Iambe

Iambe (Greek Ἰάμβη ) was in Greek mythology a servant in the house of Celeus, the mythical first king of Eleusis. As the grieving for their abducted daughter Persephone Demeter stop off in the form of an old woman at Celeus, they do not like to put yourself first, to Iambe approaches her with a simple chair. But even then, it remains serious and full of grief until it succeeds Iambe by loose jokes to bring the goddess smile. In this ritual joke jokes and insults of the participants are to be returned during the Mysteries of Eleusis.

After Etymologicum magnum Iambe was Thracian origin, and a daughter of Pan and Echo. An etymological connection with iambic meter as on the one hand and on the other hand, words meaning " revile ", " mock " is assumed, however, unclear is the direction of dependency.

The shape of the Iambe is also identified with the similar figure of Baubo.

Swell

• Homeric Hymn to Demeter 192-197, 202-204
• Libraries of Apollodorus 1.5.1
• Diodorus 5.4
• Etymologicum magnum see v. Iambe