Helios, also known as Helius or the Sun. And in latin term as Sol.

• Aechylus
• Apollodorus
• Apollonius Rhodius
• Aratus
• Claudian
• Callimachus
• Clement
• Diodorus Siculus
• Fulgentius
• Hesiod
• Homer
• Homeric hymns
• Hyginus
• Nonnus
• Orphic hymns
• Ovid
• Pausanias
• Philostratus
• Quintus Smyrnaeus
• Theocritius
• Valerius Flaccus
• Virgil

AESCHYLUS, AGAMEMNON, translated by H. W. SMYTH

CASSANDRA: [1322] Yet once more I would like to speak, but not a dirge. I pray to the sun, in presence of his latest light, that my enemies may at the same time pay to my avengers a bloody penalty for slaughtering a slave, an easy prey. Alas for human fortune! When prosperous, a mere shadow can overturn it; if misfortune strikes, the dash of a wet sponge blots out the drawing. And this last I deem far more pitiable than that.

AESCHYLUS, LIBATION BEARERS, translated by H. W. SMYTH

ORESTES: [980] But now regard again, you who hear this account of ills, the device for binding my unhappy father, with which his hands were manacled, his feet fettered. Spread it out! Stand around in a circle, and display this covering for a man, that the Father may see—not mine, but he who surveys all this, the Sun—that he may see the impious work of my own mother, that he may be my witness in court that I justly pursued this death, my own mother's. For I do not speak of Aegisthus' death: he has suffered the penalty prescribed for adulterers.

APOLLODORUS, EPITOME OF THE LIBRARY, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[E.2.12] But Zeus sent Hermes to Atreus and told him to stipulate with Thyestes that Atreus should be king if the sun should go backward; and when Thyestes agreed, the sun set in the east; hence the deity having plainly attested the usurpation of Thyestes, Atreus got the kingdom and banished Thyestes.

[E.7.14] With one ship he put in to the Aeaean isle. It was inhabited by Circe, a daughter of the Sun and of Perse, and a sister of Aeetes; skilled in all enchantments was she.

[E.7.22] And thence he came to Thrinacia, an island of the Sun, where kine were grazing, and being windbound, he tarried there. But when his comrades slaughtered some of the kine and banqueted on them, for lack of food, the Sun reported it to Zeus, and when Ulysses put out to sea, Zeus struck him with a thunderbolt.

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 1, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[1.2.2] Now to the Titans were born offspring: to Ocean and Tethys were born Oceanids, to wit, Asia, Styx, Electra, Doris, Eurynome, Amphitrite, and Metis; to Coeus and Phoebe were born Asteria and Latona; to Hyperion and Thia were born Dawn, Sun, and Moon; to Crius and Eurybia, daughter of Sea (Pontus), were born Astraeus, Pallas, and Perses;

[1.4.3] And Artemis slew Orion in Delos. They say that he was of gigantic stature and born of the earth; but Pherecydes says that he was a son of Poseidon and Euryale. Poseidon bestowed on him the power of striding across the sea. He first married Side, whom Hera cast into Hades because she rivalled herself in beauty. Afterwards he went to Chios and wooed Merope, daughter of Oenopion. But Oenopion made him drunk, put out his eyes as he slept, and cast him on the beach. But he went to the smithy of Hephaestus, and snatching up a lad set him on his shoulders and bade him lead him to the sunrise. Being come thither he was healed by the sun's rays, and having recovered his sight he hastened with all speed against Oenopion.

[1.4.5] But Orion was killed, as some say, for challenging Artemis to a match at quoits, but some say he was shot by Artemis for offering violence to Opis, one of the maidens who had come from the Hyperboreans. Poseidon wedded Amphitrite, daughter of Ocean, and there were born to him Triton and Rhode, who was married to the Sun.

[1.9.1] ...But Phrixus came to the Colchians, whose king was Aeetes, son of the Sun and of Perseis, and brother of Circe and Pasiphae, whom Minos married

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 2, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[2.5.5] The fifth labour he laid on him was to carry out the dung of the cattle of Augeas in a single day.113 Now Augeas was king of Elis; some say that he was a son of the Sun, others that he was a son of Poseidon, and others that he was a son of Phorbas; and he had many herds of cattle.

[2.5.10] ...But being heated by the Sun on his journey, he[Hercales] bent his bow at the god, who in admiration of his hardihood, gave him a golden goblet in which he crossed the ocean. And having reached Erythia he lodged on Mount Abas. However the dog, perceiving him, rushed at him; but he smote it with his club, and when the herdsman Eurytion came to the help of the dog, Hercules killed him also. But Menoetes, who was there pasturing the kine of Hades, reported to Geryon what had occurred, and he, coming up with Hercules beside the river Anthemus, as he was driving away the kine, joined battle with him and was shot dead. And Hercules, embarking the kine in the goblet and sailing across to Tartessus, gave back the goblet to the Sun.

APOLLODORUS, LIBRARY, Book 3, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[3.1.2] ...Rhadamanthys legislated for the islanders but afterwards he fled to Boeotia and married Alcmena; and since his departure from the world he acts as judge in Hades along with Minos. Minos, residing in Crete, passed laws, and married Pasiphae, daughter of the Sun and Perseis; but Asclepiades says that his wife was Crete, daughter of Asterius.

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 1, translated by R. C. SEATON

[172] There came also Augeias, whom fame declared to be the son of Helios; he reigned over the Eleans, glorying in his wealth; and greatly he desired to behold the Colchian land and Aeetes himself the ruler of the Colchians.

[448] Thus he spake; and the youths hearing the divine utterance rejoiced at their return, but grief seized them for the fate of Idmon. Now at the hour when the sun passes his noon-tide halt and the ploughlands are just being shadowed by the rocks, as the sun slopes towards the evening dusk, at that hour all the heroes spread leaves thickly upon the sand and lay down in rows in front of the hoary surf-line; and near them were spread vast stores of viands and sweet wine, which the cupbearers had drawn off in pitchers;

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 3, translated by R. C. SEATON

[218] Such then were the wondrous works that the craftsman-god Hephaestus had fashioned in the palace of Cytaean Aeetes. And he wrought for him bulls with feet of bronze, and their mouths were of bronze, and from them they breathed out a terrible flame of fire; moreover he forged a plough of unbending adamant, all in one piece, in payment of thanks to Helios, who had taken the god up in his chariot when faint from the Phlegraean fight.

[299] Now when the thralls had laid a banquet ready before them, and they had refreshed themselves with warm baths, gladly did they please their souls with meat and drink. And thereafter Aeetes questioned the sons of his daughter, addressing them with these words: Sons of my daughter and of Phrixus, whom beyond all strangers I honoured in my halls, how have ye come returning back to Aea? Did some calamity cut short your escape in the midst? Ye did not listen when I set before you the boundless length of the way. For I marked it once, whirled along in the chariot of my father Helios, when he was bringing my sister Circe to the western land and we came to the shore of the Tyrrhenian mainland, where even now she abides, exceeding far from Colchis.

[594] And he[Aeetes] said that besides all that the sons of Phrixus should pay a fitting penalty to himself for returning in consort with evildoers, that they might recklessly drive him from his honour and his throne; for once he had heard a baleful prophecy from his father Helios, that he must avoid the secret treachery and schemes of his own offspring and their crafty mischief.

[997] In days past the maiden Ariadne, daughter of Minos, with kindly intent rescued Theseus from grim contests -- the maiden whom Pasiphae daughter of Helios bare.

