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Bellerophon
One of the ships which took part in the Battle of the Nile, and
was called by the English sailors “the Bully-ruffran,” or
“Belly-ruffron.”
“Why, she and the Belly-ruffron seem to have pretty well shared and
shared alike.” —Captain Marryat: Poor Jack, chap. xiii.
Bellerophon
The Joseph of Greek mythology; Antæa, the wife of Proetos,
being the “Potiphar's wife” who tempted him, and afterwards falsely
accused him. Being successful in various enterprises, he attempted to
fly to heaven on the winged horse Pegasos, but Zeus sent a gad-fly to
sting the horse, and the rider was overthrown.
Letters of Bellerophon.
Letters or other documents either dangerous or prejudicial to the
bearer. Proetos sent Bellerophon with a letter to the King of Lycia,
his wife's father, recounting the charge, and praying that the bearer
might be put to death.
Pausanias, the Spartan, sent messengers from time to time to King
Xerxes, with similar letters; the discovery by one of the bearers
proved the ruin of the traitor.
David's letter sent by Uriah (2 Sam. xi. 14) was of a similar
treacherous character; hence the phrase, “Letters of Uriah.”
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Bellerophon from Infoplease:
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