Phaethon grew up in the court of King Merops of Ethiopa. He was the son of the nymph Clymene, who told him that his father was Helios, the sun. Phaethon loved boasting about this, which irritated even his friends to the point that they insisted on proof. So Phaethon journeyed to his father's palace, arriving just before his father was to set on his daily journey. Helios was glad to see his son and swore on the underworld river Styx that he would give him the proof he needed - an irrecoverable oath. When Phaethon insisted on driving his father's chariot that very day, however, Helios begged Phaethon to reconsider, pointing out that that he only, of all mortals and gods, could control the four fiery horses pulling the chariot.

Phaethon refused to budge. 

At first Phaethon seemed to heed his father's warnings never to veer from course, but his need to prove himself made him swerve so low over Ethiopia that trees were shrivelled, plants were scorched and rivers dried up. Fires were raging, people and animals died and crops were ruined. By this time Phaethon had lost control of the horses which then rode so high above the earth that plants, animals and people were instantly frozen to death.

Zeus, king of the gods, heard the cries of despair and smote Phaethon with his thunderbolt. Phaethon's charred body was thrown from the carriage, but lasting damage had been done. Huge swathes of North Africa had been turned to desert and the poles were frozen over.