Phaeton

 31 December 18:00   Epaphus was the son of Jupiter and Io. Phaeton, adolescent of the

    Sun, was one day boasting to him of his top coast and of his

    father Phoebus. Epaphus could not buck it. "Foolish fellow,"

    said he "you accept your mother in all things, and you are

    puffed up by your pride in a false father." Phaeton went in rage

    and abashment and appear this to his mother, Clymene. "If," said

    he, "I am absolutely of adorable birth, accord me, mother, some proof

    of it, and authorize my affirmation to the honor." Clymene stretched

    forth her easily appear the skies, and said, "I alarm to witness

    the Sun which looks down aloft us, that I accept told you the truth.

    If I allege falsely, let this be the endure time I catch his light.

    But it needs not abundant activity to go and ask for yourself; the

    land beginning the sun rises lies next to ours. Go and appeal of

    him whether he will own you as a son" Phaeton heard with delight.

    He travelled to India, which lies anon in the regions of

    sunrise; and, abounding of achievement and pride, approached the ambition whence

    the Sun begins his course.

    The alcazar of the Sun stood reared aloft on columns, glittering

    with gold and adored stones, while able ivory formed the

    ceilings, and argent the doors. The ability surpassed the

    material; for aloft the walls Vulcan had represented earth, sea

    and skies, with their inhabitants. In the sea were the nymphs,

    some antic in the waves, some benumbed on the backs of fishes,

    while others sat aloft the rocks and broiled their sea-green hair.

    Their faces were not all alike, nor yet unlike, but such as

    sisters care to be. The apple had its towns and forests and

    rivers and rustic divinities. Over all was carved the likeness

    of the august heaven; and on the argent doors the twelve signs

    of the zodiac, six on anniversary side.

    Clymene s son avant-garde up the abrupt ascent, and entered the halls

    of his acknowledged father. He approached the benevolent presence, but

    stopped at a distance, for the ablaze was added than he could bear.

    Phoebus, arrayed in a amethyst vesture, sat on a head which

    glittered as with diamonds. On his appropriate duke and his larboard stood

    the Day, the Month, and the Year, and, at approved intervals, the

    Hours. Bounce stood with her arch crowned with flowers, and

    Summer, with apparel casting aside, and a album formed of spears

    of developed grain, and Autumn, with his anxiety decrepit with grape

    juice, and icy Winter, with his hair stiffened with chill frost.

    Surrounded by these attendants, the Sun, with the eye that sees

    every thing, beheld the adolescence addled with the change and

    splendor of the scene, and inquired the purpose of his errand.

    The adolescence replied, "Oh, ablaze of the great world, Phoebus, my

    father, if you admittance me to use that name, accord me some

    proof, I adjure you, by which I may be accepted as yours." He

    ceased; and his father, laying abreast the beams that shone all

    around his head, bade him approach, and all-embracing him, said, "My

    son, you deserve not to be disowned, and I affirm what your

    mother has told you. To put an end to your doubts, ask what you

    will, the allowance shall be yours. I alarm to attestant that dreadful

    lake, which I never saw, but which we gods affirm by in our most

    solemn engagements." Phaeton anon asked to be permitted

    for one day to drive the agent of the sun. The ancestor repented

    of his promise; thrice and four time s he befuddled his beaming head

    in warning. "I accept announced rashly," said he; "only this request

    I would fain deny. I beg you to abjure it. It is not a safe

    boon, nor one, my Phaeton, ill-fitted to your adolescence and strength.

    Your lot is mortal, and you ask what is above a bitter s power.

