Iris: Greek Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Gods

Who is Iris in Greek mythology?
In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and one of several divine messengers. She served the goddess of marriage, Hera. Her opposite was Hermes, the divine messenger in service to Zeus.

What are the powers of Iris?
Besides being a mediator between the Heavens and Earth, Iris was thought to control the rainbow and, according to speculation, could also command the rain.

Where does Iris originate from?
Iris is original to Greek mythology and tradition.

When was Iris depicted as the messenger of the gods?
Iris was first depicted as a messenger of the gods in the 8th century BCE. In Homer’s Iliad, Iris communicates between the gods and mortals involved in the Trojan War.

Why is Iris so important?
Iris was so important because she was one of a few divine messengers between the gods and humankind.

How was the goddess Iris born?
According to Hesiod’s Theogony, Iris was the daughter of the sea god Thaumas and the Oceanid Electra.[1] She was born sometime before the Titanomachy. Her sisters were the harpies.

Iris’s Origins and Family

Iris was the daughter of Thaumas and Electra and the fleet-footed sister of the frightening harpies. Other potential siblings of Iris include the swift river god Hydaspes and the goddess Arce. Through her parents, Iris had innate connections to the primal powers of the sea and sky.

Iris’s family and broader lineage help explain her significant role as the messenger goddess of the rainbow and define her character in Greek mythology.

In several accounts, her mother, Electra, is said to have some control over the clouds. Which, to be fair, would be pretty fitting for the mother of the rainbow. Through her father, Thaumas, Iris was established as the niece of the powerful (and mysterious) sea deities Nereus, Phorcys, Ceto, and Eurybia.

Role in Greek Mythology: Messenger of the Gods

In addition to being the goddess of the rainbow, Iris was one of the messengers of the gods. She is most frequently attributed as Hera’s personal messenger, though a handful of myths show Iris sharing communications with other deities.

As a messenger, Iris ensured that divine instructions, edicts, and warnings were swiftly delivered to the mortal realm. This communication was vital for the gods to maintain their authority and influence over human affairs.

By acting as a liaison, Iris upheld the connection between gods and mortals, which was crucial for cosmic order. She was, above all, a mediator, dedicated to maintaining harmony through clear communication.

Iris not only shared communications between the gods and humankind but was also a messenger between gods. She was characterized as being wholly neutral, calming quarrels between the Olympians and the rest of the pantheon when necessary.

Symbolism and Attributes

Iris represented harmony, unity, and peace. Her rainbow was one of her most significant attributes, often described as connecting the Heavens and the Earth.

The “rainbow bridge” has been a mythical theme since antiquity—the most famous being the Bifröst from Norse mythology—though, to the Greeks, it was yet another way Iris unified the domain of the gods and the mortal realm.[2] 

In art, Iris is shown as either holding the rainbow, standing atop one, or having a rainbow emerge from her clothes.

Other key symbols associated with Iris include the caduceus staff, which is often shown in the possession of Hermes, and a pitcher of water. Whereas the staff marks Iris’s role as a messenger, the water pitcher reinforces the idea that Iris provided rain.

Alternatively, the pitcher may have symbolized Iris’s role as an occasional cupbearer to the gods, although that duty tended to be fulfilled by the goddess Hebe.

Myths and Stories Involving Iris

Iris is featured in several major myths and stories from the Greek tradition. As a loyal servant of Hera and Zeus, Iris was often described as acting on their behalf in these legends.

Iris in the Titan War

During the Titanomachy, Iris had already established herself among the gods. She acted as their messenger during their rebellion against the Titans. According to several sources, Iris’s sister, Arce, took the side of the Titans and was their messenger.

The scandal

When the new gods—Zeus and the other Olympians—won the war and came into power, Arce’s wings were ripped from her and she was thrown into Tartarus. Swift-footed Iris remained the gods’ go-to messenger until Hermes’s ascension.

Iris in the Iliad

Throughout Homer’s Iliad, Iris is the messenger of the gods. Though she doesn’t make a comeback in Odyssey, Iris plays a pivotal role in the story of the Trojan War.

Iris is a messenger of Zeus and Hera in Homer’s first epic, the Iliad. She sends communications to and from Olympus. She delivers Zeus’s demand for King Priam to enter the Achaean war camp alone to ransom for the return of his son Hector’s body. She also sends Achilles’s prayer to Boreas (the North Wind) and Zephyrus (the West Wind)–-members of the Anemoi—so that he can ignite the funeral pyre of Patroclus.

Iris in The Abduction of Persephone

Swift Iris is featured as a messenger of Zeus in the myth of the abduction of Persephone. He sends Iris to a grieving Demeter to try and convince her to end the famine caused by her heartbreak. Unsurprisingly, Iris’s sweet words did little to comfort the goddess. The famine would not end until Persephone was returned to her mother.

Saving the Harpies 

In some iterations of the myth of the prophet-king Phineus, Iris saved her sisters, the harpies. After the harpies tormented Phineus, the Argonauts Zetes and Calaïs (the Boreads) came to Phineus’s rescue and began to hunt them down. Only, Iris showed up before blood was shed and informed the Boreads that the gods did not want the harpies to die that day.

Now, whether the gods genuinely wanted to spare the harpies or Iris was just coming in the clutch to save her siblings from a gruesome fate is up to some interpretation.

Iris and the River Styx

In Hesiod, Iris has some connection to the sacred process of swearing an oath. Theogony explains that when the gods came into conflict, Zeus commanded Iris to fetch water from the River Styx for the conflicting deities to swear on.[3]

Although Iris is not traditionally associated with oaths—it was Horkos, a son of Eris, who was meant to punish perjurers—her role in this myth supports Zeus as Zeus Horkios. In this aspect, he is thought to uphold oaths made. Iris aids him as a water bearer in this task, though that is the limit of her involvement in oaths and their sanctity.

