Clymene (Oceanid)
nymphOceanid nymph and mother of Phaethon and the Heliades.
The Myth
Clymene was an Oceanid who became the consort of Helios, the sun god. When their son Phaethon doubted his divine parentage, Clymene sent him east to the palace of the Sun to learn the truth from Helios himself. This maternal encouragement led directly to Phaethon's fatal ride in the sun chariot. After his death, Clymene wandered the earth collecting his remains while her daughters, the Heliades, wept so long they turned into amber-dripping poplar trees.
Children
Phaethon, Heliades
Symbols
Fun Fact
The ancient amber trade from the Baltic to the Mediterranean was mythologically explained as the tears of Clymene's daughters.
Explore Further
Oceanus
titanThe great Titan who personified the vast river believed to encircle the entire world. Father of all...
Phaethon
heroPhaethon was the son of Helios who insisted on driving the chariot of the sun and lost control,...
Phaethon's Ride
conceptThe myth of Helios's son who drove the sun chariot across the sky, lost control, and was struck...
Tethys
titanTethys was the Titaness of fresh water — the great nurse of all life, whose thousands of river and...
Oceanids
nymphThe Oceanids included Metis, Styx, Doris — nymphs of all fresh waters.
Helios
godThe Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day, providing light to the world. Helios...
Helios (Sun God)
godHelios was the Titan god who drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day — seeing...
Atalanta
heroA heroine raised by bears who could outrun any mortal man. Atalanta joined the Argonauts, slew the...
Atlas
titanThe Titan who was condemned to hold the celestial sphere on his shoulders for eternity. His name...
Deucalion (Flood)
heroSon of Prometheus who survived Zeus's great flood by building an ark on his father's advice, then...
Epimetheus
titanEpimetheus was Prometheus's dim-witted brother whose name means "afterthought" — he accepted...
Palamedes
heroPalamedes was a brilliant inventor who exposed Odysseus's fake madness — Odysseus never forgave him...