APOLLONIUS RHODIUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 4, translated by R. C. SEATON

[212] By this time Medea's love and deeds had become known to haughty Aeetes and to all the Colchians. And they thronged to the assembly in arms; and countless as the waves of the stormy sea when they rise crested by the wind, or as the leaves that fall to the ground from the wood with its myriad branches in the month when the leaves fall -- who could reckon their tale? -- so they in countless number poured along the banks of the river shouting in frenzy; and in his shapely chariot Aeetes shone forth above all with his steeds, the gift of Helios, swift as the blasts of the wind. In his left hand he raised his curved shield, and in his right a huge pine-torch, and near him in front stood up his mighty spear. And Apsyrtus held in his hands the reins of the steeds. But already the ship was cleaving the sea before her, urged on by stalwart oarsmen, and the stream of the mighty river rushing down. But the king in grievous anguish lifted his hands and called on Helios and Zeus to bear witness to their evil deeds; and terrible threats he uttered against all his people, that unless they should with their own hands seize the maiden, either on the land or still finding the ship on the swell of the open sea, and bring her back, that so he might satisfy his eager soul with vengeance for all those deeds, at the cost of their own lives they should learn and abide all his rage and revenge.

[585] For it proclaimed that they should not escape the paths of an endless sea nor grievous tempests, unless Circe should purge away the guilt of the ruthless murder of Apsyrtus; and it bade Polydeuces and Castor pray to the immortal gods first to grant a path through the Ausonian sea where they should find Circe, daughter of Perse and Helios.

[963] And as long as the space of a day is lengthened out in springtime, so long a time did they toil, heaving the ship between the loud-echoing rocks; then again the heroes caught the wind and sped onward; and swiftly they passed the mead of Thrinacia, where the kine of Helios fed. There the nymphs, like sea-mews, plunged beneath the depths, when they had fulfilled the behests of the spouse of Zeus. And at the same time the bleating of sheep came to the heroes through the mist and the lowing of kine, near at hand, smote their ears. And over the dewy leas Phaethusa, the youngest of the daughters of Helios, tended the sheep, bearing in her hand a silver crook; while Lampetia, herding the kine, wielded a staff of glowing orichalcum as she followed.

ARATUS, PHAENOMENA, translated by G. R. MAIR

[147] Beneath the head of Helice are the Twins [Gemini]; beneath her waist is the Crab [Cancer]; beneath her hind feet the Lion [Leo] brightly shines. There is the Sun’s hottest summer path. Then the fields are seen bereft of corn-ears, when first the Sun comes together with the Lion. Then the roaring Etesian winds fall swooping on the vasty deep, and voyaging is no longer seasonable for oars. Then let broad-beamed ships be my choice, and let steersmen hold the helm into the wind.

[300] But even in the previous month, storm-tossed sea, when the Sun scorches the Bow and the Wielder of the Bow [Saggitarius], trust no longer in the night but put to shore in the evening. Of that season and that month let the rising of Scorpion at the close of night be a sign to thee. For verily his great Bow does the Bowman draw close by the Scorpion’s sting, and a little in front stands the Scorpion [Scorpio] at his rising, but the Archer rises right after him. Then, too, at the close of night Cynosura’s head runs very high, but Orion just before the dawn wholly sets and Cepheus from hand to waist.

CLAUDIAN, SHORTER POEMS, PHOENIX, translated by M. PLATNAUER

[1] There is a leafy wood fringed by Ocean’s farthest marge beyond the Indes and the East where Dawn’s panting coursers first seek entrance; it hears the lash close by, what time the watery threshold echoes to the dewy car; and hence comes forth the rosy morn while night, illumined by those far-shining wheels of fire, casts off her sable cloak and broods less darkly. This is the kingdom of the blessèd bird of the sun where it dwells in solitude defended b the inhospitable nature of the land and immune from the ills that befall other living creatures; nor does it suffer infection from the world of men. Equal to the gods is that bird whose life rivals the stars and whose renascent limbs weary the passing centuries. It needs no food to satisfy hunger nor any drink to quench thirst; the sun’s clear beam is its food, the sea’s rare spray its drink – exhalations such as these form its simple nourishment. A mysterious fire flashes from its eyes, and a flaming aureole enriches its head. Its crest shines with the sun’s own light and shatters the darkness with its calm brilliance. Its legs are of Tyrian purple; swifter than those of the Zephyrs are its wings of flower-like blue dappled with rich gold.

[45] On this he takes his seat and as he grows weaker greets the Sun with his sweet voice; offering up prayers and supplications he begs that those fires will give him renewal of strength. Phoebus, on seeing him afar, checks his reins and staying his course consoles his loving child with these words: “Thou who art about to leave thy years behind upon yon pyre, who, by this pretence of death, art destined to rediscover life; thou whose decease means but the renewal of existence and who by self-destruction regainest thy lost youth, receive back thy life, quit the body that must die, and by a change of form come forth more beauteous than ever.”

CALLIMACHUS, HYMNS TO CALLIMACHUS, Hymn to Artemis, translated by A. W. MAIR

[170] But when the nymphs encircle thee in the dance, near the springs of Egyptian Inopus or Pitane – for Pitane too is thine – or in Limnae or where, goddess, thou camest from Scythia to dwell, in Alae Araphenides, renouncing the rites of the Tauri, then may not my kine cleave a four-acred fallow field for a wage at the hand of an alien ploughman; else surely lame and weary of neck would they come to the byre, yea even were they of Stymphaean breed, nine years of age, drawing by the horns; which kine are far the best for cleaving a deep furrow; for the god Helios never passes by that beauteous dance, but stays his car to gaze upon the sight, and the lights of day are lengthened.

CLEMENT, RECOGNITIONS, Book 10, translated by R. T. SMYTH

CHAPTER [34] - OTHER ALLEGORIES - They say that Apollo is the Sun himself, which goes round the heaven

DIODORUS SICULUS, LIBRARY OF HISTORY, Book 4, translated by C. H. OLDFATHER

[4.45.1] Since it is the task of history to inquire into the reasons for this slaying of strangers, we must discuss these reasons briefly, especially since the digression on this subject will be appropriate in connection with the deeds of the Argonauts. We are told, that is, that Helius had two sons, Aeëtes and Perses, Aeëtes being king of Colchis and the other king of the Tauric Chersonese, and that both of them were exceedingly cruel.

[4.60.4] And marrying Pasiphaê, the daughter of Helius and Cretê, he begat Deucalion and Catreus and Androgeos and Ariadnê and had other, natural, children more in number than these. As for the sons of Minos, Androgeos came to Athens at the time of the Panathenaic festival, while Aegeus was king, and defeating all the contestants in the games be became a close friend of the sons of Pallas.

DIODORUS SICULUS, LIBRARY OF HISTORY, Book 5, translated by C. H. OLDFATHER

[5.56.3] Helius, the myth tells us, becoming enamoured of Rhodos, named the island Rhodes after her and caused the water which had overflowed it to disappear. But the true explanation is that, while in the first forming of the world the island was still like mud and soft, the sun dried up the larger part of its wetness and filled the land with living creatures, and there came into being the Heliadae, who were named after him, seven in number, and other peoples who were, like them, sprung from the land itself.

[5.56.4] In consequence of these events the island was considered to be sacred to Helius, and the Rhodians of later times made it their practice to honour Helius above all other gods, as the ancestor and founder from whom they were descended.

[5.56.5] His seven sons were Ochimus, Cercaphus, Macar, Actis, Tenages, Triopas, and Candalus, and there was one daughter, Electryonê, who quit this life while still a maiden and attained at the hands of the Rhodians to honours like those accorded to the heroes. And when the Heliadae attained to manhood they were told by Helius that the first people to offer sacrifices to Athena would ever enjoy the presence of the goddess; and the same thing, we are told, was disclosed by him to the inhabitants of Attica.

[5.71.3] Before the battle against the Giants in Crete, we are told, Zeus sacrificed a bull to Helius and to Uranus and to Gê; and in connection with each of the rites there was revealed to him what was the will of the gods in the affair, the omens indicating the victory of the gods and a defection to them of the enemy. And the outcome of the war accorded with the omens; for Musaeus deserted to him from the enemy, for which he was accorded peculiar honours, and all who opposed them were cut down by the gods.

