Iphĭtus, a son of Eurytus king of Œchalia. When his father had promised his daughter Iole to him who could overcome him or his sons in drawing the bow, Hercules accepted the challenge, and came off victorious. Eurytus refused his daughter to the conqueror, observing that Hercules had killed one of his wives in a fury, and that Iole might perhaps share the same fate. Some time after, Autolycus stole away the oxen of Eurytus, and Hercules was suspected of the theft. Iphitus was sent in quest of the oxen, and in his search he met with Hercules, whose good favours he had gained by advising Eurytus to give Iole to the conqueror. Hercules assisted Iphitus in seeking the lost animals; but when he recollected the ingratitude of Eurytus, he killed Iphitus by throwing him down from the walls of Tirynthus. Homer, Odyssey, bk. 21.—Apollodorus, bk. 2, ch. 6.——A Trojan, who survived the ruin of his country, and fled with Æneas to Italy. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 2, li. 340, &c.——A king of Elis, son of Praxonides, in the age of Lycurgus. He re-established the olympic games 338 years after their institution by Hercules, or about 884 years before the christian era. This epoch is famous in chronological history, as everything previous to it seems involved in fabulous obscurity. Paterculus, bk. 1, ch. 8.—Pausanias, bk. 5, ch. 4.
Iphthime, a sister of Penelope, who married Eumelus. She appeared, by the power of Minerva, to her sister in a dream, to comfort her in the absence of her son Telemachus. Homer, Odyssey, bk. 4, li. 795.
Ipsea, the mother of Medea. Ovid, Heroides, poem 17, li. 232.
Ipsus, a place of Phrygia, celebrated for a battle which was fought there, about 301 years before the christian era, between Antigonus and his son, and Seleucus, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, and Cassander. The former led into the field an army of above 70,000 foot and 10,000 horse, with 75 elephants. The latter’s forces consisted of above 64,000 infantry, besides 10,500 horse, 400 elephants, and 120 armed chariots. Antigonus and his son were defeated. Plutarch, Demetrius.
Ira, a city of Messenia, which Agamemnon promised to Achilles, if he would resume his arms to fight against the Trojans. This place is famous in history, as having supported a siege of 11 years against the Lacedæmonians. Its capture, B.C. 671, put an end to the second Messenian war. Homer, Iliad, bk. 9, lis. 150 & 292.—Strabo, bk. 7.
Irenæus, a native of Greece, disciple of Polycarp, and bishop of Lyons in France. He wrote on different subjects; but, as what remains is in Latin, some suppose that he composed in that language, and not in the Greek. Fragments of his works in Greek are, however, preserved, which prove that his style was simple, though clear and often animated. His opinions concerning the soul are curious. He suffered martyrdom, A.D. 202. The best edition of his works is that of Grabe, Oxford, folio, 1702.
Irēne, a daughter of Cratinus the painter. Pliny, bk. 35, ch. 11.——One of the seasons among the Greeks, called by the moderns Horæ. Her two sisters were Dia and Eunomia, all daughters of Jupiter and Themis. Apollodorus, bk. 1, ch. 3.
Iresus, a delightful spot in Libya, near Cyrene, where Battus fixed his residence. The Egyptians were once defeated there by the inhabitants of Cyrene. Herodotus, bk. 4, ch. 158, &c.
Iris, a daughter of Thaumas and Electra, one of the Oceanides, messenger of the gods, and more particularly of Juno. Her office was to cut the thread which seemed to detain the soul in the body of those that were expiring. She is the same as the rainbow, and, from that circumstance, she is represented with wings, with all the variegated and beautiful colours of the rainbow, and appears sitting behind Juno ready to execute her commands. She is likewise described as supplying the clouds with water to deluge the world. Hesiod, Theogony, li. 266.—Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 1, li. 271 et seq.; bk. 4, li. 481; bk. 10, li. 585.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 4, li. 694.——A river of Asia Minor, rising in Cappadocia, and falling into the Euxine sea. Flaccus, bk. 5, li. 121.——A river of Pontus.
Irus, a beggar of Ithaca, who executed the commissions of Penelope’s suitors. When Ulysses returned home, disguised in a beggar’s dress, Irus hindered him from entering the gates, and even challenged him. Ulysses brought him to the ground with a blow, and dragged him out of the house. From his poverty originates the proverb, Iro pauperior. Homer, Odyssey, bk. 8, lis. 1 & 35.—Ovid, Tristia, bk. 3, poem 7, li. 42.——A mountain of India.