Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily VI/Chapter 7

Chapter VII.&#8212;Poseidon, Zeus, and Metis.

&#8220;When, then, they say that this primordial substance, although most filthy and rough, was devoured by Kronos, that is, time, this is to be understood in a physical sense, as meaning that it sank downwards.&#160; And the water which flowed together after this first sediment, and floated on the surface of the first substance, they called Poseidon.&#160; And then what remained, the purest and noblest of all, for it was translucent fire, they called Zeus, from its glowing (zeousa) nature.&#160; Now since fire ascends, this was not swallowed, and made to descend by time or Kronos; but, as I said, the fiery substance, since it has life in it, and naturally ascends, flew right up into the air, which from its purity is very intelligent.&#160; By his own proper heat, then, Zeus&#8212;that is, the glowing substance&#8212;draws up what is left in the underlying moisture, to wit, that very strong and divine spirit which they called Metis.