What happened to Phaeton when he tried to drive the sun chariot?

• A. He saved it
• B. He gained immortality
• C. The chariot disappeared
• D. He lost control

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is how hubris and attempting a power beyond one’s abilities lead to catastrophe. In the myth, Phaeton, a mortal, grabs the reins of the sun chariot and tries to drive it across the sky. The horses are incredibly powerful and temperamental, and Phaeton lacks the experience to control them. His overconfidence leads the chariot to veer unpredictably, scorching parts of the earth and menacing the heavens. To prevent a complete disaster, Zeus intervenes with a thunderbolt, and Phaeton is killed. This is why the best answer is that he lost control. The other outcomes—saving the chariot, gaining immortality, or the chariot disappearing—don’t fit the story.