João S. Lopes Filho writes:
> I think Phaethon's Fall is an ancient theme
> similar to Lucifer-Samael's Fall, Ikaros's
> Fall, Babel Tower "the men wanted to reach
> the sky", Susanoo's descent to Earth.
Phaethon's fall is indeed a topic found in Western art and literature.
As I initimated, it's the 16 year old kid just issued his drivers
license, who takes the family car out solo -- and wrecks it, and gets
himself killed (there is usually some beer involved). It's the kid,
going solo, doing his dad's job as a proto-journeyman -- and failing.
This is the psychologically correct element of the myth -- a
correctness which makes this particular 'Phaethon' the one we
remember.
Be this as it may, this is the least interesting aspect of the name or
myth of 'Phaethon' in IE terms, tho' he's obviously a young, frisky
stallion just into his fulness of virility.