Heliades


In Greek mythology, the Heliades were the daughters of Helios and Clymene the Oceanid.

Names

According to one version recorded by Hyginus, there were three of them: Aegiale, Aegle, and Aetheria. According to another version, there were five: Helia, Merope, Phoebe, Aetheria and Dioxippe. Aeschylus's fragmentary Heliades names Phaethousa and Lampetia, who are otherwise called daughters of Neaera.

Mythology

Their brother, Phaëthon, died after attempting to drive his father's chariot across the sky. He was unable to control the horses and fell to his death. The Heliades grieved for four months and the gods turned them into poplar trees and their tears into amber. According to some sources, their tears fell into the river Eridanos, in which Phaethon had fallen.
According to Hyginus, the Heliades were turned to poplar trees because they yoked the chariot for their brother without their father Helios' permission.