Son Of Phoebus

Come and see him ascend
Come and see his end
Watch the flames ahead
Slowly fall to the landsBelowCome and see him descend
Come and see the end
Come and see, come and join the deadBelowSors tua mortalis, non est mortale, quod optas
Thy lot is mortal, not for mortals is that thou askestMagna petis, Phaethon, et quae nec viribus istis munera conveniant nee tam puerilibus annis
Thou askest too great a boon, Phaethon, and one which does not befit thy strength and those so boyish yearsSors tua mortalis, non est mortale, quod optas
Thy lot is mortal, not for mortals is that thou askestNe dubita! Dabitur (Stygias iuravimus undas), quodcumque optaris; sed tu sapientius opta!
Nay, doubt it not, it shall be given, we have sworn it by the styx, whatever thou dost choose. But, oh make wiser choiceMedio est altissima caelo, unde mare et terras ipsi mihi saepe videre fit timor et pavida trepidat formidine pectus
In mid-heaven it is exceeding high, whence to look down on sea and land oft-times causes even me to tremblePhoebe, paterO lux inmensi publica mundi, Phoebe pater
O common light of this vast universe, Phoebus my fatherYour fearful words I will heed
This flaming chariot shall ride
But not too high to burn the skies
Nor too low to scorch the earthBetween the Serpent and the Altar
Passing the Bull and the Archer
Escaping the maws of Leo
And the Claws of Cancer
The dawn now summons
Mounted, reins in hand, I must rideBut my mortal weight feels like freedom
To the horses, they pull and steer
As if no one was riding, and so they veer
From the course, to the earth, and burn the land below
And so I descendDiffugiant stellae, quarum agmina cogit Lucifer et caeli statione novissimus exit
The stars all flee away and the morning star closes their ranks as, last of all, he departs from his watch-tower in the sky "