DIODORUS SICULUS, LIBRARY OF HISTORY, Book 6, translated by C. H. OLDFATHER

[6.1.2] “As regards the gods, then, men of ancient times have handed down to later generations two different conceptions: Certain of the gods, they say, are eternal and imperishable, such as the sun and the moon and the other stars of the heavens, and the winds as well and whatever else possesses a nature similar to theirs; for of each of these the genesis and duration are from everlasting to everlasting. But the other gods, we are told, were terrestrial beings who attained to immortal honour and fame because of their benefactions to mankind, such as Heracles, Dionysus, Aristaeus, and the others who were like them.

FULGENTIUS, MYTHOLOGIES, Book 1, translated by L. G. WHITBREAD

Fable [1.12] They chose Apollo for the name of the sun, for appolon in Greek means losing, because by its very heat it ruinously takes all the sap from green plants. They also chose him as the god of omens, either because the sun turns into clear light everything obscure, or because in its rising and setting the orb gives effect to interpretations of many kinds. For the sun (sol) is so called either because it is unique (solus) or because it habitually (solite) rises and sets each day. They also assign to him a four-horse chariot, for the reason that either he goes through the cycle of the year in the four changes of the seasons or he divides up the space of the day into a fourfold division.

HESIOD, FRAGMENTS, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

ORION - Then he came to Lemnos as a beggar and there met Hephaestus who took pity on him and gave him Cedalion his own servant to guide him. So Orion took Cedalion upon his shoulders and used to carry him about while he pointed out the roads. Then he came to the east and appears to have met Helius (the Sun) and to have been healed, and so returned back again to Oenopion to punish him;

HESIOD, THEOGONY, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[371] And Theia was subject in love to Hyperion and bare great Helius (Sun) and clear Selene (Moon) and Eos (Dawn) who shines upon all that are on earth and upon the deathless Gods who live in the wide heaven.

[758] And there the children of dark Night have their dwellings, Sleep and Death, awful gods. The glowing Sun never looks upon them with his beams, neither as he goes up into heaven, nor as he comes down from heaven.

[956] And Perseis, the daughter of Ocean, bare to unwearying Helios Circe and Aeetes the king. And Aeetes, the son of Helios who shows light to men, took to wife fair-cheeked Idyia, daughter of Ocean the perfect stream, by the will of the gods: and she was subject to him in love through golden Aphrodite and bare him neat-ankled Medea.

[1011] And Circe the daughter of Helius, Hyperion's son, loved steadfast Odysseus and bare Agrius and Latinus who was faultless and strong: also she brought forth Telegonus by the will of golden Aphrodite. And they ruled over the famous Tyrenians, very far off in a recess of the holy islands.

HOMER, ILIAD, Book 3, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[305] Raising his hands, Agamemnon then intoned a mighty prayer on their behalf: “Father Zeus, ruling from Mount Ida, most glorious, most powerful, and you, too, god of the sun, who sees everything, hears everything, you rivers earth, you gods below the earth, who punish the dead when men swear false oaths,you gods are witnesses. Keep this oath firm.

HOMER, ILIAD, Book 8, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[560] Even if you descend to the lowest place beneath the earth and sea, where Iapetus and Cronos live, where they get no pleasure in any sunlight from Hyperion, or any breeze, in the depths of Tartarus— even if you went as far away as that in your wandering, I'd still pay no attention to your displeasure.

HOMER, ILIAD, Book 14, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[400] Cloud-gatherer Zeus then answered her: “Hera, don't be afraid that any god or man will glimpse a thing. I'll cover you up in a golden cloud. Even sun god Helios will not see the two of us, and his rays are the most perceptive spies of all.”

HOMER, ILIAD, Book 18, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[295] Then ox-eyed queen Hera made the unwearied sun, against his will, go down into the stream of Ocean. So the sun set. Godlike Achaeans now could pause for some relief from the destructive killing of impartial war. For their part, once Trojans drew back from that harsh fight, they untied swift horses from their chariots and then, before they thought of food, called for a meeting. There everyone stayed standing.

HOMER, ILIAD, Book 19, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[240] Let Talthybius at once prepare for me in the middle of this wide Achaean camp a sacrificial boar to offer up to Zeus and Helios, god of the sun.”

HOMER, ILIAD, Book 20, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[470] Taking the shining whip which fit his grip, Automedon jumped in the chariot. Achilles, fully armed, climbed up beside him, his armour gleaming like dazzling Hyperion. Then he called out to those horses of his father, in a terrifying voice

HOMER, ODYSSEY, Book 8, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[340] The minstrel struck the opening chords to his sweet song— how Ares loved the fair-crowned Aphrodite, how in Hephaestus' house they first had sex in secret, and how Ares gave her many gifts, while he disgraced the bed of lord Hephaestus. But sun god Helios observed them making love and came at once to tell Hephaestus. Once he'd heard the unwelcome news, Hephaestus went into his forge, pondering some nasty scheme deep in his heart. He set up his massive anvil on its block, then forged a net no one could break or loosen, so they'd have to stay immobile where they were. When, in his rage, he'd made that snare for Ares, he went into the room which housed his marriage bed, anchored the netting all around the bed posts, and then hung loops of it from roof beams high above, fine as spiders' webs, impossible to see, even for a blessed god—that's how skillfully he made that net. Once he'd organized the snare around the bed, he announced a trip to Lemnos, that well-built citadel, his favourite place by far of all the lands on earth. Ares of the Golden Reins, who maintained a constant watch, saw Hephaestus, the celebrated master artisan, leaving home, and went running over to Hephaestus' house, eager to have sex with fair-crowned Aphrodite. She'd just left the presence of her father Zeus, mighty son of Cronos, and was sitting down. Ares charged inside the house, clutched her hand, then spoke, saying these words to her: “Come, my love, let's get into bed—make love together. Hephaestus is not home. No doubt he's gone to visit Lemnos and the Sintians, those men who speak like such barbarians.” Ares spoke. To Aphrodite having sex with him seemed quite delightful. So they went off to bed and lay down there together. But then the crafty net made by Hephaestus' ingenuity fell round them, so they couldn't move their limbs or lift their bodies. After a while, they realized they could not get out. Then the famous crippled god came back to them— he'd turned round before he'd reached the land of Lemnos. Helios had stayed on watch and gave him a report. With a grieving heart, Hephaestus went up to his home, stood at the front door, where a cruel anger gripped him. He made a dreadful cry, calling out to all the gods:

HOMER, ODYSSEY, Book 10, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[170] We sailed on from there with heavy hearts, grieving for dear shipmates we had lost, though glad we had avoided death ourselves, until we reached the island of Aeaea, where fair-haired Circe lived, fearful goddess with a human voice—sister by blood to bloody minded Aeetes, both children of sun god Helios, who gives men light. Perse, child of Oceanus, was their mother. Here, in silence, we brought our ship to land, inside a harbour with fine anchorage.

HOMER, ODYSSEY, Book 11, translated by IAN JOHNSTON

[130] As soon as you've escaped the dark blue sea and reached the island of Thrinacia in your sturdy ship, you'll find grazing there the cattle and rich flocks of Helios, who hears and watches over everything. If you leave them unharmed and keep your mind on your return, you may reach Ithaca, though you'll have trouble. But if you touch them, then I foresee destruction for your crew, for you, and for your ship.

[345] There fell into my heart the speeches of Teiresias of Thebes, the sightless prophet—Circe's words, as well, on Aeaea. They had both strictly charged that I should at all costs miss this island, the property of Helios, who brings such joy to men. So with a heavy heart I spoke to my companions: Comrades, though you have endured a lot of trouble, hear what I have to say, so I can speak about the prophecies Teiresias made and Circe, too, on Aeaea. They both strictly charged me to avoid this island, which Helios owns, who gives men such joy. Here, she said, we face our gravest danger. So row our black ship past this island. I paused. The spirit in my crew was shattered. Then Eurylochus answered me. His words were full of spite: You're a hard man, Odysseus, with more strength than other men. Your limbs are never weary. One would think you were composed entirely of iron, if you refuse to let your shipmates land, when they're worn out with work and lack of sleep. Here on this sea-girt island, we could make a tasty dinner. You tell us instead to wander on like this through the swift night. But harsh winds which destroy men's ships arise out of the night. And how could we avoid total disaster, if we chance to meet unexpected blasts from stormy South Wind or from blustering West Wind, the ones most likely to completely wreck our ship, no matter what the ruling gods may wish? Surely we should let black night persuade us, and now prepare a meal, while we stay put alongside our swift ship. When morning comes, we'll go on board, set off on the wide sea. Eurylochus spoke.

