Helios

Helios, also spelled as Helius, was the Greek sun god. Helio’s parents were Hyperion and Theia. He fathered Aeetes, Circe, and Pasiphae by the Oceanid Perse. Helios fathered other children as well, but one in particular was named Phaeton (Lindemans). Phaeton drove Helio’s chariot one time and it was said that he caught the heavens on fire. Zeus sent a thunderbolt that caused Phaeton to crash to his death and further causing the land to burn, thus the flood was sent to extinguish the fire (Parada).

The job of Helios was to light the world; he started in the east and finished his day in the west. Since Helios drove the chariot during the day, he was privy to many things. Many people swore by his name as their witness (Hunt). Helios is believed to have been the one that reported to Hephaestus about Ares and Aphrodite having a love affair. Aphrodite caused Helios to fall in love with Leucothoe as payment for revealing her love affair. Helios disguised himself as Leucothe’s mother to enable his entrance into the room with Leucothe where she was seduced. Clytia, a former lover of Helios, finds out about the affair. Clytia then tells Leucothe’s father, King Orchamus, and in turn he allows his daughter to be buried alive (Parada). Helios did not associate with Clytia anymore and Clytia became a flower, the first heliotrope. Her face turned into a violet and her body into a plant (Hunt).

The sun god was worshipped mostly in Rhodes. Rhodes was the location of the Colossus of Rhodes, the sixth of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Colossus of Rhodes was built in honor of Helios (Lindemans). Herds were also dedicated to Helios, one such place was located on the island of Ithaka (Lucas). Teiresias told Odysseus, in The Odyssey, to avoid the cattle of Helios, but the crew of Odysseus, through their famine, decided differently. Helios learned that the cattle had been killed and he demanded that Zeus punish Odysseus and his crew or he would light the underworld. Zeus sent a thunderbolt that destroyed the crew and ship, leaving Odysseus as the only survivor.

Works Cited

Hunt, J.M. "Children of Hyperion". 12 Apr 2005. [[1]]

Lindemans, Micha F. "Helios". Pantheon.org. 12 Apr 2005. [[2]]

Lucas, Gerald, Ed. “The Odyssey: Book XI Notes”. 21 Sept 2003. Litmuse. 12 Apr 2005. [[3]]

Lucas, Gerald, Ed. “The Lessons of Hell”. 26 Jun 2003. Litmuse. 12 Apr 2005. [[4]]

Parada, Carlos. “Helius". Greek Mythology Link. 12 Apr 2005. [[5]]