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According to Greek Mythology, Phaethon, was the son of the Sun-God Helios and a mortal woman, Clymene. However, he was living only with his mother, as his father was responsible to drive the horse chariot with the Sun from the one side of the Earth to the other, during the daytime. The tragic tale about Phaethon and his father perfectly explicates the dynamic between elders and youth and made him the symbol of all who aspire to what lies beyond their capabilities.
One day, a schoolmate of Phaethon laughed at his claim that he was the son of a god and made him run to his mother in tears and demand proof of his paternity. Clymene had to send him east to the palace of his father, where the young boy stood in front of Helios, sitting on a diamond-studded throne surrounded by the presences of the Day, the Month, the Year, the Hour and the four Seasons. Phaethon told Helios about the humiliation he had to suffer and pleaded him to recognize him as his son. Helios got deeply moved and declared, in the presence of all his attendants, that he will gladly grant his son any favour that he would ask him.
The rash boy asked to be allowed to drive the awesome Chariot of the Sun for one day. Helios was fearful at his son's irrational request. He tried to explain to him that it was a very difficult task, but at the end the god of Sun could do nothing else but to give in. He advised Phaethon to steer the Chariot through a middle course and not to go too high or too low, however he noticed an expression of power and arrogance on his son's face.
As soon as he took off, Phaethon found himself powerless to control the fiery horses. When the horses realized the weakness and inexperience of their young charioteer, they began to steer a wild and dangerous course. The uncontrollable Chariot of the Sun was said to have blazed a gash in the skies that supposedly became a spiral galaxy and then it came very close to the earth unleashing immense destruction, including the burning of the African continent, turning it into desert and making its people black-skinned.
The danger of a greater destruction infuriated the chief of the gods, Zeus, who struck the boy down with his thunderbolt. The body of the dead Phaethon fell into the Eridanus River. The unfortunate Phaethon was deeply mourned by his sisters, the Heliades, who were transformed into poplar trees, their tears into drops of amber, to stand by the river and protect their brother forever.
One day, a schoolmate of Phaethon laughed at his claim that he was the son of a god and made him run to his mother in tears and demand proof of his paternity. Clymene had to send him east to the palace of his father, where the young boy stood in front of Helios, sitting on a diamond-studded throne surrounded by the presences of the Day, the Month, the Year, the Hour and the four Seasons. Phaethon told Helios about the humiliation he had to suffer and pleaded him to recognize him as his son. Helios got deeply moved and declared, in the presence of all his attendants, that he will gladly grant his son any favour that he would ask him.
The rash boy asked to be allowed to drive the awesome Chariot of the Sun for one day. Helios was fearful at his son's irrational request. He tried to explain to him that it was a very difficult task, but at the end the god of Sun could do nothing else but to give in. He advised Phaethon to steer the Chariot through a middle course and not to go too high or too low, however he noticed an expression of power and arrogance on his son's face.
As soon as he took off, Phaethon found himself powerless to control the fiery horses. When the horses realized the weakness and inexperience of their young charioteer, they began to steer a wild and dangerous course. The uncontrollable Chariot of the Sun was said to have blazed a gash in the skies that supposedly became a spiral galaxy and then it came very close to the earth unleashing immense destruction, including the burning of the African continent, turning it into desert and making its people black-skinned.
The danger of a greater destruction infuriated the chief of the gods, Zeus, who struck the boy down with his thunderbolt. The body of the dead Phaethon fell into the Eridanus River. The unfortunate Phaethon was deeply mourned by his sisters, the Heliades, who were transformed into poplar trees, their tears into drops of amber, to stand by the river and protect their brother forever.
