underground.

Many don't even know that there is a name given to these hellish stallions called Pyrippi ( plural ). In Greek mythology they are said to reside in the underworld and are responsible for driving the chariot of Hades. I prefer to think that the Pyrippus (singular) is a combination of various mythical horses like a body similar to the Unicorn with cloven hooves, fetlocks and manes, like Pegasus; it is also winged but instead of feathered wings, Pyrippus has a pair of bat-like wings and a barbed tail like that of a Wyvern.

In traditional symbology the feathered wings of Pegasus symbolises transcendence and liberty whilst the leathery bat-like wings of the Pyrippus symbolises the perversion of the intellect towards the evil nature. These creatures while having the basic form of a horse are also reptilian by nature as they have a sleek dark purplish scaly hide. I classied them under the Gryphon variations because they have a beaked snout which is like that of a bird and a forked tongue similar to a serpent.

These demonsteed are swifter in terms of flight as compare to Pegasus because of their leathery winged appendages. Their scaly hide makes them impenetratable to fire and most weapons , their serpentine and barbed tail which is about 5 feet in length also serves to distract and swings like a defensive club in time of danger. These demonsteeds are formidable creatures as they have powerful strides and hooves that are as tough as steel that they used to trample their enemy; their powerful bird-like snout enable them to peck or ripped into the flesh of its oppressors and tearing it to pieces. If anyone have more informations about these interesting equine mythical creatures like their habitat, origins or history; care to share it with me?

Artwork © Copyright 2002 Aleister Lam