The ancient Greeks interpreted Helios as a gigantic eye with a halo, observing everything his light could touch.
Birth and Family of Helios
Helios was born from the union of the Celestial Titan Hyperion and Theia, the Titaness of Sight. Helios’ sisters were Selene, the goddess of the moon, and Eos, the radiant, rosy-fingered goddess of the dawn.
Helios was first married to his sister, Selene, but overall he had many wives, among them the Oceanid Perse; from their union, Helios became the father of king Aeetes, Circe and Pasiphae, the wife of Minos.
Helios and the Island of Rhodes
Another wife of Helios was the Nymph Rhodes, meaning “Rose” in the Greek language. Rhodes gave her name to the Greek island Rhodes and Helios was the island’s patron deity.
The Rhodians worshipped Helios very much and organized annual festivities in his honour. The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven world wonders of the World, was also built in Helios' honor. It was a bronze statue, about 32 meters high that was constructed by the famous Chares of Lindos.
The Daily Journey of Helios
Every morning, Eos was traveling to Mount Olympus to announce her brother’s glorious arrival. As soon as Helios approached the Olympus, with his winged chariot pulled by four horses of fire, the two deities set off for their daily journey across the sky.
While traveling from the land of the dawn to the land of the heavens, Eos gradually transformed into Hemera (Day) and later on to Hespera (evening). Upon arrival, Helios hid himself in his golden cup and night fell upon the earth- this was the moment his wife Selene, the goddess of the moon, departed for her own, nightly journey.