I. Son of Helios and Clymene, who, having obtained from his father permission to drive the sun's chariot for a day, lost control of the steeds, and was struck down by a thunderbolt of Jupiter, to prevent his setting the earth on fire, Cic. Off. 3, 25, 94; id. N. D. 3, 31, 76; cf.: “Phaëthontem orbi terrarum educare,” Suet. Calig. 11; Ov. M. 2, 47 sq.; Verg. A. 10, 189.—
B. An epithet of the sun (poet.), Verg. A. 5, 105; Sil. 6, 3.—Hence,
A. Phăĕ-thontēus , a, um, adj., = Φαεθόντειος, of or belonging to Phaëthon, Phaëthontean (poet.): “ignes,” Ov. M. 4, 246: “Padus (because Phaëthon is said to have fallen into the Padus),” Mart. 10, 12, 2: “favilla, i. e. fulmen,” Stat. Th. 1, 221: umbra, i. e. of the poplar (because the sisters of Phaëthon were changed into poplars), Mart. 6, 15, 1.—
B. Phăĕthontĭas , ădis, f., = Φαεθοντιάς, a Phaëthontiad, i. e. a sister of Phaëthon. They wept for their brother, and were changed into poplars (acc. to others, into alders), while their tears were converted into amber: “Phaëthontiadum silva sororum,” Sen. Herc. Oet. 185; Verg. E. 6, 62; cf. Ov. M. 2, 340 sqq.—
C. Phăĕthentis , ĭdis, f., = Φαεθοντίς, subst., i. q. Phaëthontias, a Phaëthontiad, a sister of Phaëthon (poet.), Avien. Arat. 792.—As adj., of or belonging to Phaëthon, Phaëthontian: gutta, amber (into which the tears of Phaëthon's sisters were said to be converted), Mart. 4, 32, 1.—
D. Phăĕthontĭus , a, um, adj., = Φαεθόντιος.
1. Of or belonging to Phaëthon, Phaëthontian: “fabula,” Stat. S. 2, 4, 9: “amnis, i.e. Padus (v. Phaëthonteus),” Sil. 7, 149. —
2. Of or belonging to the sun: “ora,” the sun's disk, Sil. 10, 110.
