And, still breathing heavily, she [Iris] spake--and her speech was mingled with fear : Honoured Hera, of goddesses most excellent far, thine am I, all things are thine, and thou sittest authentic queen of Olympos, and we fear no other female hand; and thou, O Queen, wilt know who is the cause of thine anger. : Iris Messenger of the Gods (General References). . Dani Rhys has worked as a writer and editor for over 15 years. 189 ff (trans. 188 ff : ", Pseudo-Hyginus, Preface (trans. Once her courier service for Hera and . Also according to Iliad, Zeus sent Iris to inform the Trojan King Priam of his decision concerning his sons dead body, while Hermes was sent to merely guide Priam to Achilles unnoticed. 10 Facts About the Goddess of Rainbow And she never forgetteth her seat, not even when sleep lays upon her his forgetful wing, but there by the edge of the great throne with head a little bent aslant she sleeps. This role can be chosen or enforced as circumstances and issues of self-worth prevent the servant from having the same status as the master. Ancient Greeks planted purple irises on the graves of women to summon the goddess to guide the dead in their journey. Iris had numerous poetic titles and epithets, including chrysopteros ( "golden winged"), podas kea ( "swift footed") or podnemos kea ( "wind-swift footed"), roscida ("dewy", Latin), and Thaumantias or Thaumantis (, , "Daughter of Thaumas, Wondrous One"), aellopus ( "storm-footed, storm-swift). The iris is represented in Greek mythology. : Iris forthwith seeks out the Minyae [Argonauts], and Cytherea [Aphrodite] the Colchian maid [Medea] [to arrange their destined meeting and love] . 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. She travels with the speed of wind from one end of the world to the other[12] and into the depths of the sea and the underworld. She found Thetis inside the hollow of her cave . . Go, he says, let Alcides [Herakles] . With this metaphor as her basis, Iris served as a messenger and conciliator for the gods, as well as a conveyor of water. She wore wings on her shoulders and usually carried a pitcher in one hand. In some texts she is depicted wearing a coat of many colors. The space of the continents did bold Ares watch . And to Aiolia (Aeolia) came she, isle of caves, of echoing dungeons of mad-raging winds with rugged ribs of mountain overarched, whereby the mansion stands of Aiolos Hippotas' son. . They stepped out on dry land and swept to the sky. 6 ff (trans. Iris even plucks a hair from Didos head so she could die and go to the realm of Hades. Then Iris, in her thousand hues enrobed traced through the sky her arching bow and reached the cloud-hid palace of the drowsy king. The Greek Goddess of the rainbow was a faithful servant to her mistress Hera and the other Olympian Gods. Juno heard her plea and sent Iris down to her. With about 200 different species scattered worldwide, gardeners probably know fewer of these flowers than any other popular group. p. 155. d; Plut. Alcaeus, Fragment 327 (from Plutarch, Dialogue on Love) (trans. 829 (trans. Its known that the Delians offered cakes made from wheat, dried figs and honey to the goddess. 655 ff (trans. : 350 ff (trans. She is depicted as a beautiful golden goddess, with wings (for flight), sandals, a staff, and a tunic. Iris sent by Jove in the Iliad (engraving by Tommaso Piroli after John Flaxman), Alegora del Aire by Antonio Palomino (circa 1700), Grce - Srie courante de 1913-24 Type "Iris" - litho - Yvert 198B, Iris (tir d'un vase antique). . 2. Then thus began to speak the golden fashioner of clouds : Somnus [Hypnos], gentlest of the gods, Juno [Hera] bids thee bind fast the Sidonian [Theban] leaders and the folk of ruthless Cadmus, who now, puffed up by the issue of fight, are watching in ceaseless vigil the Achaean rampart, and refuse thy sway. "[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. ", Statius, Silvae 5. [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. According to one account, she also played an important role in the birth of Apollo and Artemis. Iris was the Greek goddess - or, better yet, personification - of the rainbow, and a messenger for the gods. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) : 103 ff (trans. : Nonnus, Dionysiaca 31. 3. . As a winged goddess of the sky, Iris could travel as fast as light and reach any place. 