The Sun grants Phaethon one wish, and he asks to drive his father’s sun chariot. The Sun warns Phaethon not to, saying “mortal your lot—not mortal your desire” (26). Still Phaethon insists. In the sky, Phaethon loses control of the chariot, creating the Sahara desert by burning North Africa. Jupiter strikes Phaethon out of the sky, and he dies. This saddens the Sun, who hands the reigns to his chariot over to Jupiter.

Jupiter is attracted to the nymph Callisto, and he takes the form of Diana and rapes her. After Callisto gives birth to her son Arcas, Juno takes her anger out on Callisto by turning her into a bear. Later while hunting, Arcas comes across his mother in bear form. Ovid writes, “he chanced to meet her; seeing him she stopped / stock still, seeming to recognize his face” (39). Not recognizing her, Arcas is about to kill her. Before he can do so, Jupiter turns them both into constellations in the sky.

Apollo loves the girl Coronis, but a silver raven finds out that she is unfaithful. A crow warns the raven not to tell Apollo, since another god,