Introduction
Chrysaor, "he of the golden sword" or "golden-armed", is a giant, born alongside his brother Pegasus from the blood of Medusa at the moment of her death, said to have emerged already holding a golden sword, from which his name derives.
Family
- Father: Poseidon
- Mother: Medusa
- Siblings: Triton, Orion, Theseus, Pegasus, Polyphemus
Birth and nature
Like Pegasus, Chrysaor was conceived by Poseidon and Medusa before her transformation and death, and sprang from her severed neck the instant Perseus beheaded her. Unlike his winged brother, who became a celebrated hero's mount, Chrysaor remained a more obscure figure, generally described simply as a giant of great size and strength.
Father of Geryon
In Hesiod's account, Chrysaor, with the Oceanid Callirhoe, fathered Geryon, the three-bodied giant whose cattle Heracles was later sent to steal as one of his Twelve Labours, giving Chrysaor a quiet but significant genealogical link to the wider heroic tradition.