Coeus (Koios, Polos) was a Titan god of intelligence and farsight, meaning that, due to his inquisitive mind and desire to learn, he was with gained knowledge and understanding able to see beyond the obvious. He was also identified as a god of wisdom and heavenly oracles. Coeus was also known as a Pillar of the north pole from which constellations revolved and, therefore, controlled the axis between Heaven and Earth. Together with his other three brothers Crius, Hyperion and Iapetus, they presided as the Pillars of holding Heaven and Earth apart. He was one of six sons of Uranus and Gaea and is mentioned by Apollodorus as one of the five brothers, all but Oceanus, who participated in rebellion against Uranus and later attacked him. When they overcame him, the four brothers probably held him down, while Cronus castrated him. His latin name was Polos or Polus and according to Hyginus the name Coeus was used for a giant instead of titan. They are clearly two different characters mentioned by not only Hyginus, but also by Virgil, another latin author.
Titanomachy
In the time of war Coeus fought bravely with his brothers against Olympians but was after defeat imprisoned in Tartarus like the rest of his brothers. When in Tartarus, according to Valerius Flaccus, Coeus had escaped free of his adamantine bonds and in his madness wanted to escape from the underworld and reach heavens, seeking revenge. But was in the end restrained by Cerberus, the three-headed beast, which guarded gates of Hades and prevented anyone from leaving. However, according to Aeschylus' lost play , he was later released by Zeus from Tartarus with the rest of the titans. Also, it is said by some researchers that Coeus then fled back to his north pole and became known as the north star.
Prophetic family
As mentioned above, Coeus was also a god of heavenly oracles. He was believed to be able to hear prophetic voices of his father Uranus(heaven), just like Phoebe could hear prophetic voices of her mother Gaea(earth). Together they had two daughters who inherited powers of their parents. Leto was a goddess of modesty and motherhood and was associated with prophetic power of light and heaven, while Asteria was a goddess of oracles and prophecies. She was associated with prophetic power of night and the dead. Leto represented the light time of a day, while, in contrast, Asteria represented with the night time of a day. These contrary qualities were also passed to their descendants. Apollo inherited the power of the light from his mother Leto and Hecate inherited the power of the night from Asteria.
Still there is no source with clear statement of Coeus being prophetic except having a prophetic family. Being able to predict the future in his case might have come from his intelligence and divine knowledge that he was so eager to gain from his predecessors. Perhaps that is why he was also identified as the god of wisdom. Having knowledge is one thing, but being able to truly understand it and use it for predicting future natural occurrences and events is being wise.
FAQs
Koios, also known as Polus, is the Greek god of intelligence and knowledge.
Is Coeus the god of intelligence? ›
According to Greek mythology, Coeus is the Titan God of the North, and the Titan of Resolve and Intelligence. He is also the embodiment of the celestial axis around which the heavens revolve. The etymology of Coeus' name provided scholars to theorise that he was also the God of intellect.
Which Greek god has foresight? ›
There were two Titans called Prometheus and Epimetheus who were twin brothers. The name 'Prometheus' means 'foresight' and he was the wiser of the two, and the name 'Epimetheus' means 'hindsight', but this is a tragic tale for another time.
What was Coeus's punishment? ›
Along with the other Titans, Coeus was overthrown by Zeus and the other Olympians in the Titanomachy. Afterwards, he and all his brothers (sans Oceanus) were imprisoned in Tartarus by Zeus.
Who is the smartest god or goddess? ›
Isis, goddess of wisdom, magic and kingship. She was said to be "more clever than a million gods".
What is Coeus power? ›
Coeus (Koios, Polus, Polos), in Greek myth, was the Titan god of logic, intellect, inquiry and the North Pole (the northern axis of heaven). This power allows the user to harness many different aspects of his domain.
What is the story of Coeus? ›
Overview. Coeus, son of the primordial deities Gaia and Uranus, was one of the original twelve Titans of Greek mythology. With his sister and lover Phoebe, Coeus fathered the goddesses Asteria and Leto, both of whom were courted by Zeus. Leto went on to give birth (by Zeus) to the Olympians Artemis and Apollo.
Who is the god of farsight? ›
Coeus the Titan god of intelligence and farsight, meaning that, due to his inquisitive mind and desire to learn, he was with gained knowledge and understanding able to see beyond the obvious.
What kind of god is Coeus? ›
Koios (Coeus) was the Titan-god of the inquisitive mind, his name meaning "query" or "questioning".
Which Greek god can predict the future? ›
In ancient Greek mythology Apollo was the god of music, healing, light, and prophecy (predicting the future). He was one of the 12 main gods believed to live on Mount Olympus. He also came to be considered a sun god.
Being a Titan god, Coeus had a very important role in Greek mythology. He was the Titan of intelligence and wisdom. It was said that he was the wisest of all the Titans. He also had many children with his wife Phoebe, such as Leto (mother of Apollo), Asteria (a goddess of oracles), and Perses.
Is Phoebe a Titan? ›
In Greek mythology, Phoebe is the goddess of intellect and prophecy, as well as one of the original twelve Titans. She and the other Titans were the children of the primordial deities Gaia and Uranus, and the original rulers of the cosmos.
Who is the Greek god of wisdom? ›
Athena. Athena was the goddess of reason, wisdom, and war. She famously sprung fully formed from the forehead of Zeus. A major figure in the Odyssey, in which she instructed Odysseus, she also guided Perseus and Heracles through their trials.
Which god is related to intelligence? ›
Epitome of intelligence - Lord Hanuman.
Who is the smartest person in Greek mythology? ›
Prometheus is known for his intelligence and for being a champion of humankind, and is also generally seen as the author of the human arts and sciences. He is sometimes presented as the father of Deucalion, the hero of the flood story.
Coeus (Koios, Polos) was a Titan god of intelligence and farsight, meaning that, due to his inquisitive mind and desire to learn, he was with gained knowledge and understanding able to see beyond the obvious. He was also identified as a god of wisdom and heavenly oracles. Coeus was also known as a Pillar of the north pole from which constellations revolved and, therefore, controlled the axis between Heaven and Earth. Together with his other three brothers Crius, Hyperion and Iapetus, they presided as the Pillars of holding Heaven and Earth apart. He was one of six sons of Uranus and Gaea and is mentioned by Apollodorus as one of the five brothers, all but Oceanus, who participated in rebellion against Uranus and later attacked him. When they overcame him, the four brothers probably held him down, while Cronus castrated him. His latin name was Polos or Polus and according to Hyginus the name Coeus was used for a giant instead of titan. They are clearly two different characters mentioned by not only Hyginus, but also by Virgil, another latin author.