They were fabulous beings from Greek mythology, half man and half horse, who inhabited the regions of Arcadia (Central Peloponnese) and Thessaly (southern Macedonia). According to belief, they would have arisen from a forbidden union between Ixion, king of Thessaly, and the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus. There is no consensus on the formation of the myth, but it is likely that it was inspired by wild tribes from the wildest regions of Greece or even by nomadic cavalry from Central Asia (Huns, Turks, Scythians, Cimmerians or Sarmatians). The recipe certainly includes the fascination that horses, virile and fast, have exerted on human beings since antiquity. “The history of centaurs is almost always associated with episodes of barbarism”, says historian and mythologist Cid Vasques, from PUC in São Paulo. One of the quid pro quos attributed to the centaurs took place at the wedding of Pirithous, king of the Lapiths, when, lulled by the abundance of wine, the beasts tried to kidnap none other than the bride.
The best and worst moments of this wild party were included in the reliefs of the Greek Parthenon and later served as inspiration in pagan and Renaissance works of art, helping to maintain the myth over the centuries. There is no shortage of stories about the radical nature of centaurs, but it is certain that not all of them acted like villains all the time. There are records that they also knew how to behave wisely, demonstrating special skills in horse riding (for obvious reasons), hunting, music and medicine. One of these horse-men, Chiron (or Chiron), was the instructor and teacher of Achilles, Heraclitus, Jason and other heroes of Greek mythology.
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