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Bulfinch's Mythology

Chapter 5 PHAETON

Word Count: 2887    |    Released on: 29/11/2017

it to his mother. "If," said he, "I am indeed of heavenly birth, give me, mother, some proof of it, and establish my claim to the honor." Clymene stretched forth her hands tow

demand of him whether he will own you as a son." Phaeton heard with delight. He travelled to India, which lies direc

represented earth, sea, and skies, with their inhabitants. In the sea were the nymphs, some sporting in the waves, some riding on the backs of fishes, while others sat upon the rocks and dried their sea-green hair. Their faces were not all alike, nor yet unlike,-but

w, but which we gods swear by in our most solemn engagements." Phaeton immediately asked to be permitted for one day to drive the chariot of the sun. The father repented of his promise; thrice and four times he shook his radiant head in warning. "I have spoken rashly," said he; "this only request I would fain deny. I beg you to withdraw it. It is not a safe boon, nor one, my Phaeton, suited to your youth and strength. Your lot is mortal, and you ask what is beyond a mortal's power. In your ignorance you aspire to do that which not even the gods themselves may do. None but myself may drive the flaming car of day. Not even Jupiter, whose terrible right arm hurls the thunderbolts. The first part of the way is steep, and such as the horses when fresh in the morning can hardly climb; the middle is high up in the heavens, whence I myself can scarcely, without alarm, look down and behold the earth and sea stretched beneath me. The last part of the road descends rapidly, and requires most careful driving. Tethys, who is waiting to receive me, often trembles for me lest I should fall headlong. Add to all this, the heaven is all the time turning round and carrying the stars with it. I have to be perpetually on my guard lest that movement, which sweeps everything else along, should hurry me also away. Suppose I should lend you the

o his demand. So, having resisted as long as he could, Pho

. Then the father bathed the face of his son with a powerful unguent, and made him capable of enduring the brightness of the flame. He set the rays on his head, and, with a foreboding sigh, said, "If, my son, you will in this at least heed my advice, spare the whip and hold tight the reins. They go fast enough of their own accord; the labor is to hold them in. You are not to take the straight road directly between the five circles, but turn off to the left. Keep within the limit of the middle zone, and avoid the northern and the southern alike. You will see the marks of the wheels, and they will serve to guide you. And, that the skies and the earth may each receive th

at the load they drew was lighter than usual; and as a ship without ballast is tossed hither and thither on the sea, so the chariot, without its accustomed weight, was dashed about as if empty. They rush headlong and leave the travelled road. He is alarmed, and knows not how to guide them; nor, if he knew, has he the power. Then, for the first

aw tight the reins or throw them loose; he forgets the names of the horses. He sees with terror the monstrous forms scattered over the surface of heaven. Here the Scorpion extended his two great arms, with his tail and crooked claws stretching over two signs of the zodiac. When the boy beheld him, reeking with poison and menacing with his fangs, his courage failed, and the reins fell from his hands. The horses, when they felt them loose on their backs, dashed headlong, and unrestrained went off into unknown regions of the sky, in among the stars, hurling the chariot over pathless places, now up in high heaven, now down almost to the earth. The moon saw with astonishment her brother's chariot running beneath her own. The clouds begin to smoke, and

is smoked, and Caicus, Xanthus, and Meander; Babylonian Euphrates and Ganges, Tagus with golden sands, and Cayster where the swans resort. Nile fled away and hid his head in the desert, and there it still remains concealed. Where he used to discharge his waters through seven mouths into the sea, there seven dry channels alone remained. The earth cracked open, and through the chinks light broke into Tartarus, and frightened the king of shadows and his queen. The sea shrank up. Where before was water, it became a dry plain; and the mountains th

cattle, and fruits for men, and frankincense for your altars? But if I am unworthy of regard, what has my brother Ocean done to deserve such a fate? If neither of us can excite your pity, think, I pray you, of your own heaven, and behold how both the poles are smoking which su

arth, and hurls the forked lightnings. But at that time not a cloud was to be found to interpose for a screen to earth, nor was a shower remaining unexhausted. He thundered, and brandishing a lightning bolt in his right hand launched it against the charioteer, and struck him at the same moment from his s

