Thetis
Also known as: THE · Family: Gods · Role: mother of Achilles · First appears: Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 3
At Pelion, Peleus and Thetis married at the feast of the Gods, where the Muses celebrated “the wedding of Peleus.” Nereus is her parent, and Achilles is her son; his death is fated, and he is described as “Achilles, son of Thetis.”
In Andromache, Andromache takes refuge in Thetis’ temple, fearing Neoptolemus, while Molossus is told to leave the shrine so the child may escape impending doom. Thetis is also named as Neoptolemus’s parent and as the goddess whose violated shrine shelters Andromache.
Thetis later reveals that Achilles has been lost and mourns “the son who crowned Our hopes, Achilles, swift of foot.” She orders Peleus to bury Achilles’s slaughtered son at Delphi, then promises to make Peleus immortal and have him dwell with her as a god in Nereus’ watery mansions.
Relationship record
Life events
- Peleus and Thetis celebrated their wedding at the feast of the Gods.(Euripides, Iphigenia In Aulis — Scene 7 · 📍 Pelion)
- With: Peleus
- “when o'er Pelion at the feast of the Gods the fair-haired muses, striking their feet with golden sandals against the ground, came to the wedding of Peleus, celebrating with melodious sounds Thetis”
- Achilles, son of Thetis, is fated to die.(Euripides, Rhesus — Scene 6)
- With: Achilles
- “For by fate It is decreed, her offspring too shall die; But first our sisterhood, in choral plaints, Will sing of thee, O Rhesus, and hereafter Achilles, son of Thetis”
- Thetis reveals that Achilles has been lost and mourns her dead son.(Euripides, Andromache — Scene 9)
- With: Achilles
- “I who should have borne A race of children such as ne’er might cause My tears to stream, have lost the son who crowned Our hopes, Achilles, swift of foot, the first Of Grecian heroes.”
- Thetis orders Peleus to bury Achilles’ slaughtered son at Delphi.(Euripides, Andromache — Scene 9 · 📍 Delphi’s city)
- Thetis promises to make Peleus immortal and let him reside with her as a god.(Euripides, Andromache — Scene 9 · 📍 Nereus’ watery mansions)
- With: Peleus
- “From all the ills which wait on human life Releasing, thee immortal will I make And incorruptible; with me a goddess In Nereus’ watery mansions thou a god Hereafter shalt reside”
Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 3
- child: Achilles “I brought forth Paris, who destroyed the son of Thetis, having pierced him with his arrows.”
Euripides, Iphigenia In Aulis — Scene 4
- child: Achilles “But did Thetis, or his father, train up Achilles?”
- parent: Nereus “Peleus, and Peleus obtained the daughter of Nereus.”
- married with Peleus “Here the Gods celebrated the nuptial feast of Peleus.”
Euripides, Iphigenia In Aulis — Scene 6
- child: Achilles (Achilles states that Thetis begat him.) “By Nereus, nurtured in the damp waves, the father of Thetis, who begat me”
- parent: Nereus (Nereus is identified as Thetis's father.) “By Nereus, nurtured in the damp waves, the father of Thetis, who begat me”
Euripides, Iphigenia In Aulis — Scene 7
- married with Peleus “came to the wedding of Peleus, celebrating with melodious sounds Thetis, and the son of Æacus”
Euripides, Helen — Scene 6
- child: Achilles “Nor yet returning to the Grecian shore Suffer unnumbered taunts for having reft Thetis of her Achilles”
Euripides, Andromache — Scene 1
- protégé: Andromache “Fearing his rage, I near the palace take My seat, in Thetis’ temple, that the goddess From death may save me”
Euripides, Andromache — Scene 2
- protégé: Andromache “Behold you Thetis’ image Turning its eyes on you? ... From this pure temple of the sea-born goddess Wilt thou depart? ... Not while I live: you first Must slay, then drag me hence.”
Euripides, Andromache — Scene 3
- protégé: Andromache “You boasted that this image of the goddess To you, and those who hid him, would afford A sure asylum: but your deep-laid craft, O woman, cannot baffle Menelaus. If you depart not hence, he in your stead Shall be the victim; therefore well revolve Th’ important question; had you rather die, Or, with his streaming gore, let him atone The foul offence ’gainst me and ’gainst my daughter By you committed? AND. Thou, O vain opinion,”
- protégé: Molossus “But leave this shrine of Thetis: for the child Shall if you bleed escape th’ impending doom;”
Euripides, Andromache — Scene 4
- child: Neoptolemus “And from the violated shrine of Thetis, / Who bore to thee a noble son, the goddess / Whom thou rever’st e’en now with brutal force / Me have they torn, nor judged my cause, nor wait / For absent Neoptolemus”
Euripides, Andromache — Scene 9
- child: Achilles “I who should have borne A race of children such as ne’er might cause My tears to stream, have lost the son who crowned Our hopes, Achilles, swift of foot, the first Of Grecian heroes.”
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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.