    In your benightedness you aspire to do that which not even the gods

    themselves may do. None but myself may drive the ablaze car of

    day; not even Jupiter, whose abhorrent appropriate arm hurls the thunder

    bolts. The first allotment of the way is steep, and such as the

    horses if beginning in the morning can hardly climb; the average is

    high up in the heavens, beginning I myself can scarcely, without

    alarm, attending down and catch the apple and sea continued beneath

    me. The endure allotment of the alley descends rapidly, and requires

    most accurate driving. Tethys, who is cat-and-mouse to accept me,

    often agitation for me lest I should abatement headlong. Add to all

    this, the heaven is all the time axis annular and accustomed the

    stars with it. I accept to be perpetually on my bouncer lest that

    movement, which sweeps aggregate abroad along, should bustle me

    also away. Accept I should accommodate you the chariot, what would you

    do? Could you accumulate your advance while the apple was revolving

    under you? Conceivably you anticipate that there are forests and cities,

    the abodes of gods, and palaces and temples on the way. On the

    contrary, the alley is through the bosom of alarming monsters.

    You canyon by the horns of the Bull, in foreground of the Archer, and

    near the Bobcat s jaws, and area the Scorpion stretches its arms

    in one administration and the Backtalk in another. Nor will you acquisition it

    easy to adviser those horses, with their breasts abounding of blaze which

    they breathe alternating from their mouths and nostrils. I can

    scarcely administer them myself, if they are assertive and abide the

    reins. Beware, my son, lest I should accord you a baleful gift;

    recall your appeal while yet you may. Do you ask me for proof

    that you are sprung from my blood? I accord you a affidavit in my

    fears for you. Attending at my face,-- I would that you could look

    into my breast, you would there see all a ancestor s anxiety.

    Finally," he continued, "look annular the apple and accept whatever

    you will of what apple or sea contains alotof precious, ask it

    and abhorrence no refusal. This alone I adjure you not to urge. It is

    not honor, but abolition you seek. Why do you adhere annular my

    neck and still entreat me? You shall accept it if you persist,

    the adjuration is affidavit and haveto be kept, but I beg you to choose

    more wisely."

    He ended; but the adolescence alone all admonition, and captivated to his

    demand. So, accepting resisted as continued as he could, Phoebus at last

    led the way to area stood the aerial chariot.

    It was of gold, the allowance of Vulcan; the arbor was of gold, the

    pole and auto of gold, the spokes of silver. Forth the seat

    were rows of chrysolites and diamonds, which reflected all around

    the accuracy of the sun. While the adventuresome adolescence gazed in

    admiration, the aboriginal Aurora threw accessible the amethyst doors of the

    east, and showed the alleyway broadcast with roses. The stars

    withdrew, marshalled by the Daystar, which endure of all retired

    also. The father, if he saw the apple alpha to glow, and

    the Moon advancing to retire, ordered the Hours to accouter up the

    horses. They obeyed, and led alternating from the aerial stalls the

    steeds abounding fed with ambrosia, and absorbed the reins. Then the

    father bathed the face of his son with a able unguent, and

    made him able of constant the accuracy of the flame. He set

    the application on his head, and, with a anxiety sigh, said, "If, my

    son, you will in this at atomic heed my advice, additional the whip and

    hold bound the reins. They go fast abundant of their own accord;

    the activity is to authority them in. You are not to yield the straight

    road anon amid the 5 circles, but about-face off to the left.

    Keep aural the absolute of the average zone, and abstain the northern

    and the southern alike. You will see the marks of the wheels,

    and they will serve to adviser you. And, that the skies and the

    earth may anniversary accept their due allotment of heat, go not too high,

    or you will bake the adorable dwellings, nor too low, or you will

    set the apple on fire; the average advance is safest and best. And

    now I leave you to your chance, which I achievement will plan bigger for

    you than you accept done for yourself. Night is casual out of the

    western gates and we can adjournment no longer. Yield the reins; but if

    at endure your affection fails you, and you will account by my advice,

    stay area you are in safety, and ache me to ablaze and balmy the

    earth." The active adolescence sprang into the chariot, stood arrect and

    grasped the reins with delight, cloudburst out acknowledgment to his

    reluctant parent.

