GajimaruClassics.
← Greek folklore
Phaethon

Phaethon · the borrowed reins of the sun

Phaethon asks his divine father for one day driving the sun’s chariot. An oath has made the gift his to choose, but his father knows how much strength the horses demand.

Context

Metamorphoses II follows a young man determined to prove his parentage. The promise is easy to make; taking the reins is another matter.

Source

Original Gajimaru summary, based on Metamorphoses, Metamorphoses II, 31–125. Henry Thomas Riley (1851).

Read the primary text ↗
Artwork & credits

The Fall of Phaeton (c. 1604–1605)
Peter Paul Rubens · National Gallery of Art · Wikimedia Commons

The painting depicts the catastrophe later in Phaethon’s story, rather than his initial request. It contains classical adult nudity and figures falling in mortal peril.

Public domain. Unmodified downloaded image, scaled to fit. The full downloaded composition is retained.

Historical artwork. See artwork credits above.

The Night Parade

50 beings
ZeusZeusΖεύς · father of gods and menAthenaAthenaἈθηνᾶ · the grey-eyedPoseidonPoseidonΠοσειδῶν · the earth-shakerCirceCirceΚίρκη · the enchantressMedusaMedusaΜέδουσα · the GorgonThe SirensThe SirensΣειρῆνες · singers of the rocksPolyphemusPolyphemusΠολύφημος · the one-eyedThe MinotaurThe MinotaurΜινώταυρος · the bull of the mazePersephonePersephoneΠερσεφόνη · queen of the deadPsyche & ErosPsyche & ErosΨυχή · the soul and loveApolloApolloἈπόλλων · the far-shooterArtemisArtemisἌρτεμις · the huntressAphroditeAphroditeἈφροδίτη · foam-bornHermesHermesἙρμῆς · the guide of soulsHadesHadesᾍδης · lord of the deadDionysusDionysusΔιόνυσος · the twice-bornHephaestusHephaestusἭφαιστος · the smith of the godsPrometheusPrometheusΠρομηθεύς · the fire-bringerHeraclesHeraclesἩρακλῆς · the strongest of menPerseusPerseusΠερσεύς · the Gorgon-slayerTheseusTheseusΘησεύς · the hero of AthensOrpheusOrpheusὈρφεύς · the singerCerberusCerberusΚέρβερος · the hound of HadesPegasusPegasusΠήγασος · the winged horseThe HydraThe HydraὝδρα · the many-headedThe ChimeraThe ChimeraΧίμαιρα · the fire-breatherThe SphinxThe SphinxΣφίγξ · the riddlerThe FatesThe FatesΜοῖραι · the three spinnersThe FuriesThe FuriesἘρινύες · the avengersCharonCharonΧάρων · ferryman of the deadAchillesAchillesἈχιλλεύς · the greatest of the GreeksOdysseusOdysseusὈδυσσεύς · the man of many turnsIcarusIcarusἼκαρος · the boy who flew too highChironChironΧείρων · the wise centaurDemeterDemeter · the mother who withheld the harvestHecateHecate · the torch beside the searcherPanPan · the music in the mountain pathsSeleneSelene · the brightness travelling through nightIrisIris · the bearer of the binding waterTritonTriton · the call that turns the watersAriadneAriadne · the thread through the turning houseAtalantaAtalanta · the runner no suitor could passAndromedaAndromeda · the woman on the sea rockEuropaEuropa · the shore disappearing behind herHestiaHestia · the place kept beside the hearthNikeNike · victory at the side of ZeusNarcissusNarcissus · the face beyond the waterEchoEcho · the voice that can only answerPhaethonPhaethon · the borrowed reins of the sun

Tales of the realm