Son of the sun god Helios. Phaethon, son of Helios, slain by Zeus on a solar chariot

Helios, or sometimes Helius, in Greek mythology, the sun god. Son of the titans Hyperion and Feia according to Hesiod and Appolodor, brother of Selene and Eos. Refers to the most ancient pre-Olympic gods. Since Helios is above everyone, high in the sky, he sees all the deeds of people and gods. For crimes he can be punished with blindness, he is called to witness and avengers. He informs Demeter that Hades has kidnapped Persephone. When the companions of Odysseus encroached on his snow-white cows (in the traditional translation - bulls) grazing on the mythical island of Trinacria, at the request of Helios, Zeus smashed the ship with lightning.

Helios and Phaethon with Saturn and Seasons, 1635,
State Museum, Berlin, Nicolas Poussin

According to Ovid, Helios lives in a magnificent palace surrounded by the four seasons, sitting on a throne made of precious stones. Helios rose with the cry of a rooster, which was considered his sacred bird, and accompanied by his daughter Eos, the goddess of the dawn, sat down in a fiery chariot. Every day he made his way from his resplendent palace in the east to an equally magnificent palace in the west. Four snow-white fire-breathing horses were harnessed to his chariot - Light, Shine, Thunder, Lightning. At the end of the day, Helios unharnessed them and let them graze on the Isles of the Blessed. Then, at night, along the Stesichorus, he swam across the stream of the Ocean in a golden bowl made by Hephaestus, to the eastern dwelling.

However, Helios was not always able to comply with this strict routine. Once, by order of Zeus, he did not leave his palace for three days and the sun did not rise above the earth for three days. This is how long the wedding night of Zeus and Alcmene lasted, on which Hercules was conceived. On another occasion, halfway through the sky, Helios was ordered by Zeus to turn back his chariot to help Atreus ascend the throne in Mycenae. Usually Helios was depicted riding in a chariot with the rays of the sun over his head. In the Homeric hymns, Helios appears in a dazzling radiance, with burning, terrible eyes in a golden helmet. Being high in the sky, every day he saw everything that happened on earth, knew all the affairs of people and gods. He was often called to witness not only by mortals, but also by the gods. So Demeter and Hekate urged him to testify that Persephone had been kidnapped by Hades.

Sometimes Helios himself told the gods about the unseemly deeds of others. He reported to Hephaestus about the betrayal of his wife Aphrodite with Ares, which turned out to be an unpleasant embarrassment for the lovers; informed Artemis that King Oineus did not include her among the gods - she sent a huge Calydonian boar to his kingdom in her hearts. On the mythical Trinacria grazed fat herds of snow-white bulls belonging to Helios. Each herd had 350 heads, however, according to Homer (zip, 127), he had 7 herds of cows and 7 herds of sheep, 50 heads each. Moreover, the bulls of Helios did not breed, but they never died either. These herds were grazed by the daughters of the sun god - Faetus and Lampetius. In Homer (zip, 340), the hungry companions of Odysseus dared to encroach on these bulls. Lampetia immediately informed her father about this, and he demanded punishment from Zeus for the wicked, threatening otherwise to hide in Hades. The Thunderer granted the request of the sun god and smashed the ship of Odysseus with lightning. Once Hercules, trying to get to the island where the magnificent cows of Gerion grazed, ended up in the desert, where he suffered greatly from the scorching rays of the sun. Unable to stand it, he directed his bow at Helios, but he came to his senses in time, lowered his weapon and apologized to God. Helios appreciated the politeness of the hero and even lent him his golden boat, on which Hercules was able to get to the island of Erithia.

