God of the Sun
Helios drives the sun chariot across the sky each day, and Apollo later inherited many solar associations.
The Meaning of God of the Sun
Helios, a Titan, rose each morning from the river Oceanus in the east, mounted his golden chariot drawn by four fiery horses — Pyrois, Aeos, Aethon, and Phlegon — and traversed the heavens until he sank into the west. At night, he sailed back east in a great golden cup along the world-river. His son Phaethon begged to drive the chariot for a single day; Helios reluctantly agreed, and Phaethon lost control, scorching the earth and creating the Sahara desert, until Zeus struck him down with a thunderbolt to save the world. By the Classical period, Apollo absorbed many of Helios's solar attributes, and the two were frequently merged in art and worship.
Parents
Hyperion and Theia
Symbols
Fun Fact
Helios could see everything from his vantage point and was often called as a witness to oaths because nothing escaped his gaze.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Phaethon's Ride
💭 concepthubris, catastrophe
The myth of Helios's son who drove the sun chariot across the sky, lost control, and was struck down by Zeus to prevent the earth from burning.
Goddess of the Moon
💭 conceptMoon, night sky, lunar cycles
Selene drives her silver chariot across the night sky, illuminating the world with reflected light.
Helios
⚡ godTitan god of the sun
The Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day, providing light to the world. Helios saw everything that happened under the sun.
Helios
⚡ godTitan who drove the sun chariot daily
Helios was the Titan god who drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day — seeing everything that happened on earth from his vantage point above.
God of the Sea
💭 conceptSea, storms, earthquakes, horses
Poseidon, brother of Zeus, commands the oceans and all waters beneath the sky.
Helios
🏔 titanThe all-seeing Titan of the sun
The Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day and saw everything that happened on earth below.
God of the Sky
💭 conceptSky, weather, thunder, law, kingship
Zeus rules the sky and all its phenomena, serving as king of the gods and enforcer of cosmic order.
Ganymede
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The largest moon in the solar system, named after Ganymede, the beautiful Trojan prince abducted by Zeus to serve as cupbearer of the gods on Olympus
Io
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
A moon of Jupiter named after Io, the priestess of Hera whom Zeus transformed into a white cow, now known as the most volcanically active body in the solar system
Saturn
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The sixth planet from the Sun, named after Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and time identified with the Greek Titan Kronos, father of Zeus
Phaethon
🗡 heroSon of Helios who drove the sun chariot
Phaethon was the son of Helios who insisted on driving the chariot of the sun and lost control, nearly burning the earth to ashes.
Venus
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The second planet from the Sun and the brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon, named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love identified with the Greek Aphrodite