The Birth of Artemis and Apollo

Iris had some hand in the birth of Greek mythology’s favorite divine twins. Well, sort of. A far cry from helpful during Leto‘s traumatic ordeal, Iris stood by Hera’s harsh rule of forbidding any land to allow the veiled goddess to give birth.

However, translations of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo state that on the ninth day of Leto’s laboring, Iris was swayed to summon the goddess of childbirth, Eileithyia, to the floating island of Delos.

After sending Eileithyia on her way to Delos, Iris does not reappear in the myth. It is safe to say she fulfilled her role as a messenger of the gods without wholly undermining Hera’s orders. Delos, after all, was not anchored to the earth until after Artemis and Apollo were born.

Plays Featuring the Goddess Iris

As with most celebrated gods and goddesses, Iris naturally appeared in classical plays. She has been both a primary and secondary character in such plays, which explore and revolve around popular mythical retellings.

  • The Birds, Aristophanes
  • Herakles, Euripides
  • Iris, Achaeus[4]

Herakles, better known as Heracles Gone Mad, is a play by Euripides that focuses on the descent of the titular character into madness. The very madness that led him to take the lives of his wife and children was sent by Lyssa, a daimona of frenzy, and Iris.

Though she is a side character in the play, Iris’s presence emphasizes that Heracles’s condition wasn’t any normal bout of madness: it was sent by the gods.

Therefore, while Iris is venerated for her ability to connect humankind and the gods, Heracles Gone Mad explores the darker side of the role of divine messengers. Iris had to inform Heracles that he would kill his family because Hera willed it—not necessarily as punishment, either, but because he was a son of Zeus.

Iris’s Virtues and Powers

Besides being one of the fastest deities in the realms of the gods and man, Iris had several notable virtues and powers. As we know, she was frequently associated with the rainbow, a symbol of harmony and peace.

The rainbow, as a bridge between the sky and the earth, mirrored her power to connect opposing forces through her actions. In this sense, Iris represented balance. Her loyalty to the Olympian gods, particularly Hera, was also a key aspect of Iris’s character.

In mythology, Iris served Hera as an emissary, ensuring that her will was carried out. In earlier myths, such as the story of the Iliad, Iris showed equal dedication to Zeus. Overall, Iris was devoted to her role as a messenger and to the other gods she served. This unwavering loyalty reinforces her importance in the Greek mythological narrative.

As for powers, Iris could control a rainbow (shocker) and bring rain. She was also incredibly fast and had an uncanny gift of gab. Through her virtues and powers, Iris successfully united humankind and the gods.

Iris’s Appearance and Personality

Most of Iris’s depictions emphasize her role as a divine messenger.

She is shown to have wings, which are large and feathered. While they compliment her ethereal beauty, Iris’s wings mark her as one who travels between the realms of the gods and humankind. In Greek tradition, wings represented swiftness and became associated with the likes of Hermes, Iris, and Acre.

As the ancient Greek personification of the rainbow, Iris naturally is shown near or on a brilliant rainbow. Artists over the centuries have depicted Iris as wrapped in an array of colors, or as summoning them.

While the rainbow is a visual marker of Iris, it also speaks volumes about her personality. Where the rainbow is a symbol of harmony, Iris’s outstanding personality trait—compassion—is also captured.

Legacy and Influence

Iris has one of the most outstanding legacies of the Greek gods and goddesses. Her image, name, and what she represented have been explored and expanded upon in the modern age. Iris and the rainbow have prevailed as a symbol of hope, peace, and connection.

In modern art, Iris has both wielded and been a rainbow. A rainbow has depicted her clothes, her hair, and her wings. She remains visually young and vivacious, though the focus has shifted from her representing divine harmony to instead her embodiment of joy and mirth.

The rainbow has become synonymous with Pride and the month of June, during which rainbow flags can be found across the globe. Iris can also be found in nature, where a flower, found in a brilliant variety of colors, is named after her.[5]

Wrapping Up the Tale of Iris

All in all, Iris, the divine messenger and goddess of the rainbow in Greek mythology, played a crucial role in bridging the heavens and earth. Known for her swiftness and grace, she served as a loyal envoy to the gods, delivering messages with quick precision. Her connection to the rainbow symbolized harmony and balance, while her wings embodied her power to traverse both the mortal and divine realms.

Iris’s legacy as a unifying celestial figure continues in contemporary art and literature. Therefore, Iris as a timeless symbol of communication and peace in Greek mythology remains relevant even today.

References

  1. Nagy, Gregory, and J. Banks, trans. 2019. “Hesiod, Theogony.” https://chs.harvard.edu/primary-source/hesiod-theogony-sb/.
  2. Dawson, Rosie. 2020. “Factsheet: Rainbows in religion.” Religion Media Centre. https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/factsheets/fascinating-facts-about-rainbows/.
  3. Evelyn-White, Hugh G. n.d. “Hesiod, Theogony.” Perseus Digital Library. Accessed 2025. https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D767.
  4. “Iris.” n.d. APGRD: Archive of Performances of Greek & Roman Drama. Accessed 2025. http://www.apgrd.ox.ac.uk/ancient-performance/performance/317.
  5. Anderson, Erica. 2023. “Over the Rainbow: The Wide World of Iris.” White Flower Farm. https://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/blog/2023/06/14/over-the-rainbow-the-wide-world-of-iris/?srsltid=AfmBOopp6XepO7QecR7fszdIUmrKA6v41_n5oxVj6wQLsSZutHEnhcdG.

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