Bucephalus

• a promontory in the Peloponnesus, Mel. 2, 3, 8; Plin. 4, 5, 9, § 18.

BUCE´PHALUS (Βουκέφαλος), a promontory of Corinthia, with a port of the same name, situated S. of Cenchreae, which must be distinguished from Bucephala in Argolis. (Mel. 2.3 ; Ptol. 3.16.12; Plin. Nat. 4.5. s. 9.) Stephanus B. speaks of Βουκεφάλας λιμήν in Attica.

(Βουκέφαλος). A horse belonging to Alexander the Great, so called either because his head resembled that of an ox (βοὸς κεφαλή); or because he had the mark of an ox's head impressed upon his flank; or, according to others, because, like an ox, he had a black mark upon his head, the rest of his body being white. Plutarch states that the horse had been offered for sale to Philip by a Thessalian, but had proved so unmanageable that the monarch refused to purchase, and ordered it to be taken away. Alexander thereupon expressing his regret that they were losing so fine a horse for want of skill and spirit to manage it, Philip agreed to pay the price of the steed if his son would ride it. The prince accepted the offer, and succeeded in the attempt. Bucephalus, after this, would allow no one but Alexander to mount him, and he accompanied the monarch in all his campaigns. In the battle with Porus, he received, according to the same authority, several wounds, of which he died not long after. An ancient writer, however, quoted by Plutarch, states that he died of age and fatigue, being thirty years old. See Arrian, Anab. v. 19.