Phoebe
Phoebe was the Titaness of radiant intellect and prophetic wisdom — the original holder of the Delphic oracle before her grandson Apollo.
The Myth of Phoebe
Phoebe, a Titaness born of Gaia and Ouranos, held dominion over the bright intellect of the moon. With Coeus she bore Leto, who became mother of Apollo and Artemis, and Asteria, who became the island Delos. Phoebe thus stood as grandmother to two of the greatest Olympians. Tradition held that she received the oracle at Delphi from Themis before passing it to her grandson Apollo — making her a crucial link in the transfer of prophetic authority from Titans to Olympians. After the Titanomachy, unlike Kronos and the male Titans sent to Tartarus, Phoebe was spared imprisonment. Her name endured as an epithet for Artemis and the moon itself.
Parents
Gaia and Uranus
Symbols
Fun Fact
Saturn's moon Phoebe was named after this Titaness — and the name has been popular for over 2,500 years.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Phoebe
🏔 titanTitaness of prophetic radiance
The Titaness of bright intellect and prophetic radiance who held the Oracle of Delphi before passing it to Apollo.
Coeus
🏔 titanTitan of intellect
Coeus was the Titan of rational intelligence and the celestial axis — grandfather of Apollo and Artemis through his daughter Leto.
Theia
🏔 titanTitaness of sight and shining
Theia was the Titaness of sight and shining light — mother of the Sun, Moon, and Dawn.
Hyperion
🏔 titanTitan of heavenly light, observation
Titan of light and father of the sun, moon, and dawn. Hyperion was one of the original twelve Titans, embodying the celestial light that preceded the Olympians.
Koios
🏔 titanintellect, the celestial axis, questioning
A Titan of intellect and the northern celestial axis, father of Leto and Asteria by Phoebe.
Clymene
🏔 titanFame, Renown
An Oceanid-Titaness best known as the mother of Prometheus, Atlas, and the other sons of Iapetus who shaped humanity's early story.
Themis
🏔 titanTitaness of divine law and prophecy
The Titaness of divine law, custom, and natural order who served as Zeus's first counsellor and held Delphi before Apollo.
Koios
🏔 titanTitan of the axis of heaven and rational inquiry
The Titan associated with the celestial pole and intellectual inquiry, father of Leto and grandfather of Apollo.
Selene
🏔 titanTitan goddess of the moon
The Titan goddess who drove the silver chariot of the moon across the night sky, daughter of Hyperion and Theia.
Eidyia
🏔 titanknowledge, the knowing one
The youngest of the Oceanids, whose name means "the knowing one," wife of Aeetes and mother of Medea.
Hyperion
🏔 titanTitan who fathered the celestial lights
The Titan of heavenly light who fathered Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon), and Eos (Dawn) — the three celestial luminaries.
Rhea
🏔 titanTitaness of fertility, motherhood, the mountain wilds
Mother of the Olympian gods and wife of Kronos. Rhea saved the infant Zeus from being devoured by his father, enabling the rise of the Olympians.