66 Tall Bearded Iris 



Jove descending shook the Idsean hills, 

 And down their summits pour'd a hundred rills, 

 The unkindled lightning in his hand he took, 

 And thus the many-colour'd maid bespoke: 

 "Iris with haste thy golden wings display, 

 To godlike Hector this our word convey 



He spoke, and Iris at his word obey'd; 



On wings of winds descends the various maid. 



Homer: Iliad XI (Pope's tr.). 



High Juno from the realms of air, 

 Secret, dispatch'd her trusty messenger. 

 The various goddess of the showery bow, 

 Shot in a whirlwind to the shore below; 

 To great Achilles at his ships she came, 

 And thus began the many-colored dame: 



"Who sends thee goddess, from the ethereal skies?" 



Achilles thus. And Iris thus replies: 

 "I come, Pelides! from the queen of Jove, 



The immortal empress of the realms above." 



Homer: Iliad XV III (Pope's tr.), 



His wife bewailed him dead; to soothe her woe, 

 From heaven descending on her watery bow, 

 Iris from Juno hies, with joyful mien, 

 To bear this mandate to the widowed queen. 



Ovid: Metamorphoses. 



