Metis - Titan of Wisdom • Facts and Information on the Goddess Metis

In Greek mythology, Metis is one of the female Titans. Metis means “craft,” “skill,” or “wisdom”. She is also considered to be the goddess of prudence, deep thought, and higher wisdom. She is considered to be the wisest beings in all of creation. Metis is one of the three thousand Oceanids, a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. The Oceanids were the patrons of all the different kinds of water like rivers, ponds, lakes, springs, etc. The Titans, including Metis, were born before Zeus and the other Olympic gods. She was also one of the first wives of Zeus, and he is often called the Metieta, or the “wise counsellor” in Homer’s work.

Originally, the Greek word was the combination of cunning and wisdom. These qualities were highly prized by the Mycenaeans and particularly by heroes like Odysseus. Odysseus was often considered to be the embodiment of metis, embracing both cunning and wisdom. Throughout Athens, Metis was a characteristic of the typical Athenian character.

Metis was one of Zeus’ greatest counselors in his war with Cronus. In mythology, she was the Titaness who gave Zeus the drink to force Cronus to vomit up the other siblings. Zeus was even considered to be afraid of Metis. Zeus felt she was a threat even though he desperately needed her. It was revealed through a prophecy that the children of Metis would be incredibly powerful, possibly more powerful than Zeus himself. One of her children is Athena, the goddess of wisdom. But to prevent a child being born who was stronger than himself, Zeus turned Metis into a fly and ate her whole.

However, Metis was already pregnant with his child. She made a robe and a helmet for her daughter even as she was inside Zeus. As Metis hammered the helmet, she caused Zeus incredible pain. In some stories, Hephaestus broke open Zeus’ head with an axe to relieve the pain. In others, Hephaestus hit Zeus with a hammer by the river Triton.

From there, Athena leapt from the head of Zeus. When she was born, she was not born as a child. Rather she was an adult, fully formed, with her helmet in hand. She was born fully armed as well.

In Hesiod’s Theogony, Metis is considered to be one of the primal forces of the universe that took part in the creation of the universe. Metis never had the second son that would overthrow Zeus.

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