[390] My other comrades all agreed. So then I understood too well some god was planning trouble. I replied—my words had wings: It seems, Eurylochus, you're forcing me to stand alone. But come, let all of you now swear this solemn oath—if by chance we find a herd of cattle or a large flock of sheep, not one of you will be so overcome with foolishness that you'll kill a cow or sheep. No. Instead, you'll be content to eat the food supplies which goddess Circe gave. Once I'd said this, they swore, as I had asked, they'd never kill those animals. When they had made the oath and finished promising, we moved our ship inside a hollow harbour, by a spring whose water tasted sweet. Then my crewmen disembarked and made a skilful dinner. When everyone had eaten food and drunk to his heart's ease, they wept as they recalled those dear companions Scylla snatched away out of the hollow ship and then devoured. As they cried there, sweet sleep came over them. But when three-quarters of the night had passed and the stars had shifted their positions, cloud-gatherer Zeus stirred up a nasty wind and an amazing storm, which hid in clouds both land and sea alike. And from heaven dark Night rushed down. Once rose-fingered Dawn arrived, we dragged up our ship and made it secure inside a hollow cave, a place nymphs used as a fine dancing and assembly ground. Then I called a meeting of the men and said: My friends, in our ship we have meat and drink, so let's not touch those cattle, just in case that causes trouble for us.For these cows and lovely sheep belong to Helios, a fearful god, who spies out all there is and listens in on everything as well. These words of mine won over their proud hearts. But then, South Wind kept blowing one whole month. It never stopped. No other wind sprang up, except those times when East or South Wind blew. As long as the men had red wine and bread, they didn't touch the cattle. They were keen to stay alive. But once what we had stored inside our ship was gone, they had to roam, scouring around for game and fish and birds, whatever came to hand. They used bent hooks to fish, while hunger gnawed their stomachs. At that point I went inland, up island, to pray to the gods, hoping one of them would show me a way home. Once I'd moved across the island, far from my comrades, I washed my hands in a protected spot, a shelter from the wind, and said my prayers to all the gods who hold Mount Olympus. Then they poured sweet sleep across my eyelids.

[440] Meanwhile Eurylochus began to give disastrous advice to my companions: Shipmates, although you're suffering distress, hear me out. For wretched human beings all forms of death are hateful. But to die from lack of food, to meet one's fate that way, is worst of all. So come, let's drive away the best of Helios' cattle, and then we'll sacrifice to the immortal gods who hold wide heaven. And if we get home, make it to Ithaca, our native land, for Helios Hyperion we'll build a splendid temple, and inside we'll put many wealthy offerings. If he's enraged about his straight-horned cattle and desires to wreck our ship and other gods agree, I'd rather lose my life once and for all choking on a wave than starving to death on an abandoned island. Eurylochus spoke. My other comrades agreed with what he'd said. They quickly rounded up the finest beasts from Helios' herd, which was close by, sleek, broad-faced animals with curving horns grazing near the dark-prowed ship. My comrades stood around them, praying to the gods. They broke off tender leaves from a high oak, for there was no white barley on the ship. After their prayers, they cut the creature's throats, flayed them, and cut out portions of the thighs. These they covered in a double layer of fat and laid raw meat on top. They had no wine to pour down on the flaming sacrifice, so they used some water for libations and roasted all the entrails in the fire. Once the thigh parts were completely roasted and they'd had a taste of inner organs, they sliced up the rest and skewered it on spits. That was the moment sweet sleep left my eyes. I went down to our swift ship by the shore. As I drew closer to our curving ship, the sweet smell of hot fat floated round me. I groaned and cried out to immortal gods: Father Zeus and you other sacred gods, who live forever, you forced it on me, that cruel sleep, to bring about my doom. For my companions who remained behind have planned something disastrous.

[490] “A messenger quickly came to Helios Hyperion, long-robed Lampetie, bringing him the news— we had killed his cattle. Without delay, he spoke to the immortals, full of rage: Father Zeus and you other blessed gods, who live forever, take your vengeance now on those companions of Odysseus, Laertes' son, who, in their arrogance, have killed my animals, the very ones I always look upon with such delight whenever I move up to starry heaven and then turn back from there toward the earth. If they don't pay me proper retribution for those beasts, then I'll go down to Hades and shine among the dead. Cloud-gatherer Zeus answered him and said: Helios, I think you should keep on shining for immortals and for human beings on fertile earth. With a dazzling thunderbolt I myself will quickly strike at that swift ship of theirs and, in the middle of the wine-dark sea, smash it to tiny pieces.

[510] I learned of this from fair Calypso, who said she herself had heard it from Hermes the Messenger. I came down to the sea and reached the ship. Then I bitterly attacked my crewmen, each of them in turn, standing by the boat. But we couldn't find a single remedy— the cattle were already dead. The gods immediately sent my men bad omens— hides crept along the ground, while on the spits the meat began to bellow, and a sound like cattle lowing filled the air. For six days those comrades I had trusted feasted there, eating the cattle they had rounded up, the finest beasts in Helios' herd. But when Zeus, son of Cronos, brought to us the seventh day, the storm winds died down. We went aboard at once, put up the mast, hoisted the white sail, and then set off, out on the wide sea.

[530] Once we'd left that island, no other land appeared, only sky and sea. The son of Cronos sent us a black cloud, above our hollow ship, while underneath the sea grew dark. Our boat sailed on its course, but not for long. All at once, West Wind whipped up a frantic storm—the blasts of wind snapped off both forestays on the mast, which then fell back, and all our rigging crashed down in the hold. In the stern part of the ship, the falling mast struck the helmsman on his head, caving in his skull, every bone at once. Then he fell, like a diver, off the ship. His proud spirit left his bones. Then Zeus roared out his thunder and with a bolt of lightning struck our ship. The blow from Zeus' lightning made our boat shiver from stem to stern and filled it up with sulphurous smoke. My crew fell overboard and were carried in the waves, like cormorants, around our blackened ship, because the god had robbed them of their chance to get back home.

HOMERIC HYMNS, Hymn to Demeter, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[19] He caught her[Persephone] up reluctant on his golden car and bare her away lamenting. Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon her father, the Son of Cronos, who is most high and excellent. But no one, either of the deathless gods or of mortal men, heard her voice, nor yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit: only tender-hearted Hecate, bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaeus, heard the girl from her cave, and the lord Helios, Hyperion's bright son, as she cried to her father, the Son of Cronos. But he was sitting aloof, apart from the gods, in his temple where many pray, and receiving sweet offerings from mortal men. So he, that Son of Cronos, of many names, who is Ruler of Many and Host of Many, was bearing her away by leave of Zeus on his immortal chariot -- his own brother's child and all unwilling.

[59] So, then, said Hecate. And the daughter of rich-haired Rhea answered her not, but sped swiftly with her, holding flaming torches in her hands. So they came to Helios, who is watchman of both gods and men, and stood in front of his horses: and the bright goddess enquired of him: Helios, do you at least regard me, goddess as I am, if ever by word or deed of mine I have cheered your heart and spirit. Through the fruitless air I heard the thrilling cry of my daughter whom I bare, sweet scion of my body and lovely in form, as of one seized violently; though with my eyes I saw nothing. But you -- for with your beams you look down from the bright upper air Over all the earth and sea -- tell me truly of my dear child, if you have seen her anywhere, what god or mortal man has violently seized her against her will and mine, and so made off.

