Metis was the first wife of Zeus. She was either daughter of Oceanus and Tethys or Ouranós and Gaia . She, by Zeus, was mother of the Olympian Athena. She was the goddess of wisdom and good counsel.
Etymology[]
Metis, Μῆτις in Ancient Greek, means wisdom, skill, or craft. The word was regarded as a quality of cunning.
Role in Greek mythology[]
Freeing Zeus' Siblings[]
Metis helped Zeus free his siblings from his father Cronus. Cronus had ate Zeus' siblings, fearing a prophecy that they would overthrow him would come true. Metis made a potion and told Zeus to give it to Cronus. The potion made Cronus vomit out his children.
The Birth of Athena[]
Zeus had always taken a liking in Metis, and once he was the ruler of the gods, he married Metis. Zeus heard a prophecy that Metis would bore Zeus a son more powerful than him, that would overthrow him. Zeus tricked Metis to turn into a fly and swallowed her. However, Metis was already pregnant at the time. While in Zeus' head, Metis bore Athena and raised her. Once Athena was old enough, she crafted armor, a shield, and a spear for her. She told Athena to clash them together, resulting in Zeus having a terrible headache. The headache became so terrible, that Zeus ordered Hephaestus to cut his head open. Out of his head came Athena, full grown in armor, holding a shield and a spear, all of the objects that Metis created for the goddess.
In modern times[]
- An island in Antarctica is named Metis Island, after the goddess.
- 9 Metis, one of the larger main-belt asteroids, is also derived from the goddess.
- Metis gave her name to a moon of Jupiter.
Gallery[]
| Titans | |
|---|---|
| Parents | Ouranós • Gaîa |
| Elder Titans | Coeus • Crius • Cronus • Hyperion • Iapetus • Oceanus |
| Elder Titanesses | Phoebe • Mnemosyne • Rhea • Theia • Themis • Tethys |
| Coeonides | Asteria • Leto |
| Crionides | Astraeus • Pallas • Perses |
| Hyperionides | Eos • Hḗlios • Selene |
| Iapetonides | Atlas • Epimetheus • Menoetius • Prometheus |
| Oceanides | Oceanids (Clymene • Metis • Styx • Rhode) • Potamoi |
| Third Generation | Hecate • Astraea • Anemoi • Astra Planeta • Kratos • Nike • Bia • Zelus |
| Miscellaneous Titans | Dione • Anytos • Ophion • Eurynome (wife of Ophion) • Lelantos • Melisseus • Titan (brother of Helios) • Olymbros • Syceus • Titanic Muses |
| Topics | Overthrowing of Ouranós • Titanomachy |