Helios had numerous offspring. From Hyrmina - Actor and Augius; from Klymene - Phoebe, Helium, Etheria, Lampetia and Phaethon; from Neera - Lampetius and Faetus; from Perseid - Eet, Pers, Kirk and Pasiphae; from Rhoda - seven sons, who became famous as great astrologers. Pausanias reports that Helios was the father of the Charites from his association with Aegla. They worshiped him in many places, in Corinth, in Argos, in Elis, on Rhodes. In Roman mythology, it corresponds to Sol (lat. Sol). From the time of Euripides, Helios, as the all-seeing god of the Sun, began to be identified with Apollo, the all-knowing soothsayer god; hence another name for Helios - Phoebus. The cult of Helios was especially widespread in Corinth, in Argos, in Elis and on the island of Rhodes, where his colossal image stood at the entrance to the harbor. Of the animals, a rooster and white horses were dedicated to him. Helios is portrayed in much the same way as Apollo.

Helios Helios

(Ελιος, Sol). God of the Sun, brother of the Moon and Dawn, usually identified with Apollo, and therefore the epithet of Phoebus, that is, brilliant, is often attached to Apollo.

(Source: "A Brief Dictionary of Mythology and Antiquities." M. Korsh. St. Petersburg, edition of A. S. Suvorin, 1894.)

Helium (Ήλιος), in Greek mythology, the god of the sun, the son of the Titans Hyperion and Fahey, brother Selena and Eos(Hes. Theog. 371-374). The most ancient pre-Olympic deity, who gives life with his elemental power and punishes criminals with blindness (Plat. Legg. 887 e; Eur. Nes. 1068). Being high in the sky, G. sees the deeds of gods and people, most often bad. G. "all-seeing" (Aeschyl. Prom. 91) are called to be witnesses and avengers (Soph. El. 825). This was reported by G. Demetre, that Persephone was abducted by Hades (Hymn. Hom. V 64-87). G. is depicted in a dazzling light and radiance, with burning terrible eyes, in a golden helmet, on a golden chariot (XXXI 9-14). He dwells in a magnificent palace surrounded by the four seasons, on a throne of precious stones (Ovid. Met. II 1-30). Fat herds of snow-white G. bulls graze on the mythical island of Trinacria, on which, despite the ban, satellites encroached Odyssey. G.'s daughter immediately reported this to her father, and Zeus, in response to G.'s request, smashed Odysseus' ship with lightning (Hom. Od. XII 352-388). During the day, G. rushes across the sky on a fiery four horses, and at night he leans to the west and swims across the sea in a golden bowl to the place of his sunrise (Stesich. frg. 6 Diehl). From G. gave birth to the oceanid Perseid of the Colchis king Eeta, sorceress Kirk and Pasiphae - wife of Minos (Hes. Theog. 956-958; Apollod. I 9, 1), the nymph Klymene - the son of Phaethon and four daughters, the nymph Rod - seven sons (see. Heliades). G.'s offspring often had an impudent disposition (cf. Phaeton) and a penchant for witchcraft chthonic forces (Kirka, Pasiphae, G.'s granddaughter - Medea). G. often, especially in Hellenistic-Roman mythology, was identified with his father Hyperion, and his sons were called hyperionides; in late antiquity - with an Olympian Apollo(from the neoplatonist Julian "To the king of the sun"; from Macrobius "Saturnalia" I 17; from Mesomedes "Hymn to Apollo - the Sun"). In Roman mythology G. corresponds to Sol, who is also identified with Apollo.
A. A. Takho-Godi.

(Source: "Myths of the peoples of the world".)

(Helium) - the god of the sun, the son of the titan Hyperion and the titanide Teia. Brother of Eos-dawn and Selene-moon. Husband of the oceanids Persians (Perseids). Father of Phaethon, Heliad, Eeta, Kirk and Pasiphae, Avgei and Actor. His beloved Neera bore him Faetusa and Lampetia. It corresponds to the Roman Sol.

// Afanasy Afanasyevich FET: "Having left the wet bed, Phoebus with golden hair directed…" // N.A. Kuhn: NIGHT, MOON, DAWN AND SUN // N.А. Kun: PHAETON

(Source: "Myths of Ancient Greece. Dictionary Reference." EdwART, 2009.)

in Greek mythology, the son of the titan Hyperion and Feya, the god of the sun.