[74] So said she. And the Son of Hyperion answered her: Queen Demeter, daughter of rich-haired Rhea, I will tell you the truth; for I greatly reverence and pity you in your grief for your trim-ankled daughter. None other of the deathless gods is to blame, but only cloud-gathering Zeus who gave her to Hades, her father's brother, to be called his buxom wife. And Hades seized her and took her loudly crying in his chariot down to his realm of mist and gloom.

HOMERIC HYMNS, Hymn to Helios, translated by H. G. EVELYN-WHITE

[1] And now, O Muse Calliope, daughter of Zeus, begin to sing of glowing Helios whom mild-eyed Euryphaessa, the far- shining one, bare to the Son of Earth and starry Heaven. For Hyperion wedded glorious Euryphaessa, his own sister, who bare him lovely children, rosy-armed Eos and rich-tressed Selene and tireless Helios who is like the deathless gods. As he rides in his chariot, he shines upon men and deathless gods, and piercingly he gazes with his eyes from his golden helmet. Bright rays beam dazzlingly from him, and his bright locks streaming form the temples of his head gracefully enclose his far-seen face: a rich, fine-spun garment glows upon his body and flutters in the wind: and stallions carry him. Then, when he has stayed his golden-yoked chariot and horses, he rests there upon the highest point of heaven, until he marvellously drives them down again through heaven to Ocean. Hail to you, lord! Freely bestow on me substance that cheers the heart. And now that I have begun with you, I will celebrate the race of mortal men half-divine whose deeds the Muses have showed to mankind.

HYGINUS, ASTRONOMICA, Book 1, translated by MARY GRANT

CHARIOTEER - In Latin we call him auriga” – Erichthonius by name, as Eratosthenes shows. Jupiter seeing that he first among men yoked horses in four-horse chariots, admired the genius of a man who could rival the invention of Sol, who first among the gods made use of the quadriga. Erichthonius first invented the four-horse chariot, as we said before, and also first established sacrifices to Minerva, and a temple on the citadel of the Athenians.

Some have called Aex the daughter of Sol, who surpassed many in beauty of body, but in contrast to this beauty, had a most horrible face. Terrified by it, the Titans begged Terra to hide her body, and Terra is said to have hidden her in a cave in the island of Crete.

HYGINUS, ASTRONOMICA, Book 2, translated by MARY GRANT

ORION - He is said to have come from Thebes to Chios, and when his passions were excited by wine, he attacked Merope, the daughter of Oenopion. For this he was blinded by Oenopion and cast out of the island. But he came to Lemnos and Vulcan, and received from him a guide named Cedalion. Carrying him on his shoulders, he came to Sol, and when Sol healed him returned to Chios to take vengeance on Oenopion.

PLANETS - The second star is that of Sol; others say of Saturn. Eratosthenes claims that it is called Phaethon, from the son of Sol. Many have written about him – how he foolishly drove his father’s chariot and set fire to the earth. Because of this he was struck with a thunderbolt by Jove, and fell into the river Eridanus, and was conveyed by Sol to the constellations.

HYGINUS, FABULAE, transtaled by MARY GRANT

From Hyperion and Aethra, Sol, Luna, Aurora.

From Sol and Persa, Circe, Pasiphae, Aeeta, Perses.

From Sol and Clymene, Phaethon and the Phaethontides, Merope, Helie, Aetherie, Dioxippe.

An oracle told Aeetes, son of Sol, that he would keep his kingdom as long as the fleece which Phrixus had dedicated should remain the shrine of Mars.

Fable [125] From there he came to Scylla, daughter of Typhon, who was woman above, but fish from the hips down, with six dogs joined to her body. She snatched and devoured six men from Ulysses’ ship. He had come to the island of Sicily to the sacred herds of Sol, but their flesh lowed when his comrades cooked it in a brazen kettle. He had been warned by Tiresias and by Circe, too, not to touch them, and as a result he lost many comrades there. Borne on to Charybdis, who three times a day sucked down the water and three times belched it up, by Tiresias’ warning he passed by. But Sol was angry because his herd had been harmed. (When Ulysses had come to the island, and at Tiresias’ warning forbade anyone’s touching the herd, his comrades seized some cattle while he slept; as they were cooking them the flesh lowed from the brazen kettle.) For his reason Jove struck his ship with a thunderbolt and burned it

Fable [148] When Vulcanus knew that Venus was secretly lying with Mars, and that he could not oppose his strength, he made a chain of adamant and put it around the bed to catch Mars by cleverness. When Mars came to the rendezvous, the together with Venus fell into the snare so that he could not extricate himself. When Sol reported this to Vulcan, he saw them lying there naked, and summoned all the gods . . . who saw. As a result, shame frightened Mars so that he did not do this. From their embrace Harmonia was born, and to her Minerva and Vulcan gave a robe “dipped in crimes” as a gift. Because of this, their descendants are clearly marked as ill-fated. To Sol’s progeny, however, Venus, because of his disclosure, was always hostile.

Fable [152 A] - Phaethon, son of Clymenus, son of Sol, and the nymph Merope, who, as we have heard was and Oceanid, upon being told by his father that his grandfather was Sol, put to bad use the chariot he asked for. For when he was carried too near the earth, everything burned in the fire that came near, and, struck by a thunderbolt, he fell into the river Po. This river is called Eridanus by the Greeks; Pherecydes was the first to name it. The Indians became black, because their blood was turned to a dark color from the heat that came near. The sister of Phaethon, too, in grieving for their brother, were changed into poplar trees. Their tears, as Hesiod tells, hardened into amber; [in spite of the change] they are called Heliades [daughters of Helios]. They are, then, Merope, Helie, Aegle, Lampetia, Phoebe, Aetherie, Dioxippe. Moreover, Cygnus, King of Liguria, who was related to Phaethon, while mourning for his relative was changed into a swan; it, too, when it dies sings a mournful song.

NONNUS, DIONYSIACA, Book 2, translated by W. H. D. ROUSE

[540] Now as the son was scourged with frozen volleys of jagged hailstones, his mother the dry Earth was beaten too; and seeing the stone bullets and icy points embedded in the Giant’s flesh, the witness of his fate, she prayed to Titan Helios with submissive voice: she begged of him one red hot ray, that with its heating fire she might melt the petrified water of Zeus, by pouring his kindred radiance over frozen Typhon. She herself melted along with his bruised body; and when she saw his legion of highclambering hands burnt all round, she besought one of the tempestuous winter’s blasts to come for one morning, that he might quench Typhon’s overpowering thirst by his cool breezes.

[650] Then Nature, who governs the universe and recreates its substance, closed up the gaping rents in earth’s broken surface, and sealed once more with the bond of indivisible joinery those island cliffs which had been rent from their beds. No longer was there turmoil among the stars. For Helios replaced the maned Lion, who had moved out of the path of the Zodiac, beside the Maiden who holds the corn-ear; Selene took the crab, now crawling over the forehead of the heavenly Lion, and drew him back opposite cold Capricorn, and fixt him there.

NONNUS, DIONYSIACA, Book 6, translated by W. H. D. ROUSE

[73] Observing the sphere with a glance all round, the deity found that the Moon at the full was crossing the curved line of her conjunction, and the Sun was half through his course opposite the Moon moving at his central point under the earth; a pointed cone of darkness creeping from the earth into the air opposite to the Sun hid the whole Moon. Then when he heard the rivals for wedded love, he looked especially for Ares, and espied the wife-robber over the sunset house along with the evening star of the Cyprian.

[229] The Rainy Zeus covered the whole sky with clouds and flooded all the earth. Zeus’s heavenly trumpet bellowed with its thunderclaps, while all the stars moved in their appointed houses: when the Sun in his four-horse chariot drove shining over the Lion’s back, his own house; the Moon of threefold form rolled in her onrunning car over the eightfoot Crab; Cypris in her equinoctial course under the dewy region had left the Ram’s horn behind, and held her spring-time house in the heavenly Bull which knows no winter; the Sun’s neighbour Ares possessed the Scorpion, harbinger of the Plow, encircled by the blazing Bull, and ogled Aphrodite opposite with a sidelong glance

NONNUS, DIONYSIACA, Book 8, translated by W. H. D. ROUSE

[342] Your Olympian shape I have never seen, but I expect a panther or lion – I have seen no god as a husband. I see you something mortal, and I am to bring forth a god! Yet I heave heard of another fiery wedding: did not Helios embrace his bride Clymene with fiery nuptials?”

