With the earth being made up of mostly water and with the oceans being such a vast and almost
boundless element, it comes as no surprise that the ancient Greeks assigned various
deities to govern these very waters. From smaller river gods and goddesses
to the more titular deities that represented the oceans, the Greeks revered many of them,
perhaps on the account that the oceans were and still are, relatively unknown to us.
When you consider that even today that much of our ocean is unmapped and many of the waters are still
uncharted, it’s easy to see how the ancient Greeks filled the gap in their knowledge with that of
the gods and how their imagination allowed for the gods to not only preside over these unknown areas,
but also to make them more relatable. No doubt the oceans were and still are a scary place,
but for the Greeks, having a deity watching over them when sailing through these waters
would no doubt have given them both courage and relief. The water gods, including the oceanids,
allowed for the Greeks to understand the waters in which they traversed
and perhaps in a way, made the unknown seem more known.
Perhaps one of the most prominent water deities before the likes of Poseidon was Oceanus,
the primordial Titan god of the earth-encircling river or ocean. It was believed that Oceanus was
the source of all of earth’s fresh water including rivers, wells, springs and even the rain clouds.
His wife Tethys meanwhile, who this episode will focus on, was often thought of as
distributing these very waters across the earth. Together, the pair would have many
children - those who were known as the Potamai - the gods of the rivers and the
Oceanids - the nymphs of springs and fountains. Despite being relatively unknown in the mythology,
Tethys would be frequently represented during the Roman period, where she appeared to be identified
by an inscription of symbols as seen here ΘΕΘΥΣ. This symbol is present in several works of ancient
art, most notably on black figure pottery that was popular between the 7th and 5th centuries.
On a more notable piece, the symbol of Tethys appears on an early sixth century
dinos by the attic vase painter Sophilos, which portrays the wedding between Peleus and Thetis.
In this depiction, we can see that Tethys follows her husband Oceanus in a long procession of gods
who were invited to the wedding. Another piece of art that gives
some weight to Tethys’ role within the mythology is from the 2nd century BC
frieze from the Pergamon Altar, which was built in Berlin during the reign of King Eumenes II.
It depicts the gods fighting the Giants in the Gigantomachy - a war initiated by Gaia
against Zeus and the Olympians. In this piece, we most definitely see Oceanus, but it’s possible
that fragments of Tethys can be seen beside her husband, most notably her hand behind his head.
With this art, it can be said that both Tethys and Oceanus had fought in the Gigantomachy on the side
of Zeus, which is probable given that Oceanus and Tethys had not sided with Cronus during the
previous Titanomachy. Instead, both entities appeared to remain neutral and it is supposed
that it may have earned them the leniency of Zeus when the supreme God came to power.
In the very early centuries of the common era,
Tethys and Oceanus could be seen both as a couple and independently in mosaics that decorated baths,
pools and the triclinia - those that were formal dining rooms in Roman buildings. Often,
the goddess could be seen by some rather distinct features including the growing of wings from her
forehead or accompanied by a sea creature or sea serpent that twined around her arm.
As far as the mythology goes, we know that Tethys was not prominently featured. As a
first generation titan, she too was a descendant of Uranus, the primordial sky god and Gaia, the
primordial earth goddess. Her siblings, as told to us by Hesiod in the Theogony were Coeus, Crius,
Hyperion, Iaptus, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Cronus and of course her husband, Oceanus.
As mentioned, it was by Oceanus that she would give birth to both the three thousand Potamai
and the three thousand Oceanids, those of which were minor male and female deities respectively.
Yet despite Hesiod’s confirmation that Tethys and Oceanus were the children of Gaia and Uranus,
other writers including Homer suggest that it was actually Tethys and Oceanus
who were the primeval parents and that it was they who gave birth to the other Titans.
Passages in the Iliad suggest that Homer was aware of a tradition in which Gaia and Uranus were not
the primordial beings, where he tells us of one conversation between Hera and Aphrodite
and another conversation between Hera and Zeus. Hera says in both instances, "I go now
to the ends of the generous earth on a visit to Okeanos (Oceanus), whence the gods have risen,
and Tethys our mother who brought me up kindly in their own house.”
Here, we understand that Hera visits both Oceanus and Tethys, but that she rather
interestingly refers to them as the deities from whence all other gods sprang from.
In this writing, Homer seems to establish both Oceanus and Tethys as the parents of the gods
and does not seem to acknowledge Uranus or Gaia in this section. However,
it could also be suggested that Hera recognised both Oceanus and Tethys as the parents of the
gods because she herself was fostered to the Titans for safekeeping during the Titanomachy.
It is believed that Tethys actually became the nurse of Hera
and that much like how the baby Zeus was smuggled away from Cronus, the same was done for Hera.
In the Timaeus - a dialogue by Plato, Plato seeks to align the divergences between Hesiod
and Homer here by suggesting that whilst Uranus and Gaia were the primordial beings
as typically believed, Oceanus and Tethys were their first and only children.
It was then Oceanus and Tethys who would produce the first generation Titans in Coeus, Crius,
Hyperion, Iapetus, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe and Cronus, but that beyond this,
it was still Ouranus who was in charge and it was still Ouranus who was overthrown by Cronus.
But in favour of keeping things simple, it might simply be said that in Homer’s account in the
Iliad, Hera is simply referring to Oceanus and Tethys as the parents of the gods because they
were, in effect, her parents. The bond between Tethys and Hera is certainly something that’s
touched upon in some stories, most notably by Pseudo-Hyginus in the Fabulae, where we are told
that Hera sought revenge on the huntress Callisto for having an affair with her husband Zeus.
