［希臘神話37］法厄同
Phaeton
Phaeton was the son of Apollo by Clymene．The mother had filled the lad's head with so many stories of his father's glory that the youth was quite proud．Wher ever he went he told those stories again and again until everybody was tired of him．On one occasion，when one of his playmates asked him to show his skill of coming down from sky，he felt quite hard to do it．He came back to his mother and told the unhappy event in tears．Unable to do anything for him，she sent her soneast wards to pray to Apollo for help．
The sungod graciously received his son and heard the story with interest．Then he took an oath by the Styx ，ready to give help according to the boy's request．But he was surprised to hear that the boy's hope was to drive his fiery carriage．He told his son of the dangers on the way，but failed to stop him fromthe try．As the god had sworn by the Styx there was no going back on his word．In his desperate effort to avoid disaster，Apollo warned his son to keep to the middle course and stop the horses in time．
Phaeton joyfully jumped on the carriage and set off．Very soon he lost his way．he grew pale at the great height and the vast sky in front of him and behind．The horses ran wild．Unable to hold them，Phaeton dropped them in fear．Straight downto the earth the carriage dashed．Rivers were dried up．Cropshung down and withered ．Men's cries of suffering rose up from the burnt earth．The enraged Zeus soon found the cause of the trouble，and without hesitation gave one of his most powerful thunderbolts at the proud and careless boy．Phaeton droppedstraight down into a river．Both parents were sad over the loss of their son．And his sisters，who were so unhappy with his untimely death，were changed into poplars and their tearsambers ．
法厄同是阿波羅與克里敏尼生的兒子。母親給法厄同灌輸了許多父親可歌可泣的故事，以致于法厄同變得十分得意忘形。無論走到何處，他總是反復給人們講述那些故事，最后大家都厭煩了。有一次一位伙伴要他顯露一下從天而降的本領，他頗感棘手，就痛哭流涕地將這一不快之事回家告訴了母親，母親無能為力只好將他派到東方向父親阿波羅求援。
阿波羅寬厚地接待了兒子，繞有興趣地聽了事情的原委，然后阿波羅站在斯蒂克斯河邊發誓：按兒子的請求予以幫助。然而令他驚訝的是：兒子原來是想駕駛他那帶有火焰的戰車。他警告兒子，路上會有危險。但無濟于事。因太陽神已在河邊發過誓，一言既出、駟馬難追。為避免災難，阿波羅絕望地做最后的努力，他警告兒子要在道路中間行駛，遇事要及時勒馬。
法厄同懷著喜悅的心情跳上戰車出發了。很快他就迷失了方向。看到前后令人頭暈目眩的高度和浩瀚的天空，他變得臉色蒼白。戰馬狂奔了，簡直無法駕駛。恐懼之下，他把韁繩松了。戰車向地面猛栽下去。河流干涸了，作物枯萎凋謝了。從燒焦的土地上傳來了人類受難的慟哭。暴跳如雷的宙斯很快找到了這場亂子的原因。他毫不猶豫地朝高傲自大、粗心大意的法厄同施放了雷電中最猛烈的一擊。法厄同徑直地掉入江中。父母為失去兒子而哀痛。法厄同的姐妹們也為他的夭折而悲傷。她們都變成了白楊樹，而她們的淚水則變成了琥珀。
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