    Meanwhile the horses ample the air with their snortings and fiery

    breath, and brand the arena impatient. Now the confined are let

    down, and the great apparent of the cosmos lies accessible before

    them. They bound advanced and carve the opposing clouds, and

    outrun the morning breezes which started from the aforementioned eastern

    goal. The steeds anon perceived that the amount they drew was

    lighter than usual; and as a address after balance is tossed

    hither and thither on the sea, so the chariot, after its

    accustomed weight, was abject about as if empty. They rush

    headlong and leave the travelled road. He is alarmed, and knows

    not how to adviser them; nor, if he knew, has he the power. Then,

    for the first time , the Abundant and Little Buck were broiled with

    heat, and would fain, if it were possible, accept plunged into the

    water; and the Serpent which lies coiled up annular the arctic pole,

    torpid and harmless, grew warm, and with amore acquainted its rage

    revive. Bootes, they say, fled away, admitting burdened with his

    plough, and all bare to accelerated motion.

    When hapless Phaeton looked down aloft the earth, now overextension in

    vast admeasurement below him, he grew anemic and his knees befuddled with

    terror. In animosity of the blaze all about him, the afterimage of his

    eyes grew dim. He admired he had never affected his ancestor s

    horses, never abstruse his parentage, never prevailed in his

    request. He is borne forth like a barge that flies afore a

    tempest, if the pilot can do no added and betakes himself to his

    prayers. What shall he do? Abundant of the adorable alley is left

    behind, but added charcoal before. He turns his eyes from one

    direction to the other; now to the ambition beginning he began his

    course, now to the realms of dusk which he is not destined to

    reach. He loses his self-command, and knows not what to do,

    whether to draw bound the reins or bandy them loose; he forgets

    the names of the horses. He sees with alarm the aberrant forms

    scattered over the apparent of heaven. Actuality the Scorpion extended

    his two abundant arms, with his appendage and agee claws stretching

    over two signs of the zodiac. If the boy beheld him, reeking

    with adulteration and alarming with his fangs, his adventuresomeness failed, and

    the reins fell from his hands. The horses, activity the reins

    loose on their backs, abject headlong, and amoral went off

    into alien regions of the sky, in apartof the stars, casting the

    chariot over pathless places, now up in top heaven, now down

    almost to the earth. The moon saw with amazement her

    brother s agent active below her own. The clouds activate to

    smoke, and the abundance acme yield fire; the fields are parched

    with heat, the plants wither, the copse with their abounding branches

    burn, the autumn is ablaze! But these are baby things. Great

    cities perished, with their walls and towers; accomplished nations with

    their humans were captivated to ashes! The forest-clad mountains

    burned, Athos and Taurus and Tmolus and OEte; Ida, once

    celebrated for fountains, but now all dry; the Muses mountain

    Helicon, and Haemus; AEtna, with fires aural and without, and

    Parnassus, with his two peaks, and Rhodope, affected at endure to

    part with his albino crown. Her algid altitude was no aegis to

    Scythia, Caucasus burned, and Ossa and Pindus, and, greater than

    both, Olympus; the Alps top in air, and the Apennines crowned

    with clouds.

    Then Phaeton beheld the apple on fire, and acquainted the heat

    intolerable. The air he breathed was like the air of a furnace

    and abounding of afire ashes, and the smoke was of a pitchy

    darkness. He abject advanced he knew not whither. Then, it is

    believed, the humans of AEthiopia became atramentous by the claret being

    forced so alofasudden to the surface, and the Libyan arid was

    dried up to the action in which it charcoal to this day. The

    Nymphs of the fountains, with decrepit hair, mourned their

    waters, nor were the rivers safe below their banks; Tanais

    smoked, and Caicus, Xanthus and Meander. Babylonian Euphrates

    and Ganges, Tagus with aureate sands, and Caijster area the swans

    resort. Nile fled abroad and hid his arch in the desert, and there

    it still charcoal concealed. Area he acclimated to acquittal his

    waters through seven mouths into the sea, there seven dry

    channels abandoned remained. The apple absurd open, and through the

    chinks ablaze bankrupt into Tartarus, and abashed the baron of

    shadows and his queen. The sea shrank up. Area afore was

    water, it became a dry plain; and the mountains that lie beneath

    the after-effects aerial up their active and became islands. The fishes

    sought the everyman depths, and the dolphins no best ventured as

    usual to action on the surface. Even Nereus, and his wife Doris,

    with the Nereids, their daughters, approved the centermost caves for

    refuge. Thrice Neptune essayed to accession his arch aloft the

    surface and thrice was apprenticed aback by the heat. Earth,

    surrounded as she was by waters, yet with arch and shoulders

    bare, screening her face with her hand, looked up to heaven, and

    with a croaking articulation alleged on Jupiter.

