Phaëthon

Phaëthon is a figure from Greek mythology, most famously known for his tragic attempt to drive his father Helios's sun chariot across the sky. Phaëthon was the son of Helios, the Titan god of the sun, and Clymene, an Oceanid nymph. Boasting about his divine parentage, Phaëthon was challenged by a friend to prove his lineage. To do so, he approached his father and demanded proof, asking to drive the sun chariot for one day.

Helios, though reluctant and fearful, was bound by an oath and granted his son's wish. As soon as Phaëthon took the reins, the horses sensed his unfamiliar and inexperienced hand. They bolted wildly, veering too close to the Earth, scorching it and causing widespread devastation. In other accounts, Phaëthon drove too high, freezing parts of the world. Seeing the chaos, Zeus intervened, striking Phaëthon with a thunderbolt to prevent further destruction. Phaëthon fell from the sky and landed in the river Eridanus, where he died. His mother and sisters, the Heliades, mourned him intensely, and their tears turned into amber. The myth of Phaëthon serves as a cautionary tale about youthful pride, hubris, and the dangers of overreaching one's capabilities.