NONNUS, DIONYSIACA, Book 10, translated by W. H. D. ROUSE

[175] Once while hunting in the shady lurking wood he was delighted by the rosy form of a young comrade. For Ampelos was a merry boy who had grown up already on the Phrygian hills, a new sprout of the Loves. No dainty bloom was yet on a reddening chin, no down yet marked the snowy circles of his cheeks, the golden flower of youth: curling clusters of hair ran loose behind over his silvery-glistering shoulders, and floated in the whispering wind that lifted them with its breath. As the hair blew aside the neck showed above rising bare in the middle. Unshadowed light flashed from him, like the shining moon when she pierces a damp cloud and shows within it. From his rosy lips escaped a voice breathing honey. Spring itself shone from his limbs; where his silvery foot stept the meadow blushed with roses; if he turned his eyes, the gleam of the bright eyeballs as soft a s a cow’s eye was like the light of the full moon.

[193] Dionysos took him as playmate in his dainty sports. Then in admiration of his beauty he spoke to him as a man, artfully concealing his divine nature, and asked him: “What father begat you? What immortal womb brought you forth? Which of the Graces gave you birth? What handsome Apollo made you? Tell me, my friend, do not hide your kin. If you come another Eros, unwinged, without arrows, without quiver, which of the Blessed slept with Aphrodite and bred you? But indeed I Tremble to name Cypris as your mother, for I would not call Hephaistos or Ares your father. Of if you are the one they call Hermes come from the sky, show me your light wings, and the lively soles of your shoes. How is it you wear the hair uncut falling along your neck? Can you be Phoibos himself come to me without harp, without bow, Phoibos shaking the locks of his unshorn hair unbound! If Cronides begat me, and you are from a mortal stock, if you have the shortliving blood of the horned Satyrs, be king at my side, a mortal with a god; for your looks will not disgrace the heavenly blood of Lyaios. But why do I call you one of the creatures of a day? I recognize your blood even if you wish to hide it; Selene slept with Helios and brought you to birth wholly like the gracious Narcissos; for you have a like heavenly beauty, the image of horned Selene.”

NONNUS, DIONYSIACA, Book 12, translated by W. H. D. ROUSE

[1] So these[seasons] by the brows of western Oceanos took ship for the mansion of Helios their father. As they approached, Hesperos the Evening Star leapt up and went out of the hall to meet them. Selene herself also darted out newrisen, showing her light as she drove her cattle.

[6] The Sisters at the sight of the lifegiving Charioteer stayed their fruitful step. He had just finished his course and come down from the sky. Bright Phosphoros was ready for the fire-eyed driver, near his chariot and four. He put away the hot yokestraps and starry whip, and washed in the neighbouring Ocean stream the bodies of the firefed horses wet with sweat. The colts shook the dripping manes on their necks, and stamped with sparkling hooves the shining mangertrough. The four were greeted by the twelve circling Hours, daughters of Time, tripling round the fiery throne of the untiring Charioteer in a ring, servants of Helios that attend on his shining car, priestesses of the lichtgang each in her turn: for they bend a servile neck to the ancient manager of the universe.

[21] Then up and spoke the grapetending Season, holding out her hook of the fruitpining autumn as witness to her prayer: “Helios, giver of feason, plantdresser, lord of fruits! When will the soil make winemother grapes to grow? Which of the blessed will have this honour betrothed him by Time? Hide it not, I adjure you, because of all the Sisters I alone have no privilege of honour! I provide no fruit, nor corn, no meadow-hay, no rain from Zeus.”

[29] She spoke, and Helios cheered the nurse of the fruitage to come. He raised finger, and pointed out to his circling daughter close to a wall opposite the separated tablets of Harmonia. In these are recorded in one group all the oracles which the prophetic hand of Phanes first born engraved as ordained for the world, and drew with his pencil the house proper for each. And Hyperion, dispenser of fire, added these words: “In the third tablet, you shall know whence the fruitage of wine shall come – where is the Lion and the Virgin: in the fourth, who is the Prince of grapes – that is where Ganymedes draws the delicious nectar, and lifts cup in hand in the picture.”

NONNUS, DIONYSIACA, Book 14, translated by W. H. D. ROUSE

[36] The spiteful Telchines came also to the Indian War, gathering out of the cavernous deeps of the sea. Lycos came, shaking with his long arm a very long spear; Scelmis came, following Damnameneus, guiding the seachariot of his father Poseidon. These were wanderers who had left Tlepolemos’s land and taken to the sea, furious demons of the waters, who long ago had been cut off reluctant from their father’s land by Thrinax with Macareus and glorious Auges, sons of Helios; driven from their nursing-mother they took up the water of Styx with their spiteful hands, and made barren the soil of fruitful Rhodes, by drenching the fields with water of Tartaros.

ORPHIC HYMNS, Hymn to the Sun[Helios], translated by THOMAS TAYLOR

The Fumigation from Frankinsence and Manna.
Hear golden Titan, whose eternal eye with broad survey, illumines all the sky.
Self-born, unwearied in diffusing light, and to all eyes the mirrour of delight:
Lord of the seasons, with thy fiery car and leaping coursers, beaming light from far:
With thy right hand the source of morning light, and with thy left the father of the night.
Agile and vig'rous, venerable Sun, fiery and bright around the heav'ns you run.
Foe to the wicked, but the good man's guide, o'er all his steps propitious you preside:
With various founding, golden lyre, 'tis mine to fill the world with harmony divine.
Father of ages, guide of prosp'rous deeds, the world's commander, borne by lucid steeds,
Immortal Jove [Zeus], all-searching, bearing light, source of existence, pure and fiery bright
Bearer of fruit, almighty lord of years, agil and warm, whom ev'ry pow'r reveres.
Great eye of Nature and the starry skies, doom'd with immortal flames to set and rise
Dispensing justice, lover of the stream, the world's great despot, and o'er all supreme.
Faithful defender, and the eye of right, of steeds the ruler, and of life the light:
With founding whip four fiery steeds you guide, when in the car of day you glorious ride.
Propitious on these mystic labours shine, and bless thy suppliants with a life divine.

OVID, FASTI, Book 3, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[579] Twice had the sun traversed the signs of the zodiac, and a third year was passing, when Anna was compelled to seek a new land of exile. Her brother came and demanded her surrender with threat of war.

OVID, FASTI, Book 5, translated by J. G. FRAZER

[12] “After chaos, as soon as the three elements were given to the world, and the whole creation resolved itself into new species, the earth subsided by its own weight, and drew the seas after it, but the sky was borne to the highest regions by its own lightness; the sun, too, not checked by gravity, and the stars, and you, ye horses of the moon, ye bounded high. But for a long time neither did Earth yield pride of place to Sky, nor did the other heavenly bodies to Phoebus; their honours were all equal.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 1, translated by BROOKES MORE

[747] And since that time, the linen wearing throng of Egypt have adored her as a God; for they believe the seed of Jove prevailed; and when her time was due she bore to him a son called Epaphus; who also dwells in temples with his mother in that land. Now Phaethon, whose father was the Sun, was equal to his rival, Epaphus, in mind and years; and he was glad to boast of wonders, nor would yield to Epaphus for pride of Phoebus, his reputed sire.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 2, translated by BROOKES MORE

[1] Glowing with gold, flaming with carbuncles on stately columns raised, refulgent shone the palace of the Sun, with polished dome of ivory gleaming, and with portals twain of burnished silver. And the workmanship exceeded all the wealth of gems and gold; for there had Mulciber engraved the seas encircling middle earth; the round of earth, and heaven impending over the land. And there amid the waves were azure deities: melodious Triton and elusive Proteus; there Aegeaan pressing with his arms the backs. Of monstrous whales; and Doris in the sea and all her daughters; some amid the waves and others sitting on the bank to dry their sea-green hair, and others borne about by fishes.

