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Helios was the personification of the sunlight in Greek Mythology.
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Helios, the Greek Sun god, through the eyes of artist Theofilos
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Birth and Family of Helios
Helios was born from the union of the celestial Titan Hyperion and Theia, the Titaness of Sight (or Euryphaessa). Helios’ sisters were Selene, the goddess of the moon, and Eos, the radiant, rosy-fingered goddess of the dawn. Helios was first married to his sister, Selene, but overall he had many wives, among them the Oceanid Perse; from their union, Helios became the father of king Aeetes, Circe and Pasiphae, the wife of Minos.
Appearance of Helios
Helios was a glowing god with bright curls of hair. He had piercing eyes gazing from his golden helmet and wore fine-spun garment.
The ancient Greeks interpreted Helios as a gigantic eye with a halo, observing everything his light could touch.
The Daily Journey of Helios
Morning by morning, Eos traveled until Mount Olympus to announce her brother’s glorious arrival. Soon Helios approached the Olympus, with his winged golden chariot pulled by four horses of fire and the two siblings departed for their daily journey across the sky.
While traveling from the land of the dawn to the land of the heavens, Eos gradually transformed into Hemera (Day) and later on to Hespera (evening). Upon arrival, Helios hid himself in his golden cup and night fell upon the earth...this was the moment when his wife Selene, the goddess of the moon, departed for her own, nightly journey.
Helios and the Island of Rhodes
Another wife of Helios was the Nymph Rhode(meaning "rose" in the Greek language). Rhodes gave her name to the famous Greek island of Rhodes and Helios was the island’s patron deity.
The Rhodians worshipped Helios very much and organized annual festivities in his honor.
One of the island's main attractions, the Colossus of Rhodes, was built in Helios' honor and was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. The Colossus of Rhodes was a bronze, triumphal statue, about 32 meters high, that was constructed by the famous Chares of Lindos.
The Roman name of Helios is "Sol"
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Myths and Fables about Helios |
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Greek pronunciation
English pronunciation