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1 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION2 Chapter 2 PROMETHEUS AND PANDORA3 Chapter 3 APOLLO AND DAPHNE-PYRAMUS AND THISBE CEPHALUS AND PROCRIS4 Chapter 4 JUNO AND HER RIVALS, IO AND CALLISTO-DIANA AND ACTAEON-LATONA AND THE RUSTICS5 Chapter 5 PHAETON6 Chapter 6 MIDAS-BAUCIS AND PHILEMON7 Chapter 7 PROSERPINE-GLAUCUS AND SCYLLA8 Chapter 8 PYGMALION-DRYOPE-VENUS AND ADONIS-APOLLO AND HYACINTHUS9 Chapter 9 CEYX AND HALCYONE OR, THE HALCYON BIRDS10 Chapter 10 VERTUMNUS AND POMONA11 Chapter 11 CUPID AND PSYCHE12 Chapter 12 CADMUS-THE MYRMIDONS13 Chapter 13 NISUS AND SCYLLA-ECHO AND NARCISSUS-CLYTIE-HERO AND LEANDER14 Chapter 14 MINERVA-NIOBE15 Chapter 15 THE GRAEAE OR GRAY-MAIDS-PERSEUS-MEDUSA-ATLAS-ANDROMEDA16 Chapter 16 MONSTERS17 Chapter 17 THE GOLDEN FLEECE-MEDEA18 Chapter 18 MELEAGER AND ATALANTA19 Chapter 19 HERCULES-HEBE AND GANYMEDE20 Chapter 20 THESEUS-DAEDALUS-CASTOR AND POLLUX21 Chapter 21 BACCHUS-ARIADNE22 Chapter 22 No.2223 Chapter 23 THE RURAL DEITIES-ERISICHTHON-RHOECUS-THE WATER DEITIES- CAMENAE-WINDS24 Chapter 24 ACHELOUS AND HERCULES-ADMETUS AND ALCESTIS-ANTIGONE-PENELOPE25 Chapter 25 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE-ARISTAEUS-AMPHION-LINUS-THAMYRIS- MARSYAS-MELAMPUS-MUSAEUS26 Chapter 26 ARION-IBYCUS-SIMONIDES-SAPPHO27 Chapter 27 ENDYMION-ORION-AURORA AND TITHONUS-ACIS AND GALATEA28 Chapter 28 THE TROJAN WAR29 Chapter 29 THE FALL OF TROY-RETURN OF THE GREEKS-ORESTES AND ELECTRA30 Chapter 30 ADVENTURES OF ULYSSES-THE LOTUS-EATERS-CYCLOPES-CIRCE-SIRENS -SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS-CALYPSO31 Chapter 31 THE PHAEACIANS-FATE OF THE SUITORS32 Chapter 32 ADVENTURES OF AENEAS-THE HARPIES-DIDO-PALINURUS33 Chapter 33 THE INFERNAL REGIONS-THE SIBYL34 Chapter 34 CAMILLA-EVANDER-NISUS AND EURYALUS-MEZENTIUS-TURNUS35 Chapter 35 PYTHAGORAS-EGYPTIAN DEITIES-ORACLES36 Chapter 36 ORIGIN OF MYTHOLOGY-STATUES OF GODS AND GODDESSES-POETS OF MYTHOLOGY37 Chapter 37 MODERN MONSTERS-THE PHOENIX-BASILISK-UNICORN-SALAMANDER38 Chapter 38 EASTERN MYTHOLOGY-ZOROASTER-HINDU MYTHOLOGY-CASTES-BUDDHA- GRAND LAMA39 Chapter 39 NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY-VALHALLA-THE VALKYRIOR40 Chapter 40 THOR'S VISIT TO JOTUNHEIM41 Chapter 41 THE DEATH OF BALDUR-THE ELVES-RUNIC LETTERS-ICELAND-TEUTONIC MYTHOLOGY-NIBELUNGEN LIED42 Chapter 42 INTRODUCTION No.4243 Chapter 43 THE MYTHICAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND44 Chapter 44 MERLIN45 Chapter 45 ARTHUR46 Chapter 46 No.4647 Chapter 47 SIR GAWAIN48 Chapter 48 CARADOC BRIEFBRAS; OR, CARADOC WITH THE SHRUNKEN ARM49 Chapter 49 LAUNCELOT OF THE LAKE50 Chapter 50 THE ADVENTURE OF THE CART51 Chapter 51 THE LADY OF SHALOTT52 Chapter 52 QUEEN GUENEVER'S PERIL53 Chapter 53 TRISTRAM AND ISOUDE54 Chapter 54 No.5455 Chapter 55 SIR TRISTRAM'S BATTLE WITH SIR LAUNCELOT56 Chapter 56 THE ROUND TABLE57 Chapter 57 SIR PALAMEDES58 Chapter 58 SIR TRISTRAM59 Chapter 59 PERCEVAL60 Chapter 60 THE SANGREAL, OR HOLY GRAAL61 Chapter 61 No.6162 Chapter 62 No.6263 Chapter 63 SIR AGRIVAIN'S TREASON64 Chapter 64 THE BRITONS65 Chapter 65 THE LADY OF THE FOUNTAIN66 Chapter 66 No.6667 Chapter 67 No.6768 Chapter 68 GERAINT, THE SON OF ERBIN69 Chapter 69 No.6970 Chapter 70 No.7071 Chapter 71 PWYLL, PRINCE OF DYVED72 Chapter 72 BRANWEN, THE DAUGHTER OF LLYR73 Chapter 73 MANAWYDDAN74 Chapter 74 KILWICH AND OLWEN75 Chapter 75 No.7576 Chapter 76 TALIESIN