THETIS
THETIS.
The silver-footed, fair-haired Thetis, who plays an important part in
the mythology of Greece, was the daughter of Nereus, or, as some assert,
of Poseidon. Her grace and beauty were so remarkable that Zeus and
Poseidon both sought an alliance with her; but, as it had been foretold
that a son of hers would gain supremacy over his father, they
relinquished their intentions, and she became the wife of Peleus, son of
Æacus. Like Proteus, Thetis possessed the power of transforming herself
into a variety of different shapes, and when wooed by Peleus she exerted
this power in order to elude him. But, knowing that persistence would
eventually succeed, he held her fast until she assumed her true form.
Their nuptials were celebrated with the utmost pomp and magnificence, and
were honoured by the presence of all the gods and goddesses, with the
exception of Eris. How the goddess of discord resented her exclusion from
the marriage festivities has already been shown.
Thetis ever retained great influence over the mighty lord of heaven,
which, as we shall see hereafter, she used in favour of her renowned son,
Achilles, in the Trojan War.
When Halcyone plunged into the sea in despair after the shipwreck and
death of her husband King Ceyx, Thetis transformed both husband and wife
into the birds called kingfishers (halcyones), which, with the tender
affection which characterized the unfortunate couple, always fly in
pairs. The idea of the ancients was that these birds brought forth their
young in nests, which float on the surface of the sea in calm weather,
before and after the shortest day, when Thetis was said to keep the
waters smooth and tranquil for their especial benefit; hence the term
“halcyon-days,” which signifies a period of rest and untroubled
felicity.