Metis facts for kids
Metis is a very wise goddess in Greek mythology. She is known for her great wisdom and cleverness. Metis was one of the Titans, who were powerful gods and goddesses before the Olympian gods took over. Her parents were Oceanus, the god of the ocean, and Tethys, a sea goddess. Metis is also famous for being the mother of the powerful goddess Athena.
Who is Metis?
Metis means "wisdom" or "skill" in ancient Greek. She was one of the first children of Oceanus and Tethys. Metis was known for her ability to change her shape into different forms. She was also very good at planning and giving advice.
Metis and Zeus
Metis played a very important role in the story of Zeus, the king of the gods. Zeus was told that if Metis had a son, he would be more powerful than Zeus himself. To prevent this, Zeus swallowed Metis when she was pregnant. He thought this would stop the prophecy from coming true.
However, Metis was still inside Zeus. She continued to be very active and creative. While inside him, she started making things for her unborn child. She crafted a strong helmet and a beautiful robe. The sound of her hammering and working inside Zeus's head caused him a terrible headache.
To help Zeus with his pain, several gods tried to open his head. Depending on the myth, it could have been Prometheus, Hephaestus, Hermes, or Palaemon. They used a special Minoan axe to split his head open. From Zeus's head, Athena was born! She came out fully grown and wearing her shiny armour. This showed how wise and strong Athena was, just like her mother, Metis.
A Moon Named Metis
Did you know there's a moon named after Metis? It's one of the moons that orbit the giant planet Jupiter. This moon is called Metis (also known as Jupiter XVI). It was discovered in 1979 by the Voyager 1 spacecraft.
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