Editing Iris (mythology) (section)

=== Other myths ===
[[File:Iris Louvre L43 n2.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Iris, Attic lekythos in Six's technique (superposed colours), circa 500–490 BC, found in [[Tanagra]], now in [[Louvre]].]]

According to the "[[Homeric Hymns|Homeric Hymn to Apollo]]", when [[Leto]] was in labor prior to giving birth to her twin children [[Apollo]] and [[Artemis]], all the goddesses were in attendance except for two, Hera and [[Eileithyia]], the goddess of childbirth. 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.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Grant|first=Michael|date=2002|title=Who's Who in Classical Mythology, Routledge|url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/routwwcm/leto/0|journal=Credo Reference}}</ref> According to [[Callimachus]], Iris along with [[Ares]] ordered, on [[Hera]]'s orders, all cities and other places to shun the pregnant [[Leto]] and deny her shelter where she could bring forth her twins.<ref>[[Callimachus]], ''Hymn to Delos'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/callimachus-hymns_hymn_iv_delos/1921/pb_LCL129.89.xml 67&ndash;69]</ref> 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.<ref>[[Callimachus]], ''Hymn to Delos'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/callimachus-hymns_hymn_iv_delos/1921/pb_LCL129.103.xml 110–228]</ref>

According to [[Apollonius Rhodius]], Iris turned back the [[Argonauts]] [[Boreads|Zetes and Calais]], who had pursued the [[Harpies]] to the [[Strophades]] ("Islands of Turning"). 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.

After King [[Creon (king of Thebes)|Creon]] of Thebes forbade the burial of the dead Argive soldiers who had raised their arms against Thebes, Hera ordered Iris to moisturize their dead bodies with dew and ambrosia.<ref>[[Statius]], ''[[Thebaid (Latin poem)|Thebaid]]'' [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/statius-thebaid/2004/pb_LCL498.259.xml 12.138 ff]</ref>

In a lesser-known narrative, Iris once came close to being raped by the [[satyr]]s after she attempted to disrupt their worship of [[Dionysus]], perhaps at the behest of [[Hera]]. About fifteen black-and-red-figure vase paintings dating from the fifth century BC depict said satyrs either menacingly advancing toward or getting hold of her when she tries to interfere with the sacrifice.{{sfn|Sells|2019|page =[https://books.google.com/books?id=4nt7DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA112 112]}} 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. On the other side, the satyrs are attacking Hera, who stands between Hermes and Heracles.{{sfn|Antonopoulos|Christopoulos|Harrison|2021|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=y108EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT628 627–628]}} The ancient playwright [[Achaeus of Eretria|Achaeus]] wrote ''Iris'', a now lost [[satyr play]], which might have been the source of those vases' subject.{{sfn|Antonopoulos|Christopoulos|Harrison|2021|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=y108EAAAQBAJ&pg=PT628 627–628]}}

In [[Euripides]]' play ''[[Herakles (Euripides)|Heracles Gone Mad]]'', Iris appears alongside [[Lyssa]], the goddess of madness and insanity, cursing [[Heracles]] with the fit of madness in which he kills his three sons and his wife [[Megara (mythology)|Megara]].<ref>[[Euripides]], ''[[Herakles (Euripides)|Heracles]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0102%3Acard%3D822 822]</ref> Iris also prepared the bed of Zeus and Hera.<ref>[[Theocritus]], ''Idylls'' [https://archive.org/details/theocritusidylls00theo/page/66/mode/2up?view=theater 15.135]</ref>