Metis was the daughter of the Titan Okeanos (ocean). When Zeus made his play for power, he had Metis serve Chronos a drink that released Zeus' siblings. Once freed, they joined Zeus and over threw the titans.
Zeus married Metis, and she became pregnant. Gaia and Uranos put forth a prophecy that Metis would bear two children. The first was to be Athena, who would surpass even Zeus in wisdom. The second child was to be a boy who would rule both men and gods.
Zeus feared loosing power as Chronos did, and he also feared the children Metis would have. So he took a page from his fathers book and swallowed Metis. Soon Zeus began to have terrible head pains. His head split open and Metis' daughter Athena was born, fully grown, from Zeus' brow.
Metis never had the second child, and no more is mentioned about her in the mythology books.
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