There are no known temples, shrines, or sanctuaries to Iris, or festivals held in her honour. She doesnt have any significant myths of her own but she does appear in the myths of many others famous deities. that would be truly intolerable! [29], In a lesser-known narrative, Iris once came close to being raped by the satyrs after she attempted to disrupt their worship of Dionysus, perhaps at the behest of Hera. . Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or 7th B.C.) Her name has also been interpreted as Queen of the Throne, and her . ", Ptolemy Hephaestion, New History Book 6 (summary from Photius, Myriobiblon 190) (trans. However, Hermes takes over her role later in the myths. You know the Erinnyes (Furies), how they forever side with the elder. Although now a little known member of the pantheon, Iris was a prominent figure in many ancient myths and is now even a character in Jack Riordan's "Lightning Thief" book series. . As cup-bearer of the gods Iris is often indistinguishable from Hebe in art. : She also serves nectar to the goddesses and gods to drink. [She then relays the warning from Zeus.] Hersilia flew to Olympus, where she became one of the Horae and was permitted to live with her husband forevermore. 74, &c.). ", Nonnus, Dionysiaca 31. A daughter of Thaumas and Electra, it seems that Iris was the only divine messenger in the earlier days, but at a later time, when Hermes assumed that function as well, she became Hera 's faithful servant. . Some irises have a dark, red-brown colour, but there are no irises that are bright red. : "[Athena sends Iris to Aiolos (Aeolus) to summon a storm to wreck the Greek fleet :] Iris sped unto Aiolos (Aeolus), from heaven far-flying over misty seas, to bid him send forth all his buffetting Anemoi (Winds) o'er iron-bound Kaphereus' (Caphareus') cliffs to sweep ceaselessly, and with ruin of madding blasts to upheave the sea. Lamb) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.) While she is frequently depicted on vases and in bas-reliefs, few statues are known to have been made of Iris during antiquity. He spoke, and Iris, storm-footed, rose with his message and took her way from the peaks of Ida to tall Olympos, and at the utmost gates of many-folded Olympos, met and stayed them [Athene and Hera from departing for Troy against the express order of Zeus], and spoke the word that Zeus had given her: Where so furious? Iris was the rainbow goddess in Greek mythology, but her role went far beyond having a place in the sky. But Akhilleus' prayer is that Boreas and blustering Zephyros may come to him, and he promises them splendid offerings, so that you may set ablaze the funeral pyre, whereon lies Patroklos (Patroclus), with all Akhaians (Achaeans) mourning about him. ThoughtCo. Do your fear that people will not like you if you stop doing everything for them? After the war was won by Zeus and his allies, Zeus tore Arke's wings from her and in time gave them as a gift to the Nereid Thetis at her wedding to Peleus, who in turn gave them to her son, Achilles, who wore them on his feet. When these major ancient Greek deities needed to send messages to other gods or to human beings, they would sometimes ask Iris to transmit their words. Iris, as the messenger, goes to meet them, but she is ridiculed, insulted, and threatened with rape by their leader Pisetaerus, an elderly Athenian man. . 409.). "rainbow,"[2][3] Ancient Greek:[ris]) is a daughter of the gods Thaumas and Electra,[4] the personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods, a servant to the Olympians and especially Queen Hera. LEUCIPPIDES (Leukippides) The goddess wives of the Dioscuri twins. 3. Iris : Are there others then? Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) Or will you change a little? Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. There a star from heaven dropped gliding to the ground and by its glow set the queen's hair ablaze, and with the star Hersilie ascended to the sky. . 467 ff (trans. and she sought out the wife of jealous Zephyros (West-Wind), Iris (Rainbow), the messenger of Zeus when he is in a hurry--for she wished to send her swift as the wind from heaven with a message for shadowy Hypnos (Hypnus, Sleep). The union of the rainbow and west wind symbolised the variegated brilliance of passion. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) She is a beautiful young woman described as wearing a multi-hued gown. According to Greek mythology, Iris was the daughter of Thaumas and the ocean nymph Electra. "And the rains comrade, the bow of Iris, wove her many colours into a rounded track, and shone bent under the light-shafts of Phaethon [Helios the Sun] opposite, mingling pale with dark, and light with rosy.". Iris also helps a wounded Aphrodite from the battlefield and to carry Achilles' prayer to Zephyros and Boreas. : Aristophanes, Birds 1196 ff (trans. Iris and Zephyrus have a son named Pothos. And if the Arcus (the Rainbow) [Iris] is a divinity, what will you do about the Nubes (Clouds) [Nephelai])? Mair) (Greek poet C3rd B.C.) ", Statius, Silvae 5. to C1st A.D.) : 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. The Ancient Greeks made Iris the goddess of the rainbow because as a meteorological phenomenon, the rainbow appears to connect heaven and earth, so its spirit serves as the link between the gods and the mortals. [18], Iris also appears several times in Virgil's Aeneid, usually as an agent of Juno. ", Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 4. Iris : A safe-conduct to me. . My name is Mike and for as long as I can remember (too long!) The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors. A guide to the Goddesses. ", Aristophanes, Birds 1196 ff (trans. 10 (trans. Egyptians also called her Aset or Eset, and over time she was the most worshipped goddess in all Egyptian culture. Iris : Are you mad? views 1,659,901 updated Jun 11 2018. The only reason I say this is because you can find an enormous number of statues dedicated to Hermes around the world. the eros Pothos]. 