(Source: Dictionary of Spirits and Gods of Norse, Egyptian, Greek, Irish, Japanese, Maya and Aztec Mythologies.)

Marble.
Middle of the 2nd century BC e.
Rhodes.
Archaeological Museum.

Silver tetradrachm.
First half of the 4th c. BC e.
Berlin.
State museums.

See what "Helios" is in other dictionaries:

- (Greek Helyos). 1) the sun. 2) the sun god of the Greeks. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. HELIOS god of the Sun in the ancient. Greek. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Pavlenkov F., 1907 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Helium) in the myths of the ancient Greeks, the god of the sun. He lived in a magnificent palace, surrounded by the four seasons, on a throne of precious stones. Fat herds of snow-white bulls of Helios grazed on the mythical island of Trinacria. During the day, Helios raced along ... ... Historical dictionary

Helios- Helios. Marble. Ser. 2 in. BC. Archaeological Museum. Rhodes. HELIOS (Helium), in Greek mythology, the god of the sun. … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Sun, sun god Dictionary of Russian synonyms. helios n., number of synonyms: 3 god (375) sun ... Synonym dictionary

- (Helium) in Greek mythology, the god of the Sun. It corresponds to the Roman Sol ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Roman Sol) solar deity, son of the titan Hyperion, brother of Selena and Eos. From the time of Euripides, Helios, as the all-seeing god of the sun, began to be identified with Apollo, the all-knowing soothsayer god; hence another name for Helios Phoebus. The cult of G. was especially ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

HELIOS- see Mid-early. Forms a crop from sowing to harvesting in 30 days. The root crop is round, yellow in color, the flesh is juicy, delicate taste ... Encyclopedia of seeds. vegetable crops

This term has other meanings, see Helios (meanings). Helios (other Greek ... Wikipedia

BUT; m. [from Greek. Helios sun]. [with a capital letter] In ancient Greek mythology: the god of the Sun; the personification of sunlight and the fertilizing power of solar heat. * * * Helios (Helium), the god of the Sun in Greek mythology. It corresponds to the Roman ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Helios- a, m. In Greek mythology: the god of the sun, the son of the titans Hyperion and Feii. Etymology: Greek Hēlios ‘Sun’. Encyclopedic commentary: Helios is the most ancient pre-Olympic deity, with his elemental power giving life and punishing with blindness ... ... Popular dictionary of the Russian language

In the mythology of ancient Greece, everything is very ambiguous. Here, different authors often have their own point of view on the same character, often contradicting the opinion of another author. One of such controversial figures in Greek mythology is Helios in the role of the sun god. The reason to consider him a solar deity is really good, since his name is of the ancient Greek language and means the Sun. According to legend, the solar deity is the son of the titan Hyperion and Theia, according to other sources of Hyperion and Irifessa. Helios is the brother of the goddesses Eos and Selene.

Before Euripides, it was Helios who was steadily associated with the sun god. However, over time, and primarily due to the activities of this playwright, the status of the ancient Greek god of the Sun is gradually assigned to Apollo, a character who also combines a soothsayer and a doctor. Helios and Apollo have another common name - Phoebus, universal for each of them.

An exceptional vision of the same mythical hero is characteristic of almost every ancient Greek author. So, for example, Pherekydes of Syria did not hesitate to identify Helios with Zeus, and Theagenes - simultaneously with Apollo, Hephaestus, and also with the element of "fire". According to the tales of Dionysius Skitobrachion, Helios was drowned as a boy in the waters of Eridanus.

If you collect all the ancient Greek sources, it turns out that there were at least five Helios: perhaps the same character, but clearly from different parents. One of the Helios is the son of Zeus, and, accordingly, the grandson of Ether. According to the second version, Helios was the son of Hyperion. According to the third - the son of Hephaestus and the grandson of the Nile, who lived in Heliopolis. The mother of the fourth Helios was the nymph Akanfo, who gave birth to him on the island of Rhodes. According to this version, Helios comes from heroic Rhodes ancestors. The fifth Helios was born in Colchis and is the father of Kirka and Eet.

