Iris

Ιρις

The Wind-Footed Goddess

Goddess of the Rainbow

Iris is the daughter of Thaumas (a son of the Sea) and the Okeanid, Elektra (Electra), and sister of the Harpies (Okypete (Ocypete) and Aello). She flies upon the wind and moves like a blast of bright air. Her primary role is to be the messenger of the Immortals, especially Zeus. She is called 'The Rainbow, Iris's thus implying that her presence is a sign of hope or perhaps symbolizing a bridge from heaven to earth. (Theogony, lines 264-269)

Iris and the Harpies

When Jason and the Argonauts were seeking the Golden Fleece, they came to the island of the blind seer, Phineus, who was being punished by having the Harpies steal his food. Two of the sons of Boreas (North Wind), Kalais (Calais) and Zetes set a trap for the Harpies but the bird-like sisters were very swift and the winged brothers could only claw at the fleeing women with their fingertips. Iris rushed into the fray and chided the brothers for trying to harm the Harpies because they were there to punish Phineus at the behest of Zeus and it was not the heroes' duty to hurt them. Iris swore a sacred oath on the river Styx that if the brothers would stop their pursuit of her sisters, Phineus would no longer be tormented. Thus Phineus, although he was still blind, was freed from one aspect of his curse and allowed to eat once more in peace. In the Catalogues of Women, the author states that Hesiod credits Hermes, and not Iris, for turning Kalais and Zetes away from the Harpies. (Argonautika, book 2, lines 288+) (Catalogues of Women, fragment 41)

Iris and Styx

Few of the Immortals ever venture to the home of the dreaded Oath River, Styx, but when the need arises, Iris goes to Styx for a pitcher of her scared water so the gods of Mount Olympos (Olympus) can pour the water and swear their most binding oaths.

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Iris and the Birth of Apollon

When Leto was ready to give birth to Apollon, she was attended by many of the goddesses but the goddess of Childbirth, Eileithyia (Eilithyia), was deliberately distracted by Hera so that she would not know of Leto's needs. Leto was in labor for nine days and nights before the goddesses in attendance sent Iris to Mount Olympos to fetch Eileithyia. Iris drew Eileithyia aside so that Hera would not interfere and told her Leto's plight. Eileithyia immediately went to Leto ... Apollon was born without further delay. Hera did not prevent the birth of Apollon but she managed to make Leto suffer needlessly as punishment for Zeus's infidelity. (Hymn to Apollon, lines 89-114)

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Iris and Demeter

Most of the Immortals took the word of Iris as the commandment of Zeus but one of the few occasions where the goddess was rebuffed was when Iris begged Demeter to put aside her anger and rejoin the eternal gods on Mount Olympos. Zeus had arranged the kidnapping of Demeter's daughter, Persephone, and Iris was the first goddess he sent to try and placate Demeter's anger. One by one, the gods and goddesses went to Demeter but it was her mother, Rheia (Rhea), who finally convinced her that her best chance of seeing Persephone again was to return to Mount Olympos as Zeus wished. (Hymn to Demeter, lines 315-325)

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Iris and the Trojan War

Iris played a significant role in the Trojan War but not as a fighter or meddler ... she faithfully relayed the will of Zeus to the other Immortals who were fighting and meddling. Sometimes she would assume the guise of a man or woman and at other times she would reveal herself in all her glory.

After Aphrodite had been wounded by the vicious attack of Diomedes, Iris rushed to her side and assisted her into Ares's war chariot so that the injured goddess might escape further harm.

Iris took no side in the war and advised both armies as Zeus commanded. She helped the Trojan commander, Hector and likewise his most hated enemy, Achilles with equal faithfulness ... Iris relayed tactical information to Hector about how to best delegate authority in his diverse army ... she also helped Achilles by going to the house of Boreas (North Wind) to ask the Winds to desist so Achilles could light the funeral pyre of his fallen companion, Patroklos (Patroclus).

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The Romans had a goddess named Iris and she was also identified with the rainbow but the Roman Iris had a distinctly negative countenance and was the portent of sadness and doom.

Iris in The Iliad

(listed by book and line)

The line numbers listed here correspond fairly well with the Lattimore and Murray/Wyatt translations of The Iliad. Other translations (Fitzgerald, Fagles et al) do not correspond as well but, with a small amount of effort, you should be able to find the reference you need regardless of the translation you use.