286 ff (trans. They were also sometimes credited as the nymphs who had cared for the infant Dionysusafter the death of his mother. Her genealogy too supports the opinion that Iris was originally the personification of the rainbow. I come to you not eyeing you with evil intention but with the purpose of good toward you. In some records, Iris is a sister to fellow messenger goddess Arke ("swift", "quick"), who flew out of the company of Olympian gods to join the Titans as their messenger goddess during the Titanomachy, making the two sisters enemy messenger goddesses. . All the others spurned her and received her not; but Asteria called her by name as she was passing by--Asteria that evil scum of the sea: thou knowest it thyself. Iris was a soft-spoken and cheerful goddess who also had the role of linking the gods to humanity. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use Privacy Policy. [32] Iris also prepared the bed of Zeus and Hera.[33]. "[Hera and Athena depart for Troy, defying the commands of Zeus :] But Zeus father, watching from Ida, was angered terribly and stirred Iris of the golden wings to run with his message : Go forth, Iris the swift, turn them back again, let them not reach me, since we would close in fighting thus that would be unseemly. This Goddess was one of the few Olympians who was able to travel to the underworld. 397 ff : Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th or 6th B.C.) . In mythology, Iris ( EYE-riss; Greek: ris"rainbow,") is the goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods, a servant to the Olympians. With this coat she actually creates the rainbows she rides to get from place to place. ", Ovid, Metamorphoses 14. [20], According to the Roman poet Ovid, after Romulus was deified as the god Quirinus, his wife Hersilia pleaded with the gods to let her become immortal as well so that she could be with her husband once again. Similarly, very little to none of a historical cult and worship of Iris is attested in surviving records, with only a few traces surviving from the island of Delos. This Goddess uses her ability to Shape Shift when she delivers messages, turning into the image of the sender. "[Cicero's critical essay on the nature of the gods :] Why should not the glorious Rainbow be included among the gods? Keep reading to learn why the Greek goddess of the rainbow was the ideal messenger of the gods! O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) Iris is the Greek word for rainbow. Hera had prolonged Letos labor by keeping Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth, from noticing that Zeuss mistress needed her aid. 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. "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 . Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) She has no sense of her own powers and abilities, becoming a slave to the social system. The Roman Goddess list contains names and attributes of over fifty Roman Goddesses. They were originally mortal princesses who were . Theog. In later poets she appears on the whole in the same capacity as in the Iliad, but she occurs gradually more and more exclusively in the service of Hera, both in the later Greek and Latin poets. Please like and share this article if you found it useful. Sign up now for weekly facts, the latest blogs, and interesting features. But what do all these insults mean? As a messenger, she was also one of the few beings that could freely cross between different realms. ", Nonnus, Dionysiaca 26. The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors. Her cult subsequently spread throughout the Roman Empire, and Isis was worshipped from England to Afghanistan. Iris daughter of Thaumas]. You poor fool! Mozley) (Roman poetry C1st A.D.) : She plummeted to the sea floor like a lead weight . should the universe obey us and the gods alone continue their insolence and not understand that they must submit to the law of the strongest in their due turn? pp. "Juno [Hera] spies winged Iris and bids her swiftly obey Dione's [Aphrodite's] command and bring the Aesonian youth [Jason, leader of the Argonauts] to the appointed grove. 20.) . Rainbows in the area were most often seen over the water, appearing to connect the heavens to the sea rather than to earth as they did in many other cultures. Besides the four Goddess Girls, she is also a social student. After delivering Hera's command, Iris left immediately, not standing to be near Hypnos for too long, for his powers took hold of her, and made her dizzy and sleepy. : Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 4. Zephyrus, who is the god of the west wind, is her consort. "Juno's [Hera's] maid [Iris the rainbow], who glides down through the liquid air and binds her pictured arc about the rainy sky. After Hermes came onto the scene, Iris began to lose her status as a messenger goddess. . Ancient Egyptian palaces also used the iris to symbolize their connections to heaven. "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 . "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]. She is generally seen as Hera's personal servant and messenger. 