[153] Instantly Eous, Aethon, Pyrois and Phlegon, the winged horses of the Sun, gave vent to flame-like neighs that filled the shaking air; they pawed the barriers with their shining hoofs.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 4, translated by BROOKES MORE

[214] The dark-night pastures of Apollo's (Sol's) steeds are hid below the western skies; when there, and spent with toil, in lieu of nibbling herbs they take ambrosial food: it gives their limbs restoring strength and nourishes anew.

[167] So ended she; at once Leuconoe took the narrator's thread; and as she spoke her sisters all were silent. “Even the Sun that rules the world was captive made of Love. My theme shall be a love-song of the Sun. 'Tis said the Lord of Day, whose wakeful eye beholds at once whatever may transpire, witnessed the loves of Mars and Venus. Grieved to know the wrong, he called the son of Juno, Vulcan, and gave full knowledge of the deed, showing how Mars and Venus shamed his love, as they defiled his bed. Vulcan amazed,—the nimble-thoughted Vulcan lost his wits, so that he dropped the work his right hand held. But turning from all else at once he set to file out chains of brass, delicate, fine, from which to fashion nets invisible, filmy of mesh and airy as the thread of insect-web, that from the rafter swings.—Implicit woven that they yielded soft the slightest movement or the gentlest touch, with cunning skill he drew them round the bed where they were sure to dally. Presently appeared the faithless wife, and on the couch lay down to languish with her paramour.—Meshed in the chains they could not thence arise, nor could they else but lie in strict embrace,—cunningly thus entrapped by Vulcan's wit.—At once the Lemnian cuckold opened wide the folding ivory doors and called the Gods,—to witness. There they lay disgraced and bound. I wot were many of the lighter Gods who wished themselves in like disgraceful bonds.—The Gods were moved to laughter: and the tale was long most noted in the courts of Heaven.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 7, translated by BROOKES MORE

[92] Then by the goddess of the triple form, Diana, Trivia, or Luna called, and by her sacred groves and fanes, he vowed, and by the hallowed Sun that sees all things, and by his own adventures, and his life,—on these the youthful Jason took his oath.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 9, translated by BROOKES MORE

[658] Immediately, as drops of pitch drip forth from the gashed pine, or sticky bitumen distils out from the rich and heavy earth, or as the frozen water at the approach of a soft-breathing wind melts in the sun; so Byblis, sad descendant of the Sun[Apollo], dissolving in her own tears, was there changed into a fountain; which to this late day, in all those valleys has no name but hers, and issues underneath a dark oak-tree.

OVID, METAMORPHOSES, Book 13, translated by BROOKES MORE

[850] I have but one eye centered perfectly within my forehead, so it seems most like a mighty buckler. Ha! does not the Sun see everything from heaven? Yet it has but one eye.

[966] While he was telling wonders such as these—quite ready to say more—Scylla arose and left the god. Provoked at his repulse—enraged, he hastened to the marvellous court of Circe, well known daughter of the Sun.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTIONS OF GREECE, Book 2, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[2.2.1] ...Eumelus, the son of Amphilytus,1 of the family called Bacchidae, who is said to have composed the epic poem, says in his Corinthian History (if indeed the history be his) that Ephyra, the daughter of Oceanus, dwelt first in this land; that afterwards Marathon, the son of Epopeus, the son of Aloeus, the son of Helius (Sun), fleeing from the lawless violence of his father migrated to the sea coast of Attica

[2.1.6] A legend of the Corinthians about their land is not peculiar to them, for I believe that the Athenians were the first to relate a similar story to glorify Attica. The Corinthians say that Poseidon had a dispute with Helius (Sun) about the land, and that Briareos arbitrated between them, assigning to Poseidon the Isthmus and the parts adjoining, and giving to Helius the height above the city. Ever since, they say, the Isthmus has belonged to Poseidon.

[2.3.2] On leaving the market-place along the road to Lechaeum you come to a gateway, on which are two gilded chariots, one carrying Phaethon the son of Helius (Sun), the other Helius himself. A little farther away from the gateway, on the right as you go in, is a bronze Heracles. After this is the entrance to the water of Peirene. The legend about Peirene is that she was a woman who became a spring because of her tears shed in lamentation for her son Cenchrias, who was unintentionally killed by Artemis.

[2.3.10] Eumelus said that Helius (Sun) gave the Asopian land to Aloeus and Epliyraea to Aeetes. When Aeetes was departing for Colchis he entrusted his land to Bunus, the son of Hermes and Alcidamea, and when Bunus died Epopeus the son of Aloeus extended his kingdom to include the Ephyraeans. Afterwards, when Corinthus, the son of Marathon, died childless, the Corinthians sent for Medea from Iolcus and bestowed upon her the kingdom.

[2.4.6] The Acrocorinthus is a mountain peak above the city, assigned to Helius by Briareos when he acted as adjudicator, and handed over, the Corinthians say, by Helius to Aphrodite. As you go up this Acrocorinthus you see two precincts of Isis, one if Isis surnamed Pelagian (Marine) and the other of Egyptian Isis, and two of Serapis, one of them being of Serapis called “in Canopus.” After these are altars to Helius, and a sanctuary of Necessity and Force, into which it is not customary to enter.

[2.11.5] On turning back to the road, and having crossed the Asopus again and reached the summit of the hill, you come to the place where the natives say that Titan first dwelt. They add that he was the brother of Helius (Sun), and that after him the place got the name Titane. My own view is that he proved clever at observing the seasons of the year and the times when the sun increases and ripens seeds and fruits, and for this reason was held to be the brother of Helius. Afterwards Alexanor, the son of Machaon, the son of Asclepius, came to Sicyonia and built the sanctuary of Asclepius at Titane.

[2.7.7] Within the market-place is a sanctuary of Persuasion; this too has no image. The worship of Persuasion was established among them for the following reason. When Apollo and Artemis had killed Pytho they came to Aegialea to obtain purification. Dread coming upon them at the place now named Fear, they turned aside to Carmanor in Crete, and the people of Aegialea were smitten by a plague. When the seers bade them propitiate Apollo and Artemis

[2.34.10] Here the Hermionians had their former city. They still have sanctuaries here: one of Poseidon at the east end of the spit, and a temple of Athena further inland by the side of the latter are the foundations of a race-course, in which legend says the sons of Tyndareus contended. There is also another sanctuary of Athena, of no great size, the roof of which has fallen in. There is a temple to Helius (Sun), another to the Graces, and a third to Serapis and Isis. There are also circuits of large unhewn stones, within which they perform mystic ritual to Demeter.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTIONS OF GREECE, Book 3, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[3.20.4] Above Bryseae rises Taletum, a peak of Taygetus. They call it sacred to Helius (the Sun), and among the sacrifices they offer here to Helius are horses. I am aware that the Persians also are wont to offer the same sacrifice. Not far from Taletum is a place called Euoras, the haunt of wild animals, especially wild goats. In fact all Taygetus is a hunting-ground for these goats and for boars, and it is well stocked with both deer and bears.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTIONS OF GREECE, Book 5, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[5.1.9] Eleius had a son Augeas. Those who exaggerate his glory give a turn to the name Eleius and make Helius3 to be the father of Augeas. This Augeas had so many cattle and flocks of goats that actually most of his land remained untilled because of the dung of the animals. Now he persuaded Heracles to cleanse for him the land from dung, either in return for a part of Elis or possibly for some other reward.

