Tethys in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Tethys

10 passages from 7 ancient authors that tell of Tethys, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Tethys was one of the Titans, daughter of Uranus and Gaea. She was married to her brother, Oceanus, and gave birth to the river gods, who lived in the... For the story in one place, read our article on Tethys.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Theogony 335–369The rivers and the Oceanids (335-369)Tethys bears to Oceanus the swirling rivers, among them the Nile, the Alpheus and the Eridanus, and also a company of daughters who, with Apollo and the rivers, watch over the young. Hesiod names a selection of both, saying there are three thousand Oceanids and as many rivers, but that only people living near each stream can name it.

Homer (1)

Homer, Iliad 14.153–223Hera adorns herself; the girdle of AphroditeHera sees Zeus watching the battle from Mount Ida and plans to beguile him. She goes to her chamber, bathes and anoints herself with ambrosial oil, and puts on a robe that Athena made. She then borrows Aphrodite's embroidered girdle of love, telling her that she means to reconcile Oceanus and Tethys, and Aphrodite gives it.

Callimachus (1)

Callimachus, Hymns 4.1–86Hymn to Delos: Asteria among the islandsThe poet resolves to sing of Delos, nurse of Apollo, a wave-beaten isle that leads the others when they gather before Oceanus and Tethys. He tells how the island, once the floating Asteria who fled the love of Zeus, was named Delos when it became the birthplace of Apollo. Hera, angry with Leto, posts Ares on Haemus to watch the mainland and Iris on Mimas to watch the islands, and the cities of Greece flee from Leto. Apollo, still in the womb, rebukes Thebe.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 11.749–795AesacusAn old man points out a diving bird to his companion and tells the story of Aesacus, son of Priam, who loved the nymph Hesperia. When she was bitten by a snake and died while fleeing from him, he threw himself from a cliff in grief, and Tethys, pitying him, changed him into a diving bird.

Nonnus of Panopolis (4)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 23.225–320Book 23: Dionysos threatens the river and sets it on fireDionysos warns the river that Zeus may strike it as he struck Eridanos, but Hydaspes only rages the more. The god sets the water on fire with a burning fennel stalk, driving the Naiads out of their homes. Oceanos then threatens to flood the sky, drown the stars and constellations, and calls on Tethys and the sea to join him against Dionysos.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 38.103–211Book 38: Hermes' tale: the birth and youth of PhaethonHermes begins the story of Phaethon: Helios marries Clymene, daughter of Oceanos, and their son grows up playing at driving his father's chariot with a toy car. As a youth he begs to drive the chariot of the sun, and Helios warns him that even the gods do not wield one another's powers, citing the fate of Zagreus.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 40.493–580Book 40: The first ship and the founding of Tyre; the nymphs and ErosHeracles tells how the earthborn sacrificed the eagle of the olive on the wandering rocks, which then became fixed, and built Tyre on both. He then explains that Eros, by his shafts, made the fountain-nymphs the brides of the earthborn, from whom Dionysos' family descends. Dionysos accepts a starry robe from Heracles, gives him a golden mixing-bowl and moves on to another part of Assyria.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 41.119–211Book 41: Eros is born at Beroe; the birth of BeroeMeadows and vines burst up around Aphrodite, and she gives birth to Eros, who leaps at once to her breast. The poet hails Beroe as nurse of cities and says she is also called Amymone. In a younger story Aphrodite bears her to Adonis with Hermes and Themis attending, the beasts rejoice, and Aphrodite foresees that a boar will bring Adonis' death.

Lycophron (1)

Lycophron, Alexandra 694–838Alexandra 694–838: The three singing maidens at the Tyrrhenian shore, the wanderer's homecoming, and a husband's search for his brideThe three daughters of Tethys' son, who imitated their mother's melodies, hurl themselves from the cliffs into the Tyrrhenian sea, and Parthenope, Leucosia and Ligeia come ashore at named places where they are buried and honoured. The wanderer shuts the winds in an oxhide, is burnt by the thunderbolt, clings to a fig-tree above Charybdis, and after a short time with the daughter of Atlas sails a badly made vessel that is smashed. At last he returns alone to find his house plundered by wife-stealers, bears blows and jeers from his own slaves, and dies in old age of a fish's spike after seeing his son called the butcher of his father. Another husband then searches land and sea for the bride snatched from him, visiting the watching-place of Typhon, the city of Myrrha and the towers of Cepheus.

Orpheus (attributed) (1)

Orpheus (attributed), Orphic Hymns 22–26Hymns 22-26: the Sea (Tethys), Nereus, the Nereids, Proteus, the EarthThese hymns descend into the sea. Tethys is called on as the sea-goddess with sea-blue eyes, Nereus as the keeper of the roots of Ocean, the Nereids as the nymphs who sport in the waves, and Proteus as the god who holds the keys of the deep. The group closes with the Earth, honoured as the source of gods and men and endowed with fertile force.