A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

i622 RUS: ISAACUS.
-tprs (II, xi. 27,- xvii. 547): and this brilliant -phe- ISAAiCS IL COMNE'NUS ('Iadcarcov d Kogf'
-nomenon in the skies, which vanishes as quickly as e vJs), emperor- of- onstantinople (A. D. 1057-.it appears, was regarded as the swift minister of the 1059.), and the first of the. eomueni who ascended
gods. Her genealogy too supports the opinion the imperial throne, was one of the-most virtuous
-that Iris was originally the personification of the emperors of the East. [See the genealogical tiBeM
rainbow. In the earlier poets, and even in Theo- of the Comneni, Vol. I. p. 820.] He was the elder
critus (xvii. 134) and' Virgil (Aen.,v. 610) Iris son of Manuel Comnenus, praefectus totius orientis
appears as a virgin goddess; but according to later in the reign of Basil II., whom he lost while still
-writers, she was married to Zephyrus, and became a boy, and was educated, t )gether with his younger
-by him the mother of Eros. - (Eustath. ad- Hornm. brother John, under the care of Basil. Their learnpp. 391,. 555-; Plut, Amat. 20.) With regard to ing, talents, and moral principles, as much as the
her functions, which we have above briefly de- merits of their late father, recommended them to,scribed,- we may further- observe, that the Odyssey the favour of the emperor, and at an early age they
-never mentions Iris, but only Hermes as the mes- were both entrusted with important civil and milisenger of the gods: in the Iliad, on the other hand, tary functions. Isaac became so distinguished,
she appears most frequently, and on the most dif-:that, supported. by the illustrious name of his
ferent occasions. She is principally engaged in the family, he succeeded in obtaining the hand of
service of Zeus, but also in that of Hera, and even Catharina, or Aicatharina, the daughter of Samuel,
serves Achilles in calling. the winds to his assist- or perhaps John Wladislaus, king of the Bulgarians,
ance. - (11. xxiii. 199.) She -further performs her a lady who, at the time when Isaac made her ac-.services not only when commanded, but she some- quaintance, was a captive at the Byzantine court..times advises and assists of her own accord (iii. During the stormy reigns of the eight immediate
122, xv. 201. xviii. 197. xxiv. 74, &c.). In later successors of Basil II. (Constantine IX., Romanus
poets she appears on the whole in the same capacity III., Michael IV., Michael V., Zoe, Constantine X.,
as in the Iliad, but she occurs gradually more and'Theodora, and Michael VI.), who successively ocmore exclusively in the service of Hera, both in the cupied the throne during the short period of 32
later Greek and Latin poets.'(Callim. Hymn. in years,.the position of Isaac was often dangerous;
Del. 232; Virg. Aen. v. 606; Apollon. Rhod. ii. but he conducted himself with so much prudence,
288, 432; Ov. Met. xiv. 830,. &c.) Some poets and enjoyed so much of the general esteem, that he
describe Iris actually as the rainbow itself, but not only escaped the many dangers by which he
Serviuns (ad Aen. v. 610) states that the rainbow is was surrounded, but was considered by the. people
only the road on which Iris travels, and which a worthy successor of their worthless master,
therefore appears whenever the goddess wants it, Michael VI. The conduct of this emperor was so
and vanishes when it is no longer'needed: and it revolting, that shortly after his accession in l 0'56,
would seem that this latter notion was the more the principal nobles and functionaries, supported by
prevalent one in antiquity. Respecting the worship the clergy and a large majority of the nations reof Iris very few traces have come down to us, and solved to depose him. They offered the crown to
we only know that the Delians offered to her on the old Catacalon, a distinguished general who was
the island of Hecate cakes made of wheat and the leader of the conspiracy, but he declined the
honey and dried figs. (Athen. xiv. p. 645; comp. proposition on the ground of his age and obscure
Muller, Aegin. p. 170.) No statues of Iris have birth, and pointed out Isaac Comnenus as a fit
been preserved, but we find her frequently repre- candidate for'their choice. Isaac was proclaimed
sented on vases and in bas-reliefs, either standing emperor (August 1057) without his knowledge,
and dressed in a long and wide tunic, over which and was with some difficulty induced to accept the
hangs a light upper garment, with wings attached crown. Michael sustained a severe defeat at.a
to her shoulders, and carrying the herald's- staff in place called Hades, and, despairing of success, proher left hand; or she appears flying with wings posed to Isaac to.share with'him the imperial power,
attached to her shoulders and sandals, with the an offer which the peaceful prince would have acstaff and a pitcher in her hands. (Hirt, Mythol. cepted but for the interference of Catacalon, who.
Bilderbuch, i. p. 93. tab.'12, 2, 3; Biittiger, Vasen- strongly opposed any amicable arrangement, on the
gemilde, ii. pp. 68,6,86 &c.) [L. S.] ground of the well-known faithlessness of Michael.
IRUS ('Ipos). 1. A son of Actor, and father The latter was soon after compelled to resign, and
of Eurydamas and. Eurytion. - He propitiated assume the monastic habit. In his struggle with
Peleus for the murder of his brother; but during Michael, Isaac was cordially assisted by his excelthe chase of the Calydonian boar, Peleus uninten- lent brotherJohn. He rewarded the leaders of the
tionally killed Eurytion, the son of Irus. Peleus en- conspiracy with great liberality, but in a manner
deavoured to soothe him by offering him his flocks; that showed his good sense, for he sent most of
but Irus would not accept them, and at the coin- them into the provinces, and conferred such
mand of an oracle, Peleus allowed them to run honours and offices upon them as entailed only a
wherever they pleased. A wolf devoured the moderate degree of power and influence. He
sheep, but was -thereupon changed into a stone, divided the important functions of the curopalates
which was-shown in later times on the frontier be- between- Catacalon and his brother John. The
tween Locris and Phocis. (Anton. Lib. 38; Tzetz. treasury being exhausted, he introduced a system
ad Lycoph. 175; Schol. ad Apollon. Rklod. i. 71.): of great economy into all the branches of the ad- 2. The welt-known beggar of Ithaca, who was ministration, showing, by his own example, how
celebrated for his voracity. His real name was his subjects ought to act under such circumstances.
Arnaeus, but he was called Irus because he was In levying new taxes, however, he called upon the
employed by the suitors of Penelope as the mes- clergy also to- contribute their share, but they resenger; for Irus, according to the lexicographers, fused to comply with his- orders; and the patriarch
signifies a messenger. (Hom. Od. xviii. 5, &c., of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, had the im239.) L. [.. pudence to say to the emperor: " I have given you.