[5.25.9] but Agamemnon's statue is the only one of the eight to have his name inscribed upon it; the writing is from right to left. The figure with the cock emblazoned on the shield is Idomeneus the descendant of Minos. The story goes that Idomeneus was descended from the Sun, the father of Pasiphae, and that the cock is sacred to the Sun and proclaims when he is about to rise.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTIONS OF GREECE, Book 8, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[8.31.7] In a building stand statues also, those of Callignotus, Mentas, Sosigenes and Polus. These men are said to have been the first to establish at Megalopolis the mysteries of the Great Goddesses, and the ritual acts are a copy of those at Eleusis. Within the enclosure of the goddesses are the following images, which all have a square shape: Hermes, surnamed Agetor, Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Sun too, surnamed Saviour, and Heracles. There has also been built for them a of vast size, and here they celebrate the mysteries in honor of the goddesses.

PAUSANIAS, DESCRIPTIONS OF GREECE, Book 9, translated by W. H. S. JONES

[9.35.5] Hesiod in the Theogony (though the authorship is doubtful, this poem is good evidence) says that the Graces are daughters of Zeus and Eurynome, giving them the names of Euphrosyne, Aglaia and Thalia. The poem of Onomacritus agrees with this account. Antimachus, while giving neither the number of the Graces nor their names, says that they are daughters of Aegle and the Sun. The elegiac poet Hermesianax disagrees with his predecessors in that he makes Persuasion also one of the Graces.

PHILOSTRATUS THE ELDER, IMAGINES, Book 1, translated by A. FAIRBANKS

[1.11] Golden are the tears of the daughters of Helius. The story is that they are shed for Phaëthon; for in his passion for driving this son of Helius ventured to mount his father’s chariot, but because he did not keep a firm rein he came to grief and fell into the Eridanus – wise men interpret the story as indicating a superabundance of the fiery element in nature, but for poets and painters it is simply a chariot and horses – and at his fall the heavens are confounded. Look! Night is driving Day from the noonday sky, and the sun’s orb as it plunges toward the earth draws in its train the stars. The Horae abandon their posts at the gates and flee toward the gloom that rises to meet them, while the horses have thrown off their yoke and rush madly on. Despairing, the Earth raises her hands in supplication, as the furious fire draws near her. Now the youth is thrown from the chariot and is falling headlong – for his hair is on fire and his breast smouldering with the heat; his fall will end in the river Eridanus and will furnish this stream with a mythical tale. For swans scattered about, breathing sweet notes, will hymn the youth; and flocks of swans rising aloft will sing the story to Caÿster and Ister; nor will any place fail to hear the strange story. And they will have Zephyrus, nimble god of wayside shrines, to accompany their song, for it is said that Zephyrus has made a compact with the swans to join them in the music of the dirge. This agreement is even now being carried out, for look! The wind is playing on the swans as on musical instruments.

PHILOSTRATUS THE YOUNGER, IMAGINES, translated by A. FAIRBANKS

[7] - MEDEA AMONG THE COLCHIANS - This in truth is the distinguishing mark of the descendants of Helios; I believe one must recognize Medea, the daughter of Aeëtes.

QUINTUS SMYRNAEUS, FALL OF TROY, Book 2, translated by A. S. WAY

[622] Marvelled the Daughters of the Sun, who stood near her, around that wondrous splendour-ring traced for the race-course of the tireless sun by Zeus, the limit of all Nature's life and death, the dally round that maketh up the eternal circuit of the rolling years

QUINTUS SMYRNAEUS, FALL OF TROY, Book 5, translated by A. S. WAY

[719] Billets and logs yet more in a wide circle heaped they round; and sheep they laid thereon, fair-woven vests, and goodly kine, and speed-triumphant steeds, and gleaming gold, and armour without stint, from slain foes by that glorious hero stripped. And lucent amber-drops they laid thereon, tears, say they, which the Daughters of the Sun, the Lord of Omens, shed for Phaethon slain, when by Eridanus' flood they mourned for him. These, for undying honour to his son, the God made amber, precious in men's eyes. Even this the Argives on that broad-based pyre cast freely, honouring the mighty dead. And round him, groaning heavily, they laid silver most fair and precious ivory, and jars of oil, and whatsoe'er beside they have who heap up goodly and glorious wealth.

QUINTUS SMYRNAEUS, FALL OF TROY, Book 8, translated by A. S. WAY

[526] The sun drave down his never-wearying steeds into the dark west: night streamed o'er the earth, bidding men cease from toil.

QUINTUS SMYRNAEUS, FALL OF TROY, Book 10, translated by A. S. WAY

[356] Then, as he stumbled down through Ida's brakes, where Doom on his death-path was leading him painfully halting, racked with heart-sick pain, Hera beheld him, with rejoicing soul throned in the Olympian palace-court of Zeus. And seated at her side were handmaids four whom radiant-faced Selene bare to the Sun to be unwearying ministers in Heaven, in form and office diverse each from each; for of these Seasons one was summer's queen, and one of winter and his stormy star, of spring the third, of autumn-tide the fourth. So in four portions parted is man's year ruled by these Queens in turn -- but of all this be Zeus himself the Overseer in heaven.

THEOCRITIUS, IDYLLS, IDYLL 25, translated by J. M. EDMONDS

[51] And the gallant old ploughman answered him again: “Sure one of the Immortals, Sir,” saith he, “hath send you this way, so quickly come you by all you would. Augeas child of the Sun is here, and that piece of strength, his son the noble Phyleus, with him. ‘Twas only yesterday he came from the town for to view after many days the possessions he hath without number upon the land.

[107]Meanwhile King Augeas went his rounds of the byres to see what care his herdsmen might have of his goods; and through all that great wealth of his there went with him his son also, and grave-minded Heracles in his might.

[112] And now, albeit he was possessed within him of a heart of iron ever and without ceasing unmoved, the child of Amphitryon fell marvellously a-wondering, as well he might, when he saw the unnumbered bride-gift of the god. Indeed, no man would have said, nay, nor thought, that so many cattle could belong to ten men, let alone one; and those ten must needs have been rich in sheep and oxen beyond any kings. For the Sun did give him that was his child a most excellent gift, to wit to be the greatest master of flocks in the world; and what is more, himself did make them all to thrive and prosper unceasingly without end, for of all the distempers that destroy the labours of a keeper of oxen never came there one upon that man’s herds, but rather did his horned dams wax ever year in year out both more in number and better in kind, being never known to cast their young and all passing good bringers of cow-calves.

[126] Moreover there went with them three hundred bulls, white-shanked and crump-horned, and other two hundred dun, and all leapers grown; and over and above these, there was a herd of twelve sacred to the Sun, and the colour of them glistering white like a swan, so that they did outshine all shambling things; and what is more, they were lone-grazers all in the springing pastures, so marvellous proud were they and haughty; and the same, when swift beasts of the field came forth of the shag forest after the kine that went in herds, ever at the smell of them would out the first to battle, bellowing dreadfully and glancing death.

VALERIUS FLACCUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 1, translated by J. H. MOZELY

[40] “Give thy consent, I pray thee, to this enterprise, fairer far than any deeds of olden time, yea thy whole heart. Thou hast heard how Phrixus of the seed of Cretheus our kinsman fled from the altars of his father. Him the savage Aeetes who dwells in Scythia and the frost-bound Phasis (alas! for the shame of the great Sun!), murdered amid the genial cups and ceremonial of the stricken banquet, recking nought of me or of heaven.

VALERIUS FLACCUS, ARGONAUTICA, Book 4, translated by J. H. MOZELY

[90] Meanwhile the stars are now gliding into the life-giving springs of mighty Ocean, and the bridles are jingling in the Titanian caves; hastened by the golden-haired Hours the Sun puts on his diadem of myriad rays and the corselet woven of twelve stars and bound by the belt which athwart the rain-clouds shows for me its many hued bow.

VIRGIL, GEORGICS, Book 1, translated by H. R. FAIRCLOUGH

[231] To this end the golden Sun rules his circuit, portioned out in fixed divisions, through the world’s twelve constellations. Five zones comprise the heavens; whereof one is ever glowing with the flashing sun, ever scorched by his flames. Round this, at the world’s ends, two stretch darling to right and left, set fast in ice and black storms. Between these and the idle zone, two by grace of the gods have been vouchsafed to feeble mortals; and a path is cut between the two, wherein the slanting array of the Signs may turn.