Iris (ī´ris).—The swift-footed messenger of the gods, the personification of the rainbow. She was the sister of the Harpies.
Isis (ī´sis).—One of the chief Egyptian goddesses. See “[Io].”
Isocrates (ī-sok´ra-tēz).—A celebrated orator and teacher of rhetoric at Athens. He acquired a large fortune by his profession. He put an end to his life B. C. 338, aged ninety-eight.
Israfil.—Known among Arabians as the angel of music, who possessed the most melodious voice of all God’s creatures. This is the angel who is to sound the resurrection trump, and make music for the saints in paradise. Israfil, Gabriel and Michael were the three angels that warned Abraham of Sodom’s destruction.
Ithaca (ith´ak-a).—An island in the Ionian Sea, celebrated as the birthplace and the kingdom of Ulysses.
Iulus (i-ūl´us).—Son of Ascanius and grandson of Æneas.
Ixion (iks-ī´on).—King of the Lapithæ, in Thessaly, and father of Pirithous. Jupiter purified him of a treacherous murder, yet he was sufficiently ungrateful to attempt to win the love of Juno. Jupiter then hurled him into Tartarus, where he was bound fast to a perpetually revolving wheel.
J
Jamshid.—King of the genii, famous for a golden cup full of the elixir of life. This cup, hidden by the genii, was discovered while digging the foundations of Persepolis.
Janus (jā´nus).—An old Latin deity, the sun-god. He presided over the beginning of everything; he opened the year, and hence the first month of the year was called after him. He was the porter of heaven. His temple in the Forum had two doors opposite each other, which in time of war were open and in time of peace were shut. The latter happened only thrice in Roman history. He is represented with a face at the back, as well as one at the front, of his head.