Greek Mythology >> Nymphs >> Naiads >> Metis

METIS

Greek Name

Μητις

Transliteration

Mêtis

Latin Spelling

Metis

Translation

Good Counsel (mêtis)

METIS was a Naiad-nymph of the river Meles near Smyrna in Ionia (western Anatolia). She was the legendary mother of the poet Homer by Maion (Maeon).

PARENTS

MELES (Hellanicus Frag, Cleanthes Frag, Of the Origin of Homer and Hesiod 1)

OFFSPRING

HOMEROS (by Maion) (Hellanicus Frag, Cleanthes Frag, Of the Origin of Homer and Hesiod 1)

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Homerica, Of the Origina of Homer and Hesiod and their Contest, Fragment 1 (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic B.C.) :
"Foremost of the men of Smyrna who say that he [Homer] was the son of [the river] Meles, the river of their town, by a Nymphe Kretheis (Cretheis), and that he was at first called Melesigenes (Meles-Born). As to his parents also, there is on all hands great disagreement. Hellanikos (Hellanicus) and Kleanthes (Cleanthes) say his father was Maion (Maeon), but Eugaion says Meles; Kallikles (Callicles) is for Mnesagoras, Demokritos (Democritus) of Troizenos for Daimon (Daemon), a merchant-trader. Some, again, say he was the son of Thamyras, but the Egyptians say of Menemakhos (Menemachus), a priest-scribe, and there are even those who father him on Telemakhos (Telemachus), the son of Odysseus. As for his mother, she is variously called etis, Kretheis (Cretheis), Themista, and Eugnetho. Others say she was an Ithakan woman sold as a slave by the Phoinikians (Phoenicians); other, Kalliope (Calliope) the Mousa (Muse); others again Polykasta (Polycaste), the daughter of Nestor . . . Maion (Maeon) who was the father of Homer by the daughter of the river Meles."