Most sources describe Iris as the daughter of the Oceanid cloud nymph Elektra and Thaumas, a minor god sometimes associated with the sea. She plummeted to the sea floor like a lead weight. When swift Iris, fleet of foot as the wind, had heard all this, she set to run; and quickly finishing all the distance she came to the home of the gods, sheer Olympos, and forthwith called Eileithyia out from the hall to the door and spoke winged words to her, telling her all as the goddesses who dwell on Olympos had bidden her. "He [Jupiter-Zeus] moved by the goddesses' [Diana-Artemis and Latona-Leto's] tears and Phoebus' [Apollon's] high renown sends down swift Iris on her rosy cloud [to give Herakles permission to release Prometheus from his bonds]. 352 ff : He spoke, and Iris storm-footed sprang away with the message, and at a point between Samos and Imbros of the high cliffs plunged in the dark water, and the sea crashed moaning about her. 115 ff : Statius, Thebaid 10. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. The Greek goddess iris was the messenger of the gods and she was the medium of communication between heaven to Earth. The daughter of Thaumas and Electra, she's sadly deficient in followers. Noisless her step she stayed, in silence voiceless pressed her lips, a slave before the forest queen. Iris could travel to the deepest parts of the sea and the highest reaches of the heavens, as well. She is depicted as a beautiful golden goddess, with wings (for flight), sandals, a staff, and a tunic. ", Ovid, Metamorphoses 4. "[Zeus addresses Hera on Mt Ida when he spies Poseidon on the battlefield of Troy in defiance of his edicts :] Go now among the generation of gods, and summon Iris to come here to me . 170.) Iris appears in several Greek myths and was said to have been found during the Titanomachy, the war between the Titans and the Olympians. Pisthetairos : No head-bird gave you a safe-conduct? Aen. Iris was the goddess of messages, communications, and rainbows. And the other kept watch over the far-flung islands, even Thaumantia [Iris daughter of Thaumas] seated on Mimas, whither she had sped. While Iris worked against Heras schemes in this account, she was often seen as a close ally and companion of the queen of Olympus. Iris was a swift messenger goddess in Greek mythology and a popular subject for vase painting, but better known as the goddess of the rainbow because Hermes (Mercury) is known as the messenger god. Hesiod, Theogony 265 ff (trans. Zephyrus, who is the god of the west wind, is her consort. "The father of gods and men descending out of the sky took his place along the ridges of Ida . Thaumas, son of the sea (Pontos), and Elektra, an Oceanid, are possible parents of Iris. After Hermes came onto the scene, Iris began to lose her status as a messenger goddess. She observes the vast assembly, and then, scanning the shore, sees the deserted harbour, the ships left unattended. They were originally mortal princesses who were . Iris. 80 ff (trans. Irises Have Been Important Flowers Since the Ancient Greeks. He spoke, and storm-footed Iris swept away with the message and came to the house of Priamos . Hither from the blue sky came in balanced flight the varicoloured maid; the forests shine out, and the shady glens smile upon the goddess, and smitten with her zones of radiance the palace starts . : Plato, Theaetetus 155d (trans. 20 (trans. In Book 4, Juno dispatches her to pluck a lock of hair from the head of Queen Dido, so that she may die and enter Hades. The brothers had driven off the monsters from their torment of the prophet Phineus, but did not kill them upon the request of Iris, who promised that Phineus would not be bothered by the Harpies again. Despite its divine origins, this beautiful flower is rugged, reliable, and easy to grow. Isis was the wife and sister of Osiris, and she was the mother goddess, believed to be the divine mother . Podarces was also the original name of Priam, the king of Troy. (Hes. Omissions? Hesiod wrote that Iris had a twin sister named Arke. Where it was the Iris's job to collect water from the Styx, this was used for swearing solemn oaths. Sokrates (Socrates) : Let us inquire what thought men had in giving them [the gods] their names . Iris : May you perish, you wretch, you and your infamous words! In myth she appears only as an errand-running messenger and was usually described as a virgin goddess. ", Virgil, Aeneid 5. You know the Erinnyes (Furies), how they forever side with the elder. There are no known temples, shrines, or sanctuaries to Iris, or festivals held in her honour. Although they were both sea deities, their daughters were not bound to the water. Iris was the personification of the rainbow, which the Ancient Greeks believed to be the dress of the goddess. Rheia unsmiling beckoned, and the Korybantes (Corybantes) served her beside the bowl of the divine table. While she carries Zeuss messages in this story, in the Odyssey the role of the messenger was taken by Hermes. v. 610) Iris appears as a virgin goddess; but according to later writers, she was married to Zephyrus, and became by him the mother of Eros. Zephyrus, who is the god of the west wind, is her consort. It is a fine thing when a messenger is conscious of justice.", Homer, Iliad 18. However, Hermes takes over her role later in the myths. