Winged Victory

In the mall earlier today I saw this store window and had to take a picture. Nike is advertising its running shoe named for Pegasus, the famous winged horse of Greco-Roman mythology. How appropriate a classical sighting, combining a mythological flying horse with the Greek goddess of victory, on this weekend when American Pharoah, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will try for the Triple Crown at Belmont Park. Here is a little more information about Nike Pegasus.

Pega-what?

Looking through the pharmacy shelves in our local Canadian grocery store, I discovered an unmistakable classical connection, but I’m not sure of the reason behind it, nor do I wish to explore further, but here it is: Pegalax, a laxative for the relief of constipation. The design on the package is great, and we do have English words from the Latin root laxō, laxāre a verb which means “I open out, undo, slacken,” including relax (undo from work, as on a vacation) and lax (slack in upholding rules or requirements). In mythology Pegasus is the great winged horse who sprang from the blood of Medusa.