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Phoebus is the Latin form of Greek Phoibos 'Shining-one', a by-name used in classical mythology for the god Apollo.
Under the alternative spelling Phevos (pron. Fivos) and together with Athena, he is a mascot of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Classical Latin poets also used Phoebus as a by-name for the sun-god, whence common references in later European poetry to Phoebus and his car or to Phoebus and his chariot as a metaphor for the sun.
But in mythological texts the Sun-god and Apollo are otherwise not confused or identified. For example, in Ovid's Metamorphoses the hero Phaeton is son of Phoebus the sun-god, not son of Phoebus Apollo.
He should not be confused with Phobos.
Phoebus is also the codename of a famous European cartel that started a conspiracy in 1924 making sure there were no unwanted competitors in the billion dollar light bulb market. See Phoebus cartel.
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