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. Illustration de "Histoires des mtores" (1870), Iris from the East Pediment of the Parthenon. Ovid, Metamorphoses 11. . When this happened, they believed, Iris was relaying a message between the gods of the sea and their counterparts on Mount Olympus. ]. . 286 ff (trans. 1. Irises are perennials that easily self-multiply and can be divided, meaning you can plant more irises in your garden for free each year. 201. xviii. 200 ff (trans. How can your hearts so storm within you? Its said that her wings were so bright and beautiful, she could light up the darkest cavern with them. . Her celebrations were wild and lascivious. Iris : Are you mad? 6; Plat. Themis is the Greek goddess of law and represents law, order, and justice. Juno heard her plea and sent Iris down to her. "Now to the Trojans came as messenger wind-footed Iris, in her speed, with the dark message from Zeus of the aigis. [She then relays the warning from Zeus.] You don't answer. Iris, goldenwing bride of plantnourishing Zephyros, happy mother of Eros (Love) [i.e. and so you slipped into this city on the sly and into these realms of air-land that don't belong to you. They had a son named Pothos, who personified Desire. With this metaphor as her basis, Iris served as a messenger and conciliator for the gods, as well as a conveyor of water. [1.1] THAUMAS & ELEKTRA (Hesiod Theogony 265, Apollodorus 1.10, Hyginus Pref, Nonnus Dionysiaca 26.350) ", Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 7. "Iris, the Greek Goddess." . Iris the swift of foot came close beside and spoke to him: Hektor, o son of Priamos and equal of Zeus in counsel, Zeus my father has sent me down to tell you this message. Iris, sculpture from the west pediment of the Parthenon, now at the British Museum. Iris : What do you mean? "Father Zeus sent Iris to the divine halls of Rheia, to inform wakethefray Dionysos, that he must drive out of Asia with his avenging thyrsus the proud race of Indians untaught of justice: he was to sweep from the sea the horned son of a river, Deriades the king, and teach all nations the sacred dances of the vigil and the purple fruit of vintage. This personification of a rainbow was once described as being a link to the heavens and earth. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Still resentful of your divine birth, she sent her messenger Iris on an evil errand, mingling treacherous persuasion with craft, to bewitch you and deceive your mind; and she gave her an impious poleaxe, that she might hand it to the king of Arabia, Lykourgos (Lycurgus), Dryas' son. Laodike (Laodice) . Learn about their lives and deaths, as well as their veneration in ancient Egypt and beyond until the present day. ", Nonnus, Dionysiaca 26. Hither from the blue sky came in balanced flight the varicoloured maid [Iris the rainbow]; the forests shine out, and the shady glens smile upon the goddess, and smitten with her zones of radiance the palace starts from its sleep; but he himself, awoken neither by the bright glow nor by the sound or voice of the goddess, lay motionless as ever, till the Thaumantian [Iris] shot at him all her splendours and sank deep into his drowsy vision. Iris is the child of Thaumas and Electra. Now as they came to sheer Olympos, the place of the immortals, there swift Iris the wind-footed reined in her horses and slipped them from the yoke and threw fodder immortal before them. Let's explore some fun facts about this important and interesting goddess. Iris links the gods to humanity. Iris, in Greek mythology, the personification of the rainbow and (in Homers Iliad, for example) a messenger of the gods. She mounted the chariot and beside her entering Iris gathered the reins up and whipped them into a run, and they winged their way unreluctant. Pisthetairos : By Zeus! And she went on to swear by the waters of Styx, the most portentous and inviolable oath that any god can take, that the Harpyai should never visit Phineus' house again, such being Fate's decree . Her father was the Titan, Thaumas and her mother was Electra. ", Statius, Thebaid 12. After Asteria, now transformed into the island of Delos, offered shelter to Leto, Iris flew back to Hera to inform her that Leto had been allowed to give birth due to Asteria defying Hera's orders, and took her seat beside Hera. . Seek also about seagirt Lemnos, and if you find him tell him to charm the eyes of Zeus uncharmable for one day, that I may help the Indians. These look terribly like leaves, or the sands of the sea-shore, as they advance across the plain to fight by the city. 80 ff (trans. Did you present yourself to the officers in command of the jays? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. . . Roman art, in particular, often showed her in a multi-colored gown standing beside Heras throne. . According to the Greek poet Hesiod, she was the daughter of Thaumas and the ocean nymph Electra. