Greek Mythology

The Classical Gods of Ancient Greece

HELIOS

Greek Sun God ๐ŸŒž

Also known as Helius

Picture of the Greek Sun God Helios from our Greek mythology image library. Illustration by Chas Saunders.

This bright young thing is God of the Sun

Itโ€™s sunshine sunshine all the way as he shines through the sky in his golden-winged chariot. From up there he sees everything that happens and is often called upon to shed light on events.

Son of Hyperion and Thea, he has a frankly staggering number of children. By turning the tables and following the sun from behind a cloud we have peered into his love life โ€” and it seems to be โ€˜Go for it sunshine all the wayโ€™.

With his wife Perseis he bore four Aeetes of the Argonauts, and a little Perses and Pasiphae and Circe. Next there was a liaison with Rhodos, one of the Nymphs, who bore seven sons and the daughter Electryone.

Does it stop there? Not at all โ€” heโ€™s the father of Acheron by Gaia, thereโ€™s an affair with the Oceanid Clymene resulting in another seven daughters called the Heliades and his ill-fated son Phaeton. Then he got nearer to someone called Neaera. So near in fact that two daughters, Phaethusa and Lampetia, arrived โ€” just in time to look after his sacred cattle flocks.

Then he had the hots for Leocothea, but her sister Clytie who had already enjoyed Heliosโ€™s favors was jealous, and told her dad King Orcharios of Babylon โ€” who condemned Leocothea to be buried alive. Helios arrived too late to restore her and so changed her into a shrub. In remorse, Clytie exposed herself to nature until she faded away, gazing all the time at Helios zooming through the Heavens. She was transformed at last into a heliotrope, which as you should know is a sunflower.

We last see him chasing after Anaxibia, another of the Nymphs, who seems so far to have eluded him. Phew!

Helios Facts and Figures

Name: Helios
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names: Helius

Gender: Male
Type: God
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present

Role: ๐ŸŒž
In charge of: the Sun
Area of expertise: Sun
Associated with: Sun

Good/Evil Rating: NEUTRAL, may not care
Popularity index: 11103


Helios Relationships

Father: Hyperion
Mother: Thea
Consorts: , Neaera
Children: Heliades, Lampetia, Pasiphae, Phaethusa, Phaeton
Member of: Titans

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Article last revised on November 20, 2018 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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