During Greek times myths were used to explain how and why things happen. Characters like gods, demi-gods, and monsters were used to enforce and tell the story. People would use these myths and stories to teach many valuable lessons about life. In the myth regarding Phaethon, it teaches the lesson that man must be careful of what he wishes for; furthermore, powerful gods like Zeus and Helios are important characters who aid the development of the myth.
Mythology has been around for a long time and was first used to explain the existence of many things by using diverse types of characters and stories. The roots of mythology can be traced back before 1100B.C. to the Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations(“Greek Mythology”). For centuries myths and stories were passed down orally from generation to generation.(“Greek Mythology”). These myths consisted of characters like Zeus, Helios,
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After Epaphus, son of Zeus, denied Phaethon’s blood relationship with Helios, Phaethon went to the palace of the sun god to find out himself(Peabody). As proof of his fathership, Helios allowed Phaethon to ask for a wish(Hamilton 181). Phaethon eagerly asked to switch places with his father for a day(Hamilton 181). Helios tried to convince him otherwise since driving the sun chariot was to dangerous for a mortal,but Phaethon ignored him(Hamilton 181-182). Phaethon then mounted the chariot the next morning, but he quickly realized his incapability to drive the fierce chariot(Hamilton 182-183). Phaethon, unable to control the chariot, caused heaven and the earth to catch fire(Hamilton 183). In a desperate effort to stop the destruction, Jove(Zeus) came down from Olympus and striked the chariot with a thunderbolt killing Phaethon(Hamilton 184). Phaethon’s ignorance caused his own death and the destruction of the earth which teaches the lesson that man must be careful of what he wishes