Irus

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In Greek mythology, Irus was one of several figures:

  1. Irus (also Iros) was a nickname given to Arnaeus the beggar, due to his willingness to run messages for the suitors (see also Iris, the divine rainbow messenger). He was a beggar in Ithaca who challenged Odysseus, disguised as another beggar, to a boxing match. Odysseus knocked him out with a single jab to the left side of the head. Irus's appearance within the epic develops the Homeric themes of savagery, punishing the inhospitable, and appearances vs. reality.
  2. Irus was the son of Actor and Aegina, and with Demonassa was the father of Eurydamas and Eurytion.

In biology, Irus is a genus of clam in the family Veneridae