6; Plat. ", Nonnus, Dionysiaca 26. . 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. . According to the Greek poet Hesiod, she was the daughter of Thaumas and the ocean nymph Electra. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) : to C1st A.D.) : Swift foot Iris spoke to him thus and went away from him. She personified the colors and light that appeared after a storm. Her husband is Zephryus (west wind). Next, go to Aiolos (Aeolus), king of the sky-born winds, and to him too convey my wishes, which are that he should order all the winds of heaven to cease . : Iris is depicted in ancient Greek vase painting as a beautiful young woman with golden wings, a herald's rod (kerykeion), and sometimes a water-pitcher (oinochoe) in her hand. . pp. The Servant Archetype reminds you to look at the masters and petty tyrants you defer to in your life. She did this either by bringing them to the attention of the other deities or fulfilling them herself. . The hearts of the great can be changed. She found Thetis inside the hollow of her cave . Sokrates (Socrates) : Let us inquire what thought men had in giving them [the gods] their names . Eleusis, and there finding dark-cloaked Demeter in her temple spake to her and uttered winged words : Demeter, father Zeus, whose wisdom is everlasting, calls you to come join the tribes of the eternal gods: come therefore, and let not the message I bring from Zeus pass unobeyed. Thus said Iris imploring her. Discover the meaning of the goddess names and archetypes by exploring their myths and symbolism. She is principally engaged in the service of Zeus, but also in that of Hera, and even serves Achilles in calling the winds to his assistance. Today, there are very few people who know her name. ", Stesichorus, Fragment 222B (trans. "[Hera addresses Iris :] Iris, my voice's trustiest messenger, hie quickly to the drowsy hall of Somnus (Sleep) [Hypnos], and bid him send a dream of Ceyx drowned to break the tidings to [his wife] Alcyone. 829 ff : "Yet even with Heaven against them [the Boreades], the long chase would certainly have ended with their tearing the Harpyai (Harpies) to pieces when they overtook them at the Ekhinades (Echidnades), but for Iris of the swift feet, who when she saw them leapt down from Olympos through the sky and checked them with these words : Sons of Boreas, you may not touch the Harpyai with your swords: they are the hounds of almighty Zeus. . Greek Lyric III) (Greek lyric C7th to 6th B.C.) : and so you slipped into this city on the sly and into these realms of air-land that don't belong to you. You poor fool! She is a beautiful young woman described as wearing a multi-hued gown. Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also served as a messenger of the gods. 1 ff (trans. Credit: Public Domain. ", Ovid, Metamorphoses 14. In Greek mythology it is believed that if you throw a drachma (Greek currency) into a rainbow you can communicate with anyone anywhere (like the Skype of ancient times). Lamb) (Greek philosopher C4th B.C.) Iris Facts & Trivia. Kids Encyclopedia Facts. She is. Why, of ourselves, the gods of heaven. Day-Lewis) (Roman epic C1st B.C.) Like many other cultures, the Greeks believed that the rainbow could connect the gods in the heavens with their worshipers on earth. According to Greek mythology, Themis was gifted with foresight and prophecy, and she was extremely wise. There is often much art, such as vases and murals, shown of her because she is worshiped and very beautiful. Iris is married to Zephyrus, the west wind. . The first men who gave names [to the gods] were no ordinary persons, but high thinkers and great talkers . ", Virgil, Aeneid 5. Iris forthwith seeks out the Minyae [Argonauts], and Cytherea [Aphrodite] the Colchian maid [Medea] [to arrange their destined meeting and love] . The Roman Goddess list contains names and attributes of over fifty Roman Goddesses. Iris is the name of the Greek goddess of rainbows. . Campbell, Vol. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Selene or Mene Selene or Mene goddess . As Zeuss personal herald, he flew around the world at top speed to deliver the words of the king of Mount Olympus. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) Even the Greek language seemed to recognize this. Iris also played a small part in the lives of other heroes in Greek mythology and was said to have been present when Heracles was cursed by the madness sent by the goddess Hera, which caused him to kill his entire family. Iris is also a Messenger of the Greek Gods, just like the more popular Hermes (Mercury). (Il. In some versions of Greek mythology, Iris is the mother of Pothos. Iris swiftly delivers the message to Priam and returns to Olympus. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) : Alcaeus, Fragment 327 (from Plutarch, Dialogue on Love) (trans. "[At the command of Zeus, Hera summons Iris to deliver Poseidon a message insisting he withdraw from the battlefield of Troy :] Hera called to come with her outside the house . . Many cultures viewed the rainbow as a link between the realm of the gods and that of men. . She is often shown in art at Heras side and working on her behalf. ", Plato, Theaetetus 155d (trans. : Iris Messenger of the Gods (General References). ] The Greeks viewed the rainbow in the same way. 53 ff : This iris has beardless blooms in a rainbow of hues. Rackham) (Roman rhetorician C1st B.C.) After Pisetaerus threatens to rape her, Iris scolds him for his foul language and leaves, warning him that Zeus, whom she refers to as her father, will deal with him and make him pay. . went swiftly as messenger to the Winds for him. 288, 432; Ov. More than 250 species make up the genus Iris. "[Iris reports the birth of Apollon to Hera on Olympos :] A swift messenger [Iris] hastened to thee [Hera]. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. : Plato, Cratylus 400d & 408c ff (trans. Her best friend, Antheia is one of the minor supporting characters. 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