• 02.786 - Iris goes to the Trojans with a message
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• 02.790 - Swift running Iris assumes the guise of Priam's son, Polites
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• 02.795 - Iris, in the guise of Polites, addresses the assembled Trojans; she advises Hector to allow each commander to direct his own troops
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• 02.807 - Hector heeded the word of the goddess, Iris, and went to alert the troops
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• 03.121 - Iris, in the guise of the woman Laodike (Laodice), goes to Helen
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• 03.129 - The disguised Iris stands beside Helen and urges her to go to the walls of Troy so she can see the battle
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• 05.353 - The wounded Aphrodite withdraws from the battlefield assisted by Iris
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• 05.368 - Swift Iris helps the wounded Aphrodite to Mount Olympos (Olympus) and then tends the horses of Ares's chariot while Aphrodite gets help from her mother, Dione
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• 08.398 - Zeus sends Iris to turn back Hera and Athene (Athena) as they leave Mount Olympos (Olympus) with the intention of assisting the Argives
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• 08.409 - Iris, storm footed, takes Zeus's message from Mount Ida to Hera and Athene (Athena) as they leave Mount Olympos (Olympus)
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• 08.425 - After delivering Zeus's message to Hera and Athene (Athena), Iris departs
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• 11.185 - From Mount Ida, Zeus sends Iris with a message to Hector and urges him to hold back until Agamemnon is wounded and then to press the fight to the beached ships
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• 11.195 - Iris descends Mount Ida with a message for Hector
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• 11.200 - Iris speaks to Hector and tells him to hold back until Agamemnon is wounded and then to press the fight to the beached ships
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• 11.201 - Iris tells Hector that Zeus, her father, has sent her to him
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• 11.210 - After delivering Zeus's message, Iris leaves Hector
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• 15.055 - After being lulled to sleep by the trickery of Hera and Hypnos (Sleep), Zeus sends Hera to summon Iris and Apollon
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• 15.144 - On Mount Olympos (Olympus), Hera informs Apollon and Iris that Zeus wants them to come to Mount Ida
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• 15.150 - Apollon and Iris leave Mount Olympos (Olympus) like a flash
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• 15.157 - Zeus gives Iris a message for Poseidon which warns him to quit the battle and either return to Mount Olympos (Olympus) or go into the sea
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• 15.168 - Iris left Mount Ida towards Troy like a blast of bright air
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• 15.172 - Iris stands beside Poseidon on the battlefield and gives him Zeus's message about leaving the battlefield or facing Zeus's wrath
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• 15.184 - Poseidon tells Iris that he, Zeus and Hades were born to Rheia (Rhea) and Kronos (Cronos)
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• 15.190 - Poseidon tells Iris that lots were drawn for the division of creation and he won the sea, Zeus won the sky and Hades drew the lot for the mists and darkness
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• 15.200 - Wind footed Iris asks Poseidon if she should relay his angry words to Zeus
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• 15.206 - Poseidon praises Iris for being a messenger who understands justice
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• 18.166 - Hera sent Iris with a secret message to Achilles about the death of Patroklos (Patroclus)
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• 18.170 - Iris urges Achilles into action and tells him of the death of Patroklos (Patroclus)
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• 18.182 - Achilles asks Divine Iris who has sent her to him
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• 18.183 - Iris tells Achilles that Hera has sent her secretly to him
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• 18.196 - Iris tells Achilles to go to the battlement and to let the soldiers of both armies see him; she says that the Argives will be encouraged and the Trojans will be frightened
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• 18.202 - As Iris leaves Achilles, Athene (Athena) invisibly puts the aegis of Zeus about his shoulders
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• 23.198 - When the funeral pyre for Patroklos (Patroclus) will not light, Achilles prays to Boreas (North Wind) and Zephyros (West Wind); Iris hears the prayer and goes to inform the Winds
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• 23.204 - At the house of Zephyros (West Wind), Iris tells the assembled Winds that Achilles has prayed for their help
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• 24.077 - Zeus sends Iris to Thetis with a message about Achilles
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• 24.082 - After plunging into the sea between the islands of Samos and Imbros, Iris found Thetis with her sisters in a cave
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• 24.087 - Iris tells Thetis to rise up and obey the summons of Zeus
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• 24.095 - Thetis donned a black veil and followed Iris as the waves opened before the divine messenger
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• 24.143 - Zeus tells Iris to go to Priam and instruct him to ransom the body of his dead son, Hector, from Achilles
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• 24.159 - Iris goes to Ilion and the house of Priam
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• 24.169 - Iris speaks to Priam in a small voice and says that she is the messenger of Zeus
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• 24.171 - Iris tells Priam to take heart because she brings good news from Zeus
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• 24.188 - After telling Priam to prepare a ransom for the body of his dead son, Hector, Iris leaves Troy