In the history of mythical heroes, Helios distinguished himself by complaining to Hephaestus that Aphrodite had cheated on him with Ares, after which Aphrodite became an outcast for all the offspring of Helios. He also revealed the secret to Demeter regarding the fact that it was Hades who stole her daughter Persephone from her. As you can see, it was almost impossible to hide something from Helios.

In the interpretation of Homer, Helios had seven herds of sheep and the same number of herds of cows. As for the cows, they grazed in the most picturesque meadow in Sicily, which belonged to Faetis. The shepherds of these cows were the nymphs Lamptia and Faetisa. As befits the Sun itself, Helios rose above the earth every morning to admire his grazing herd of never aging animals; and in the evening he went beyond the Ocean. Having landed on the shores of the island of Sicily, either by negligence or through ignorance, Odysseus and his team killed several bulls that belonged to Helios. Having a habit of complaining, the sun god asked Zeus to somehow react to the boldness of the navigator. Zeus smashed Odysseus' ship with just his lightning. As we already know, only one Odysseus managed to survive.

The cult of the sun god in ancient Greek mythology in the person of Helios was especially widespread in Argos, Corinth, Elis, and also on Rhodes, where, as it has already become known, Helios still admires his grazing cattle. By the way, at the entrance to the harbor of this island, there was once a legendary statue of Helios, better known to contemporaries as the Colossus of Rhodes. For the inhabitants of Rhodes, Helios was not only the most revered deity, but also the creator of this island. Both Helios and Apollo, who took over from him, are almost always depicted in the same way, since both of them are united by the solar function. The symbolic animals of Helios were the rooster and the white horse.

Helios, Helium- In Greek mythology, the god of the Sun. Helios is the oldest pre-Olympic deity, belonged to the second generation of titans, considered the son of the titans Hyperion and Theia, the brother of the goddess of the moon Selene and the dawn - Eos. Being high in the sky, Helios sees the deeds of the gods and people. He, the "all-seeing", is called to be witnesses and avengers. It was Helios who told Demeter that Hades had kidnapped Persephone. Helios told Hephaestus that Aphrodite was reclining with Ares, for which Aphrodite was hostile to the offspring of Helios.

He lives surrounded by the four seasons in a magnificent palace, on a throne of precious stones. His appearance is surrounded by dazzling light and radiance. The Greeks imagined him as a handsome man with a powerful body, dressed in a thin, wind-swept robe, with flowing hair, covered either with a radiant crown or a sparkling helmet, with sparkling terrible eyes.

He appeared every morning on a solar chariot harnessed by four horses white as snow, winged and spewing fire (their names are Thunder, Lightning, Light, Shine). All day long, on his fiery chariot, Helios rushes across the sky, and in the evening he leans to the west, descends into the Ocean and crosses the sea on a golden boat to the place of his sunrise. The next morning, foreshadowed by the pink-fingered goddess Eos, the beautiful god in his chariot again emerges from the horizon.

Helios on earth owned herds (seven herds and the same number) that grazed on the island of Sicily. They were grazed by the nymphs Faetisa and Lamptia (Shining and Brilliant). Rising to the sky every morning, Helios admired his eternally young, he cast a glance at them, descending into the Ocean. Helios knew, falling asleep on his soft bed, that in the morning he would again see his animals roaming the emerald meadow. Woe was to the one who intended to attack them.

The peoples who were the first or last to be touched by the rays of Helios were called Ethiopians. All year round, the Ethiopians enjoyed the favor of Helios and therefore were considered the happiest of mortals. Their bodies were brimming with sunshine. The gods stayed with them at the time of the year when the rest of the earth suffered from cold, and there they enjoyed warmth, lush vegetation and the spectacle of evergreen fields.