Helios, The Charioteer, Op 151

Helios, the Greek God of the Sun, spends the day crossing the sky…
Before dawn there is a glint of light in the east, then it increases in brightness
Soon, Helios comes over the horizon in the east on his chariot drawn by his four noble
steeds; Pyrois, Eos, Aethon and Phlegon. He first encounters the unfortunate Icarus, and
in spite of warnings by both himself and Icarus' father, Daedalus, Icarus comes too close
to Helios, and the wax holding his wings together melts, and he plunges
tragically to earth.
As a god of the heavens there is no time to mourn, only time for a warning to others
not to pursue Icarus' path. Helios continues his path across the sky. But now there is
love in the air, and Clymene, an Oceanides catches his eye, and there is a scene of
passion. Then with Clymene in his chariot, they pass over a group of farms, and the
farmers offer up a hymn of harvest that Helios will be neither too weak, or strong.
At the end of the hymn, Helios, Clymene, the chariot and four horses approach the
western horizon and pass over it, Nix pulls the ribbon of night which envelops the sky,
and soon there is peace in the heavens.