Chapter Iris to Iroquois of I by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Iris to Iroquois

I'ris Goddess of the rainbow, or the rainbow itself. In classic mythology she is called the messenger of the gods when they intended discord, and the rainbow is the bridge or road let down from heaven for her accommodation. When the gods meant peace they sent Mercury. (Greek and Latin, iris.)

"I'll have an Iris that shall find thee out."
Shakespeare: 2 Henry VI., iii. 2.

Irish Agitator Daniel O'Connell (1775-1847).

Irish Apricots Potatoes.

Irish Stew A dish of food made by stewing together meat, onions, and potatoes. Called "Irish" from the predominance of potatoes.

Irish Wedding When a person has a black eye we sometimes say to him, "You have been to an Irish wedding, I see," because the Irish are more famous for giving their guests on these occasions black eyes than white favours.

Iron The hieroglyphic for iron is which denotes "gold at the bottom" (O), only its upper part is too sharp, volatile, and half corrosive; this being taken away, iron would become gold. Iron is called Mars.
   Strike while the iron is hot. "Battre le fer pendant qu'il est chaud." Make hay while the sun shines.
   To have many irons in the fire. To have many affairs in hand.
   If you have too many irons in the fire, some will burn. If you have more affairs in hand than you can properly attend to, some of them will be neglected and turn out badly. Both these locutions refer to the "heaters" or irons employed in laundries. If the "heater" is too hot, it will scorch the linen.
   To rule with a rod of iron. To rule tyrannically. "Gouverner avec une verge de fer."

Iron (See Pig Iron .)

Iron Age The era between the death of Charlemagne and the close of the Carlovingian dynasty is so called from its almost ceaseless wars. It is sometimes called the leaden age for its worthlessness, and the dark age for its barrenness of learned men.
   Iron Age. The age of cruelty and hard-heartedness. When Hubert tells Prince Arthur he must burn his eyes out, the young prince replies, "Ah, none but in this iron age would do it." (Shakespeare: King John, iv. 1.)

Iron-arm Francis de Lanoue, the Huguenot soldier, Bras de Fer (1531-1591. (See Fierabras.)

Iron Duke (The). The Duke of Wellington was so called from his iron will. (1769-1852.)

Iron-hand or the Iron-hander. Goetz von Berlichingen ( Godfrey of Berlichingen), who lost his right hand at the siege of Landshut, and had one made of iron to supply its place. (1480-1562.) (See Silver- Hand.)

Iron Horse (The). The railway locomotive.

"We can now drive the iron horse from India down the valley of the Irrawaddy, and (via Moulmein) to the very gates of China, without any political impediment." - Mr. Hallet, Dec., 1885.

Iron Mask The man in the iron mask (called Lestang) was Count Ercolo Antonio Matthioli, a senator of Mantua, and private agent of Ferdinand Charles, Duke of Mantua. He suffered imprisonment of twenty-four years for having deceived Louis XIV. in a secret treaty for the purchase of the fortress of Casale, the key of Italy. The agents of Spain and Austria bribed him by out-bidding the Grande Monarque. The secrecy observed by all parties was inviolate, because the infamy of the transaction would not bear daylight. (H. G. A. Ellis: True History of the Iron Mask.)
    M. Loiseleur utterly denies that Matthioli (sometimes called Giacomo) was the real homme du masque de fer (See Temple Bar, May, 1872, pp. 182-184); but Marius Topin, in The Man in the Iron Mask, maintains it as an indubitable fact. There is an English translation of Topin's book by Vizetelli, published by Smith and Elder.
   There are several others "identified" as the veritable Iron Mask, e.g. —
   (1) Louis, Duc de Vermandois, natural son of Louis XIV. by De la Vallière,