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. As for you, his messenger, if you annoy me, I shall begin by getting between your thighs, and even though you are Iris, you will be surprised at the erection the old man can produce; it's three times as good as the ram on a ship's prow! 1. "Iris (the Rainbow) the bride of Zephyros (the West Wind) and mother of Pothos (Desire). "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. This Goddess was one of the few Olympians who was able to travel to the underworld. Many cultures viewed the rainbow as a link between the realm of the gods and that of men. Pisthetairos : By which gate did you pass through the wal [of the city of the birds]l, wretched woman? they must offer sacrifices, and not to Zeus at all! 829 (trans. On the ninth day of her labor, Leto told Iris to bribe Eileithyia and ask for her help in giving birth to her children, without allowing Hera to find out. 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. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) : Aen. Rainbows were Iris mode of transport. 270 ff (trans. . 144, xxiv. This is a Dionysian goddess. . "Hesiod also says that those with Zetes [the Argonauts] turned and prayed to Zeus : There they prayed to the lord of Ainos (Aenus) who reigns on high. Apollonios indeed says it was Iris who made Zetes and his following turn away, but Hesiod says Hermes. 115 ff : Statius, Thebaid 10. O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) [came] a messenger of the heavenly ones, Iris.". Apollon mastered Delphyne [Python], and then he came to live in the sky. 606 ff (trans. 2 ff : : First of all, Nike (Victory) flies with golden wings, Eros (Love) is undoubtedly winged too, and Iris is compared by Homer to a timorous dove. Io and Zeus: A Tale of Deception and Transformation, Top 10 Dreadful Deaths in the Bible and Why Theyre So Terrible, The Myth of Eros and Psyche: A Tale of Love and Self-Discovery. Armed with the brand of Zeus, justice would annihilate your race; the lightning would strike you as it did Likymnios and consume both your body and the porticos of your palace. She did this either by bringing them to the attention of the other deities or fulfilling them herself. She is sometimes called "the Goddess with Ten Thousand Names" because she had so many names and titles. 102, &c.) In accordance with these functions of Iris, her name is commonly derived from er eir; so that Iris would mean "the speaker or messenger:" but it is not impossible that it may be connected with eir, "I join," whence eirn ; so that Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, would be the joiner or conciliator, or the messenger of heaven, who restores peace in nature. Goddess of the Rainbow: In Greek mythology, Iris is the personified goddess of the rainbow. 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). But now, spreading her wings, the goddess took off from earth, describing a rainbow arc under the clouds as she flew. They are also able to adapt easily to different environments by altering their behavior. Iris symbols include the rainbow, the caduceus and the pitcher. 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? : Plato, Theaetetus 155d (trans. Iris of the swift feet stood beside her and spoke to her : Come with me, dear girl, to behold the marvellous things done by Trojans, breaker of horses, and bronze-armoured Akhaians (Achaeans), who just now carried sorrowful war against each other, in the plain, and all their desire was for deadly fighting; now they are all seated in silence, the fighting has ended; they lean on their shields, the tall spears stuck in the ground beside them. Prayers and invocations often call on Iris to help the petitions of worshippers reach the ears of the Olympians. 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 . After much toil She [Leto pregnant with Apollon and Artemis and forced to wander the earth by the rage of Hera] came unto the Isles (Nesoi) of the sea. . Her great-grandfather was the. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) : Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 8. "The father of gods and men descending out of the sky took his place along the ridges of Ida . "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. The name iris comes from the Greek goddess Iris, the personification and goddess of the rainbow, and messenger of the gods. "[Zeus] the son of Kronos (Cronus) stirred Iris to go down to sacred Ilion [Troy], saying : Go forth, Iris the swift, leaving your place on Olympos, and go to Priamos (Priam) of the great heart within Ilion, tell him to . "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]. Isis was the wife and sister of Osiris, and she was the mother goddess, believed to be the divine mother . . . the eros Pothos]. . To Bakkhos (Bacchus) in corselet of bronze she spoke deceitful words : Brother, son of Zeus Allwise, put war aside, and celebrate your rites with Lykourgos, a willing host . She does not, however, appear in The Odyssey, where her role is instead filled by Hermes. "Sokrates (Socrates) : He who said that Iris (Rainbow ) was the child of Thaumas (Wonder) made a good genealogy. . Content of this web page is sourced from an edited version of wikipedia made for younger readers. In addition to delivering messages from the gods, many Greeks believed that Iris could also deliver messages to them. Where it was the Iris's job to collect water from the Styx, this was used for swearing solemn oaths. : 200 ff (trans. More than 250 species make up the genus Iris. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) She was the handmaiden of Hera and served nectar to the Gods. 201. xviii. Homer uses the form aellopos. [Iris repeats Zeus' message verbatim. "From Thaumas and Electra : Iris, Harpyiae (Harpies) Celaeno, Ocypete, Podarce. Iris : I am immortal. . The Greeks imagined her as a daughter of sea deities, likely because the rainbow often appeared over the water in their experience. She spoke, nor did Hektor fail to mark the word of the goddess. Irises . She personified the colors and light that appeared after a storm. . You must say whence you come. Iris links the gods to humanity. In accordance with these functions of Iris, her name is commonly . Pisthetairos : No head-bird gave you a safe-conduct? "[Jupiter-Zeus] sends down swift Iris (the Rainbow) on her rosy cloud. Day-Lewis) (Roman epic C1st B.C.) . Learn about their lives and deaths, as well as their veneration in ancient Egypt and beyond until the present day. ", Plato, Theaetetus 155d (trans. Her golden wings brought light to even the darkest places so she could deliver messages from the gods without difficulty. fool! In the Homeric poems, it is true, Iris does not appear as the goddess of the rainbow, but the rainbow itself is called iris (Il xi. [18], Iris also appears several times in Virgil's Aeneid, usually as an agent of Juno. Mozley) (Roman epic C1st A.D.) : Pisthetairos : You would have died nevertheless.-Oh! She is the Roman equivalent of Hera, queen of the gods in Greek mythology; like Hera, her sacred animal was the peacock. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. Come, lift the thyrsus of battle in your hands, and earnheaven by your deeds. Most works of art depict her either in the form of a beautiful rainbow, or as a lovely maiden. Hark! Her position as the rainbow goddess made Iris an ideal messenger. . Her Etruscan counterpart was Uni, and she was said to also watch over the women of Rome. ", Nonnus, Dionysiaca 47. 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). 27, xvii. So he spoke, and goldenwing Iris divine smiled to hear; then went her way, paddling in the false shape of a falcon . Pisthetairos : Won't you get out of here quickly? . Her foe is Demeter. "The thunder crashed and storms of blinding rain poured down from heaven. In this man's likeness Iris the swift-running spoke to them : Oldsir, dear to you forever are words beyond number as once, when there was peace; but now stintless war has arisen. "[Hera] bids her own Iris gird herself with her wonted circles . For the immortal court of Zeus will not receive you without hard work, and the Horai (Horae, Seasons) will not open the gates of Olympos to you unless you have struggled for the prize. and at a point between Samos and Imbros of the high cliffs plunged in the dark water, and the sea crashed moaning about her. v. 606; Apollon. Her rainbow frequently appeared in the sky over bodies of water. 168, Hymn. Hasten with stormshod foot to the home of gloomy Hypnos in the west. IRIS. 479 ff : She would have been one of the Titan Oceanus granddaughters. The first men who gave names [to the gods] were no ordinary persons, but high thinkers and great talkers . In their youth the sisters were companions of Artemis. Depicted as swift-footed, golden-winged and robed in bright colours, she appears in numerous classical writings, including Euripides' Herakles. This is the Greek goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. 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