Home › Glossary › Letter A

Arion

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Immortal, divinely swift horse born of Poseidon and Demeter (in mare form), gifted with speech. He saved Adrastus during the flight from Thebes in the war of the Seven.

Detailed Definition
Arion is an immortal, swift horse with a black mane, gifted to Heracles and later to Adrastus, whom he saved during the war of the Seven Against Thebes. His divine origin and intelligence mark him as extraordinary. Poets invoke Arion as a symbol of divine aid, speed, and the intersection of mortal and equine heroism in epic and elegiac verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Arion, the immortal horse born of Poseidon and Demeter, appears in Pausanias and Herodotus; Poets use Arion to symbolize miraculous speed or divine hybridity; In lyric fragments, Arion carries heroes swiftly, useful for journey motifs; “Arion’s mane” might describe oceanic waves or storm energy; His myth blends equine grace with supernatural origin—ideal for epic similes.
Additional Notes
Arion, the immortal horse with a black mane and speaking ability, saves Adrastus during the war of the Seven Against Thebes. Born when Demeter, in mare form, was pursued by Poseidon, Arion embodies divine hybridity and rescue. Pindar and Statius celebrate him as a symbol of poetic inspiration and miraculous survival—ideal for allegories of art’s power to transcend chaos.
Also Known As
marvelous horse Poseidon offspring musical dolphin
Skip to main content