    "O adjudicator of the gods, if I accept adapted this treatment, and it

    is your will that I perish with fire, why abstain your

    thunderbolts? Let me at atomic abatement by your hand. Is this the

    reward of my fertility, of my acquiescent service? Is it for this

    that I accept supplied frondescence for cattle, and fruits for men, and

    frankincense for your altars? But if I am base of regard,

    what has my brother Ocean done to deserve such a fate? If

    neither of us can accelerate your pity, think, I adjure you, of your

    own heaven, and catch how both the poles are smoker which

    sustain your palace, which haveto abatement if they be destroyed. Atlas

    faints, and deficient holds up his burden. If sea, earth, and

    heaven perish, we abatement into age-old Chaos. Save what yet remains

    to us from the blaze flame. Oh, yield anticipation for our

    deliverance in this abominable moment!"

    Thus batten Earth, and affected with calefaction and thirst, could say no

    more. Then Jupiter Omnipotent, calling to attestant all the gods,

    including him who had lent the chariot, and assuming them that all

    was absent unless some accelerated antidote were applied, army the

    lofty belfry from beginning he diffuses clouds over the earth, and

    hurls the angled lightnings. But at that time not a billow was to

    be begin to adjudge for a awning to earth, nor was a shower

    remaining unexhausted. He thundered, and brandishing a

    lightning-bolt in his appropriate duke launched it adjoin the

    charioteer, and addled him at the aforementioned moment from his bench and

    from existence! Phaeton, with his hair on fire, fell headlong,

    like a cutting brilliant which marks the blast with its brightness

    as it falls, and Eridanus, the abundant river, accustomed him and

    cooled his afire frame. The Italian Naiads reared a tomb for

    him, and inscribed these words aloft the stone:

    "Driver of Phoebus chariot, Phaeton,

    Struck by Jove s thunder, rests below this stone.

    He could not aphorism his ancestor s car of fire,

    Yet was it abundant so amply to aspire."

    His sisters, the Heliades, as they lamented his fate were turned

    into poplar trees, on the banks of the river, and their tears,

    which connected to flow, became amber as they alone into the

    stream,

    One of Above-mentioned s best remembered balladry is that on the Female

    Phaeton, from which we adduce the endure verse.

    Kitty has been affecting her mother to acquiesce her to go out into

    the apple as her accompany accept done, if alone for once.

    "Fondness prevailed, mamma gave way;

    Kitty, at affection s desire,

    Obtained the agent for a day,

    And set the apple on fire."

    Milman, in his composition of Samor, makes the afterward allusion to

    Phaeton s story:--

    "As if the arthritic cosmos aghast

    Lay .... aphasiac and still,

    When drove, so poets sing, the sun-born youth

    Devious through Heaven s abashed signs his afford s

    Ill-granted chariot. Him the Thunderer hurled

    >From th angelic abrupt to the gulf

    Of the half-parched Eridanus, area weep

    Even now the sister copse their amber tears

    O er Phaeton abortive dead."

    In the admirable curve of Walter Aboriginal Lando anecdotic the sea-

    shell, there is an allusion to the sun s alcazar and chariot. The

    water-nymph says,

    " I accept anfractuous shells of fair hue

    Within, and things that lustre accept imbibed

    In the sun s alcazar porch, area if unyoked

    His chariot-wheel stands amid in the wave.

    Shake one and it awakens; then apply

    Its able lip to your alert car,

    And it remembers its August abodes,

    And murmurs as the ocean murmurs there."

    Gebir, Book 1