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Greek Mythology
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Phaethon and his Sun Chariot
22-01-2013 21:03Phaethon (the Radiant) was the most notable of Helios’ illegitimate children, son of Klymene, wife of Merops, king of Ethiopia. Phaethon lived with his mother in her husband’s palace, far in the east, comparatively close to the palace of Helios.
Klymene told her son about his noble origin as a son of Helios, Sun God. Phaethon asked for his mother’s reassurance about this and she swore she had spoken the truth and advised him to visit his real father to believe her words.
Phaethon went to his father’s radiant palace made of gleaming metal and ivory and was kindly welcomed by Helios, who confirmed Klymene’s words about Phaethon being his son. In order to please his son, Helios offered him to choose whatever he desired the most. Phaethon responded by asking to drive the chariot of the sun across the sky on the following day. Helios tried to warn him of the dangers his choice had but Phaethon insisted. As Helios has given his word, he couldn’t deny to his son his will and finally let him drive the chariot.
Phaethon was found unable to control the horses of the sun chariot driving sometimes too high in the sky and sometimes too low to the ground, causing the earth to catch fire and the waters to dry up. Gaia, earth goddess, was so alarmed by the dangerous course of the sun chariot that urgently asked for Zeus help. Zeus hurled a thunderbolt at Phaethon causing him to fall from the chariot and plunge to his death in the river Eridanos.
Phaethon’s friend and lover Kyknos, king of Liguria, mourned for him so grievously after his death that Apollo took pity on him and turned him into a swan. The death of Phaethon was also lamented by his sisters, the Heliades. Zeus pitied their sorrow and transformed them into poplar-trees. As they continue to weep, they shed their cry into Eridanos River. The tears of Phaethon’s sisters are believed to be turned into amber.
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