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Other Text References

Theogony

• line 266 - And Thaumas wedded Elektra (Electra) the daughter of deep-flowing Okeanos (Ocean), and she bare him swift Iris and the long-haired Harpies, Aello (Storm-swift) and Okypetes (Ocypetes) (Swift-flier) who on their swift wings keep pace with the blasts of the winds and the birds; for quick as time they dart along.
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• line 780 - And there dwells the goddess loathed by the deathless gods, terrible Styx, eldest daughter of back-flowing Okeanos (Ocean). She lives apart from the gods in her glorious house vaulted over with great rocks and propped up to heaven all round with silver pillars. Rarely does the daughter of Thaumas, swift-footed Iris, come to her with a message over the sea's wide back.
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• line 784 - But when strife and quarrel arise among the deathless gods, and when any of them who live in the house of Olympos (Olympus) lies, then Zeus sends Iris to bring in a golden jug the great oath of the gods from far away, the famous cold water (of Styx) which trickles down from a high and beetling rock.

Catalogues of Women and Eoiae

(Loeb Classical Library vol. 57, Hesiod)

• fragment 42 - The commentator states that Apollonius says that it was Iris who made Zetes turn away, i.e. stop his pursuit of the Harpies; Hesiod says that it was Hermes and not Iris

Catalogue of Women

(Loeb Classical Library vol. 503, Hesiod II)

• fragment 104a - (in regards to the pursuit of the Harpies) Apollonius says that the one who turned Zetes and his companions around was Iris, but Hesiod says it was Hermes

Hymn to Demeter II

• line 314 - Golden-winged Iris was the first goddess Zeus sent when he wanted to persuade Demeter (goddess of the Harvest) to put away her anger and allow the crops to grow again
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• line 324 - Demeter was unmoved by Iris's message from Zeus

Hymn to Delian Apollon III

• line 102 - When Eileithyia (Eilithyia) (goddess of Childbirth) did not arrive on the island of Delos to assist Leto in giving birth to Apollon, the attending goddesses sent Iris to bring Eileithyia from Mount Olympos ( Olympus)
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• line 107 - Iris, fleet of foot as the wind, went to Mount Olympos (Olympus) to find Eileithyia (Eilithyia) (goddess of Childbirth) so that she could assist Leto with the birth of Apollon

The Kypria

• line 35 - When Alexandros (Paris) and Helen fled from Sparta, it was Iris who told Menelaos (Menelaus) that his wife had gone to Troy

Argonautika

• book 2, line 286 - And assuredly they (Kalais (Calais) and Zetes) would have torn them (the Harpies) to pieces, despite heaven's will, when they had overtaken them far off at the Floating Islands, had not swift Iris seen them and leapt down from the sky from heaven above, and cheeked them with these words: "It is not lawful, O sons of Boreas, to strike with your swords the Harpies, the hounds of mighty Zeus; but I myself will give you a pledge, that hereafter they shall not draw near to Phineus."
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• book 2, line 298 - With these words she (Iris) took an oath by the waters of Styx, which to all the gods is most dread and most awful, that the Harpies would never thereafter again approach the home of Phineus, son of Agenor, for so it was fated. And the heroes (Kalais (Calais) and Zetes) yielding to the oath, turned back their flight to the ship. And on account of this men call them the Islands of Turning though aforetime they called them the Floating Islands. And the Harpies and Iris parted. They entered their den in Minoan Crete; but she sped up to Olympos (Olympus), soaring aloft on her swift wings.
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• book 4, line 753 - But they were not unmarked by the spouse of Zeus, son of Kronos (Cronos); but Iris told her when she saw them (Medeia (Media) and Jason) faring from the hall (the hall of Kirke (Circe)). For Hera had bidden her watch what time they should come to the ship ...
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• book 4, line 757 - Hera: "Dear Iris, now come, if ever you have fulfilled my bidding, speed away on your light pinions, and bid Thetis arise from the sea and come to me."
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• book 4, line 770 - Iris leapt down from Olympos (Olympus) and cleft her way, with light wings outspread. And she plunged into the Aegean Sea, where is the dwelling of Nereus. And she came to Thetis first and, by the promptings of Hera, told her tale and roused her to go to the goddess.

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