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) A lot of the iris's long history traces back to the Greeks. Iris : A safe-conduct to me. 585 (trans. Way) (Greek epic C4th A.D.) : Philostratus the Elder, Imagines 1. charioted upon the Anemoi (Winds), Euros (the East), Boreas (the North), Zephyros (the West-wind), and Notos (the South) [the four-wind gods in the forms of horses] : for Iris rainbow-plumed led 'neath the yoke of his eternal ear that stormy team. in Del. Her husband is Zephryus (west wind). Iris is represented either as a rainbow or as a beautiful young maiden with wings on her shoulders. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) : Alcaeus, Fragment 327 (from Plutarch, Dialogue on Love) (trans. According to Greek mythology, Themis was gifted with foresight and prophecy, and she was extremely wise. [30] In another cup, Iris is depicted being assaulted by the satyrs, who apparently are trying to prevent Iris from stealing sacrificial meat from the altar of Dionysus, who is also present in the scene. She is the goddess of the rainbow. Iris is also associated with the sea, the sky, clouds, messages, communication, oaths, heraldry and colours. . The messenger of Zeus stood beside Priamos and spoke to him in a small voice, and yet the shivers took hold of his body : Take heart Priamos, son of Dardanos, do not be frightened. 585 ff : . Iris also appeared during the Trojan War and has been mentioned by Homer many times. ", Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 8. Then in turn swift wind-footed Iris spoke to him : Hera sent me, the honoured wife of Zeus, but the son of Kronos, who sits on high, does not know this, nor any other immortal, of all those who dwell by the snows of Olympos.", Homer, Iliad 23. Iris Facts & Trivia. It is said that she and Osiris were in love with each other even in the womb. That means she spends most of her days winging down her multicolored bridge on her golden wings, making sure the mortal world gets an earful of what Olympus has to say. ", Statius, Silvae 3. She asked Jason not to harm the Harpies since they were her sisters and so the Boreads didnt kill them but simply drove them off. . O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) Her strengths: She was constant, calm, gentle, and supportive of the family and home. . Online version at the Topos Text Project. The Harpyai and Iris went their different ways . Timothy Gantz (Early Greek Myth, 1993) says a fragment of Alcaeus (327 LP) says Iris mated with the west wind, Zephyros, to become the mother of Eros. Zeus whose purposes are infinite calls you. . "Thaumantias [i.e. You must say whence you come. 829 (trans. The goddess of messages had several allies that include Hera, Hermes, and Leto. In addition, they were husband and wife. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Irises . Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) Although Iris's name means rainbow, in ancient artifacts and sculptures of her there are no rainbows. They are the daughters of the goddess of night, Nyx. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) : Hasten with stormshod foot to the home of gloomy Hypnos in the west. Faliscan Red Figure Vase Painting C4th B.C. And she had two look-outs to keep watch upon the earth. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) She has a wide range of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening. In the story of Jason and the Argonauts, the Argonauts were just about to rescue the blind seer, Phineus from the punishment by the Harpies when Iris appeared to Jason. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/iris-greek-goddess-119147. . [1.3] THAUMAS & OZOMENE (Hyginus Fabulae 14), [1.1] POTHOS (by Zephryos) (Alcaeus Frag 257; Eustathius on Homer 555, Nonnus Dionysiaca 47.340). The most famous story of Isis begins when Seth, the jealous brother of Osiris, dismembered him and scattered the parts of his body . For I will say this straight out, and it will be a thing accomplished: [He gives her his message. Iris symbolizes eloquence. In other accounts, she fell in love with Zephyros, the god of the West Wind. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) ", Aristophanes, Birds 1196 ff (trans. Evidence suggests that Iris was the object of minor worship. . During the Titanomachy, Iris was the messenger of the Olympian gods while her sister Arke betrayed the Olympians and became the messenger of the gods' enemy, the Titans . Its known that the Delians offered cakes made from wheat, dried figs and honey to the goddess. Iris was the daughter of the sea-god Thaumas and . While some legends claimed that Iris had a twin with similar attributes named Arke, Hesiod said that she was a sister of the Harpies. He spoke, and swift wind-footed Iris did not disobey him, but went down along the hills of Ida to sacred Ilion, and found the son of wise Priamos (Priam), Hektor (Hector) the brilliant, standing among the compacted chariots and by the horses. But what do all these insults mean? 829 (trans. Unlike the other prominent messenger god of the Greeks, Hermes, Iris did not play a large part in the ancient Greek religion and was rarely worshipped. Iris departed, and fled away back o'er the arching rainbow as she came. ", Hesiod, Theogony 780 ff (trans. . Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) : Hesiod, Theogony 780 ff (trans. In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and was also known as one of the goddesses of the sky and sea. This included other realms. and Loss. ", Homer, Iliad 24. Then, her task performed, Iris departed, for she could no more endure the power of Somnus [Hypnos], as drowsiness stole seeping through her frame, and fled away back o'er the arching rainbow as she came . Illustration de "Histoires des mtores" (1870), Morpheus awakening as Iris draws near by Ren-Antoine Houasse (1690), Iris and Jupiter by Michel Corneille the Younger (1701), Iris from the East Pediment of the Parthenon, Several terms redirect here. Iris even plucks a hair from Didos head so she could die and go to the realm of Hades. Philos. Now the winds assembled within the house of storm-blowing Zephyros (the West Wind) were taking part in a feast, and Iris paused in her running and stood on the stone doorsill; but they, when their eyes saw her, sprang to their feet, and each one asked her to sit beside them. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) : Iris flew and found him in his cave, and informed him that Hera wished for Ceyx's wife, Alcyone, to be informed of her loved one's death in her dreams. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) : At these words, Iris goldenwing flew away peering through the air . It is even said that the reason the rainbow comes and goes so fast is because Iris only uses it for travel and since she is so fast, it is only in the sky for a small amount of time. Iris symbols include the rainbow, caduceus and pitcher. [and upon their meeting] the Thaumantian [Iris] rose on swift wings and fled. 830, &c.) Some poets describe Iris actually as the rainbow itself, but Servius (ad Aen v. 610) states that the rainbow is only the road on which Iris travels, and which therefore appears whenever the goddess wants it, and vanishes when it is no longer needed: and it would seem that this latter notion was the more prevalent one in antiquity. She was also later worshipped in the Roman Empire as well. The first men who gave names [to the gods] were no ordinary persons, but high thinkers and great talkers . She was also seen briefly in Homer . ", Homer, Iliad 11. . She was often described as the handmaiden and personal messenger of Hera . . Apulian Red Figure Vase Painting C4th B.C. Iris sided with Zeus and became his messenger, using her golden wings to fly between the gods. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) Come, stretch your wings or look out for squalls! "She is the wife of Hades, who is the king of the Underworld, and so she can be called Queen of that realm, or even Queen of the Dead . Dutch Iris. 189 ff (trans. She came to . The hearts of the great can be changed. She is. Gill, N.S. ", Nonnus, Dionysiaca 31. They were also sometimes credited as the nymphs who had cared for the infant Dionysusafter the death of his mother. (Il. ", Cicero, De Natura Deorum 3. : The Greeks personified this connection, making the rainbow a messenger goddess and assistant to the gods rather than an inanimate bridge between worlds. Iris appears in several stories carrying messages from and to the gods or running errands but has no unique mythology of her own. ", Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History Book 6 (summary from Photius, Myriobiblon 190) (trans. 80 ff (trans. Iris : Of which? [27] After Asteria, now transformed into the island of Delos, offered shelter to Leto, Iris flew back to Hera to inform her that Leto had been allowed to give birth due to Asteria defying Hera's orders, and took her seat beside Hera.[28]. "Arke (Arce) was the daughter of Thaumas and her sister was Iris; both had wings, but, during the struggle of the gods against the Titanes (Titans), Arke flew out of the camp of the gods and joined the Titanes [as their messenger, just as Iris served the Olympian Gods]. . Together they had a son named Pothos,[9] or alternatively they were the parents of Eros,[10] the god of love, according to sixth century BC Greek lyric poet Alcaeus, though Eros is usually said to be the son of Ares and Aphrodite. For example, she moved so quickly that she could cross the world in seconds. She found Thetis inside the hollow of her cave . IRIS. [Iris repeats the message verbatim] . "From the bed of primeval Thaumas his rosyarm consort Elektra (Electra) . "The goddess [Aphrodite] departed in pain [from the Trojan battlefield], hurt badly [by Diomedes], and Iris wind-footed took her by the hand and led her away from the battle, her lovely skin blood-darkened, wounded and suffering . Even though Hermes became the more famous of the two messenger deities it seems that in the earlier days Iris monopolized the function. In the Iliad, for example, she relayed messages both to the humans and between the feuding gods. Zeus sent Iris to summon Demeter back to Olympos (Olympus) when she went into self-imposed exile following the abduction of Persephone. Hermeias (Hermes) hardly could win his way to heaven, and only when he had killed with his rod Argos the cowherd, sparkling with eyes from his feet to the hair of his head, and when he had set Ares free from prison [captured in a jar by the Aloidai (Aloadae)]. "Nothing of this escaped Hera . Isis and Osiris were brother and sister, children of the Egyptian gods Geb who represented the earth and the goddess Nut who represented the sky. . These are female spirits. 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