Thetis is a Sea Nymph (Nereid) and the leader of the Nereids.
Genealogy and Family[]
Thetis is a Nereid (Sea Nymph), being one of the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. Her many siblings include Nerites, Amphitrite and Galatea.
By Zeus, she was married to the mortal hero, King Peleus of Pthia and the two became the parents of the demi-god hero, Prince Achilles.
Stories[]
Thetis and the Oceanid, Eurynome are responsible for saving the life of a baby Hephaestus, when he was thrown out of Mount Olympus by his mother, Hera, the women raised Hephaestus as their foster son and taught him to become a blacksmith until he eventually went back to his birthplace to reclaim his place amongst the Olympians and commit revenge on Hera.
She also played a major role in saving Zeus and his throne when the other Olympian Gods in Mount Olympus were plotting to depose and overthrow him as King of the Gods. Thetis called on Briareus, a Hecantonchiere (hundred eyed giant), to break a sleeping Zeus from the chains his siblings put on him, after they trapped him inside of a room. Zeus once awakened and aware, then reminded the other Olympians of his power and rulership, before punishing Apollo, Poseidon and Hera for their betrayals.
Thetis became one of the many lovers of Zeus, the King of the Gods, but the two broke apart, when Themis, the Titaness of law and good order- revealed to Zeus- a prophecy, that if he and Thetis were to have a son, he would become even more powerful than Zeus and threaten Zeus' reign as king of the gods. To avoid this fate, a fearful Zeus then engaged Thetis to one of his mortal grandsons, Peleus, King of Pthia. Thetis bitterly objected this plan, seeing a mere human unworthy to be her spouse.
Peleus realizing his lack of power on the matter, consulted a sea god, Proteus, on how to subdue Thetis, who told Peleus to tightly hold on to Thetis, when he found and approached her. Peleus followed this advice, holding onto Thetis once the two met, Thetis then transformed into various sea vicious monsters, until she took a human form and gave in to marrying him.
The bride and groom were then given a grand and sumptuous wedding ceremony in Mount Olympus which was attended by all of the Gods, including Eris, who though uninvited, craftily and briefly snuck into the wedding reception, to place a golden apple inscribed 'to the fairest' on a table, which was seen and eventually fought over by Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, who went to great measures to own the fruit and Eris' actions would also end up causing the terrible Trojan Wars.
Following their marriage, Thetis and Peleus went on to have a son, Achilles, who in some accounts was the youngest of seven sons, but in some accounts, their only child. One account described Thetis trying to make her first six sons immortal, by burning their mortal side, with the usage of fire and feeding them ambrosia, which ultimately lead to their deaths. When Peleus found Thetis doing the act for the first time-to Achilles, he tried to stop her. This made a furious Thetis drop her baby to the ground and never return to her husband's land again, as she watched Achilles from afar in her original home, the Aegean Sea.
In another account, Thetis, had a prophecy of her son, dying in battle and travelled with her only child, Achilles to the River Styx, which waters could make any being immortal. Where she held her Achilles by the feet and dipped him into the River Styx. But forgot to dip in his feet.
Her beloved son, Achilles was fated to die in the Trojan Wars and he was shot in his foot by Paris of Troy. Upon her sons death, Thetis and her sisters, the Nereids went on land to mourn Achilles' death, where Thetis also put Achilles' ashes into an urn and instituted commemorations to his life.
One account in Greek Mythology, claims that her husband Peleus, died in exile, but was later immortalised and reunited with Thetis.
Appearance and Personality[]
Thetis' true form may have been a mermaid. She can also shapeshift into a human form and change her appearance into a sea monster.
Significance[]
Gallery[]
Thetis/gallery
In Popular Culture[]
Thetis, was depicted in the South Korean manhwa, Olympus Guardian and its anime adaptation, where she appeared in Episodes 6 and 34. She was also depicted in the Webtoon, Lore Olympus, where she was portrayed as a mean girl and Zeus' paramour.
Trivia[]
Her name Thetis means 'creation, nurse'
The Greek spelling of her name is Θετις.