Helios

Helios was the Greek god of the sun. He was often depicted driving a chariot through the sky, and he was also associated with light and sight. Helios was a relatively minor deity in Classical Greece, but his worship grew more prominent in late antiquity. He was identified with several major solar divinities of the Roman period, particularly Apollo and Sol. Helios' most notable role in Greek mythology is the story of his son Phaethon. Phaethon asked his father for the privilege to drive the sun chariot for a day, and Helios reluctantly agreed. Phaethon was unable to control the chariot, and he nearly set the earth on fire. Zeus was forced to strike Phaethon down with a thunderbolt to save the world. In the Homeric epics, Helios plays a significant role in the Odyssey. Odysseus' men kill and eat Helios' sacred cattle on the island of Thrinacia, and Helios asks Zeus to punish them. Zeus destroys Odysseus' ship with a thunderbolt, killing everyone except Odysseus himself. Helios was a powerful and important god in ancient Greece. He was associated with light, sight, and oaths. He was also a guardian of oaths and the god of sight.