The poem`s content is based on the Greek myth about the son of Helios, who failed to control the sun chariot.
Trying to save the Earth from incineration, Zeus strikes Phaethon with lightning.
The piece opens with a rapid rhythm (the gallop of horses), conveying the excitement and inexperience of the young hero. The climax comes with the thunderbolt`s strike (a sharp chord from the entire orchestra), followed by a mournful epilogue.