As the legend goes, Callisto was one of Artemis’ loyal followers
and something of a favourite amongst the goddess’ retinue. But because of her proximity to Artemis,
it would not be long before she became noticed by the wandering eye of Zeus. After Zeus had
his way with Callisto, Artemis exiled her and the huntress was forced to wander the forests alone.
When Hera learned of what had transpired between Zeus and Callisto, she was said to seek comfort
in her foster-mother Tethys and it was here that she was thought to find guidance in the matter.
In an effort to conceal his affair, Zeus transformed Callisto into the constellation
of the bear; Ursa Major. But his efforts did not go unseen by the Titan Tethys.
Pseudo-Hyginus tells us specifically in the Fabulae, “Zeus put Callisto among the number
of stars as a constellation called Ursa Major, which does not move from its place, nor does
it set. For Tethys, wife of Oceanus and foster mother of Hera, forbids its setting in Oceanus.”
Here, we understand that Tethys was in full support of her foster-daughter and sought to not
only reveal Zeus’ deceptions, but also to prevent Callisto from ever being received by the waters.
This was also a means by the ancients to explain
why this constellation never set below the horizon. In some ideas, it is proposed that Zeus
had transformed Callisto into an actual bear, but that Tethys was so wrought with Callisto
that she forbade her from ever drinking or bathing in the waters of Oceanus.
Pseudo-Hyginus also confirms this in the Astonimica, telling us “Great Bear… This
constellation, as many have stated, does not set, and those who desire some reason for this
fact say that Tethys, wife of Oceanus, refuses to receive her when the others stars come there
to their settling, because Tethys was the nurse of Hera, in whose bed Callisto was concubine.”
In other variations of the story, it is believed that Tethys is the one who transforms Calisto
into the bear, so as to dissuade Zeus from ever advancing on her again. With this idea, Tethys
becomes the one who serves as divine vengeance of Hera and in what may be deemed as an act of love
for her foster daughter, seeks to exact punishment upon Calisto for having sullied Hera’s marriage.
The relationship between Hera and Tethys appears to be quite give and take,
in that both entities do indeed appear to genuinely help each other.
We know from Homer’s Iliad in the passage known as the Deception of Zeus, that Hera is shown to
be the one coming to the aid of Tethys and that she puts everything on hold to visit her foster
parents who are having marital problems. She tells both Aphrodite and Zeus, “Since I go now
to the ends of the generous earth on a visit to Oceanus, whence the gods have risen, and Tethys
our mother who brought me up kindly in their own house, and cared for me and took me from Rheia, at
that time when Zeus of the wide brows drove Cronus underneath the earth and the barren water. I shall
go and visit these, and resolve their division of discord, since now for a long time they have
stayed apart from each other and from the bed of love, since rancour has entered their feelings.”
In Ovid’s Metamorphoses meanwhile, we see Tethys’ involvement with the illegitimate son of King
Priam, Aesacus - where she is seen to deny him of suicide. The legend tells us that Aesacus
once fell in love with the nymph Hesperia. He pursues her through the forest, but is reckoned
with horror and guilt when a poisonous snake kills her. Unable to bear living with such a reality,
Aesacus climbs a tall cliff and throws himself into the sea. Little does he realise however,
that Tethys is watching him and upon seeing him fall towards the water,
decides to change him into a diving bird. Despite his new form, Aescaus is still said
to attempt to take his own life by leaping from the cliff, though given his new physiology,
is unable to endanger his life in the same way. Ovid tells us, “Aesacus mourning the death of
his beloved Hesperia flung himself into the sea. In pity as he fell Tethys received him gently,
and as he swam clothed him with feathers; thus the golden chance of death so much desired
was never given. The lover, outraged to be forced to live against his will, to find his
soul that longed to leave its lamentable home restrained, with new wings on his shoulders
flew aloft and once more launched himself into the waves. His feathers broke his fall. In fury
then poor Aesacus dived down into the deep trying endlessly to take the road to death.
Love made him lean; his jointed legs are long, and long is his neck, and long his head extends.
He loves the sea; that name of his he keeps, a diver, for he dives into its deep."
It might be said then that through this, Tethys was most certainly a compassionate
and feeling hearted deity, who not only sought to right the wrongs that she saw,
but also sought to help those in need. We see this quite clearly in the tale of Aescaus, where her
compassion extends to a total stranger. It would have been quite simple for her to just allow yet
another mortal to plunge to his death, but Tethys, having recognised the waste of life this would be,
sought to preserve the hurting man from ending his existence. Whilst it is argued that Aescaus would
never find happiness again given that he still tries to kill himself over and over again, it
certainly shows us the sympathy that Tethys has, in that she wants him to live, even if this is in
the form of a bird. Her tender and gentle persona is more than once noted by Hera who refers to her
step-mother as kind and caring and we see how far Tethys is willing to go for Hera, by denying
Callisto from ever drinking from her waters or allowing her to descend beyond the horizon.
Her loyalty might also be established here and the idea that Tethys was loyal to a fault
might also come into play, in that she doesn’t appear to stop and consider
whether Callisto even deserved such a punishment given that it was she who was pursued by Zeus.
One might say that despite her compassion, Tethys could be blinded by her familial ties and this
could lead her to make such drastic decisions in an effort to protect the ones that she loved.
Let me know which Titan you’d like to see appear here next and what you
thought about today’s installment of Greek Mythology Explained. As always,
if you’ve enjoyed today’s episode then don’t forget to give it a thumbs up and don’t forget
to subscribe for more content just like this. Furthermore, if you like Greek Mythology as
much as I do, you might want to check out our book Greek Mythology Explained,
where we retell a couple of a favourite myths and explore the meanings and themes behind them.
With that being said, I hope you all have a good evening
and I’ll see you in the next one. Until next time!