Bellerophon wished to travel. His king gave him letters on parchment to take to King Iobates of Lycia.
The king did not read the letters for ten days after Bellerophon came to Lycia. During those ten days there was feasting and dancing in honor of the new guest.
After the feasts of welcome were over, King Iobates read the letters and found that the one who sent them wanted Bellerophon punished for certain misdeeds which people said he had done.
It was a sharp trick to send such letters by the very person who was to be punished. King Iobates was puzzled as to what to do.
Then some of his wise men told him of the terrible chimera that was in the west of his kingdom. This strange creature had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a crocodile. Its breath was flames of fire, so the peasants said. Nobody dared to attack it.
"Just the thing," said Iobates to himself, and sent for Bellerophon.
"You are the one to rid my country of this terrible monster. Do you dare to try such a task?"
Brave Bellerophon answered, "I have no fear; my heart is pure; my strength is as the strength of ten. I will go."
That night he slept in the temple of Minerva, the wise goddess. He dreamed that Minerva brought him a golden bridle and told him to go to the fountain of Pirene and find Pegasus.