Hamilton, William; Kirk, Thomas: Outlines from the figures and compositions upon the Greek, Roman and Etruscan vases of the late Sir William Hamilton: with engraved borders (London, 1814)

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Both Plutarch and Hyginus relate this story in
a different way, and they pretend, that Minerva
lent the horse Pegasus to Bellerophon; the
symbol of the serpent upon the haunch of the
Pegasus, as belonging to Apollo, the god of me-
dicine, evidently proves, that the smallest and
most minute circumstances introduced upon the
sacred vases, have their appropriate object; the
sceptre, which is in the hand of Iobates, marks
the regal authority ; and, probably, the foilage of
the ivy, embroidered on the sleeve of his robe,
serves to shew, that he was also a priest of Bac-
chus, as in Greece the kings were often the pon-
tiffs, or chief-priests. Bellerophon is represented
with his head covered; and it is observeable,
that upon these vases foreigners and travellers
are commonly represented in the same manner, or
with a hat fastened at the back of the head.
The vase itself, from which this design is taken,
has an ornament of ivy leaves, which denotes,
that it was consecrated to Bacchus. Apuleius
is said to have seen the story of Bellerophon per-
formed in a bacchanalian feast at Rome, and that
an ass with wings represented Pegasus. May
not this story have a place in a feast of Bacchus,
on account of the connection between Iobates and
Bellerophon, the former having given his only