Metis

(Μήτις).

1. The personification of prudence, is described as a daughter of Oceanus and Thetys. At the instigation of Zeus, she gave to Cronos a vomitive, whereupon he brought back his children whom he had devoured (Apollod. 1.2.1, &c.; Hes. Th. 471). She was the first love and wife of Zeus, from whom she had at first endeavoured to withdraw by metamorphosing herself in various ways. She prophesied to him that she would give birth first to a girl and afterwards to a boy, to whom the rule of the world was destined by fate. For this reason Zeus devoured her, when she was pregnant with Athena, and afterwards he himself gave birth to a daughter, who issued from his head (Apollod. 1.3.6; Hes. Th. 886). Plato (Sympos. p. 203b.) speaks of Porus as a son of Metis, and according to Hesiod, Zeus devoured Metis on the advice of Uranus and Ge, who also revealed to him the destiny of his son. (Comp. Welcker, Die Aeschyl. Tril. p. 278.)

2. A male being, a mystic personification of the power of generation among the so-called Orphics, similar to Phanes and Ericapaeus. (Orph. Fragm. 6.19, 8.2.) [L.S]

(Μῆτις, “counsel”). A daughter of Oceanus, first wife of Zeus, by whom she was devoured, as he feared she would bear a son mightier than himself; whereupon Athené (q.v.) sprang from the head of the god. See Athené.

• Apollod. 1.1.7, Apollod. 1.2.2
• turns into many shapes to avoid Zeus: Apollod. 1.3.5
• got with child by Zeus: Apollod. 1.3.5
• swallowed by Zeus: Apollod. 1.3.6
• prophecy that she would give birth to a son who should be lord of heaven: Apollod. 1.3.6