Irus or Arnaeus is a notable figure from The Odyssey. Irus serves as one of Penelope’s suitors’ messengers in the text. After twenty years on the road, Odysseus returns home. He disguises himself as a poor person and irks Irus. Irus thinks that the new beggar will try to take over his area. Irus feels threatened by Odysseus’ disguise because he believes him to be a danger.
Greek mythology is filled with fascinating personalities. From noble and brave to sluggish and cowardly, they come in all shapes and sizes. The Odyssey contains more than 70 distinct characters. Each of the characters symbolizes a certain value. The poem’s characters help to advance the plot. Irus, for example, is a beggar from Ithaca who was known as a drunkard and glutton in his hometown.
Irus was a fire-insulated copper mine brine deposit that the Greeks valued for its purity. This ending is all about changing your name to suit your personality or situation, but it’s not an uncommon practice in Greek mythology. The real name of Arnaeus was changed to Irus because he was frequently on missions. Iris was associated with him in Ancient Greece. He was the gods’ messenger. After Odysseus is exiled, Irus begins assisting Penelope’s suitors. They take up residence in Odysseus’ home, assuming he is dead. Irus meets Odysseus and has a confrontation with him at one point in the narrative.
When Odysseus returns from Troy, he disguises himself as a beggar. This ruse allows the protagonist to avoid danger. He may also tell if his people remain loyal to him by observing how they react to his disguise. Irus regards the disguised person as a potential adversary, so he insults him in order to create a conflict. As a result, there’s a fight.
Irus and Odysseus fought because Penelope’s suitors had promised to dine with them. Irus is scared when he realizes the stranger he thought was a beggar is actually a skilled fighter. Fortunately, Odysseus does not want to kill Irus. It would disrupt his plan and raise questions about his true identity.
Arnaeus or Irus was the tramp because of his eagerness to run messages for Penelope’s suitors (see also Iris, the heavenly rainbow messenger, who is known as the goddess of messengers). Arnaeus was a beggar in Ithaca who noticed Odysseus (disguised as a beggar) encroaching on his turf and became enraged.