Born of a virgin in Ethiopia and taunted by his playmates to search the question of his father, he set off across Persia and India to find the palace of the Sun - for his mother told him his father was Phoebus, the god who drove the solar chariot.
The palace stood high on lofty columns, bright with glittering gold and bronze that shone like fire. Gleaming ivory crowned the gables above; the double folding doors were radiant with burnished silver.
Climbing the steep path, Phatheon arrived beneath its roof. Phoebus was on an emerald throne, surrounded by the Hours and the Seasons, and by Day, Month and Century. The youth had to halt at the threshold, his mortal eyes unable to bear the light; but the father gently spoke to him across the hall.
"Why have you come?" the father asked, " and what do you seek?"
The lad respectfully replied: "Light of the entire world! Phoebus! Give me proof by which all may know me as your true son." The great god then set his glittering crown aside and bade the boy approach. He gathered him into his arms and told the boy, "Any proof you need is yours!"
"I want your chariot and the right to drive the winged horses tomorrow," said Phatheon.
"But tomorrow is solstice! The only day we don't make spiral tracks. I make a perfect circle for those on earth tomorrow. It isn't like any other day, my son."
"But there's a track, Father! I know there's a track you follow on solstice. It's easier than the other days. I can follow the track very well. "
Phoebus reasoned and tried to delay as long as time would allow. "There's a bit of astronomy here kid. This is the only time I get to do a circle parallel to the equator. There's this obliquity thing which lengthens days... you have to be very precise"... what am I saying to this kid? Phatheon was adamant. Unable to go back on his word, a pale Phoebus leads the youth to his chariot.

Its axle and pole were of gold, the wheels had golden tyres and silver spokes. The yoke was set elegantly with jewels. The Hours were leading four horses satiated on ambrosia and breathing fire. Clanking bridles were put on them and the great animals pawed at the bars impatiently. Phoebus then anointed his son with ointment to protect him from the flaming heat and then placed on his head the radiant crown.

"Hang on tightly to the reins and spare the lash. They go fast enough. Follow the tracks of my wheels. You'll come to a fork at the five zones of heaven. Take a left at the fork and you enter the Pacific Ocean. Taiwan's dead ahead and then over the junks fishing in the banks you enter mainland China. Its monsoon country now - gray clouds all over Hong Kong, the mouth of the Ganges and into the subcontinent. Your exit point into the Arabian Sea is the Rann of Kutch, don't miss the Wild Asses... keep going across the sea till you see the Elephant Back hills near Aden on your right then cross the Red Sea into Egypt - the Sphinx is to your right and so are the pyramids. Now its time for the Sahara. Enjoy the view. Before you is Dawn, behind you is Twilight and you are the Noontide. You can see all three together - time isn't linear in the car. Remember, neither too high nor too low - the middle path and don't burn nothing."

When will the pompous ass shut up? All I want is a ride. Wild Ass my ass, what does he take me for - a nature lover?
"Pay attention please. I don't want you melting the ice caps. If you don't see any of the places I mention, you're dead meat."
Dead meat is better than pompous old meat,"Yes father!"
"Watching electric lights go off ahead and come on behind you is suggested pastime esp. when you're over big cities. There are alarm clocks and sunflowers waiting for you, remember this is as north as we can get. Dawn's a stunner and can sometimes get very distracting. She normally goes berserk over the desert. You'll get used to it. Keep an eye on them horses and enjoy the tropics!"
You-bet-your-sweet-wild-ass. "Yes father!"
Now go! We are summoned. Behold, Dawn is glowing... here, hold the reins."

Tethys, the goddess of the sea, dropped the bars and the horses stamped the clouds and beating air with their wings pulled the solar chariot and Phatheon into the solstice.

Phoebus watched his fiery chariot leave for the first time and turned his back on it. Pompous old meat? Me?... "No more Ethiopian virgins. Never again!" the god prayed.

copyright © the author, 2000