world; for, although it be now known that the waters | influence on the mind of Cleopatra, unless it be mere of this lake, instead of proving destructive of animal poetic exaggeration, would seem to imply that it had life. swarm with myriads of fishes (Chateaubriand, not always preserved its innocuous quality. It has vol. 1, p. 411, Lond., 1811); that, instead of falling been suggested by some critics, that the Mareotic victims to its exhalations, certain birds make it their wine did not come from the vicinity of the Lake Mapeculiar resort (Maundrell, p. 84, Oxf., 1721); that reotis, but from a canton of this name in Epirus. This shells abound upon its shores; that the pretended opinion rests for support on a passage in Herodotus fruit containing ashes is as natural and admirable a (2, 77), where it is stated that there were no vines in production of nature as the rest of the vegetable king- Egypt, and that the people drank a kind of beer in its dom, being the fruit of the Solanum Melangena, the stead (oive d'ék kρidéwv meñoinμévý diaxpéwvrai or inside of which, when the fruit is attacked by an in- yàp ooi elot ev Tỷ xúpy úμteĥoi). Malte-Brun sucsect (Tenthredo), turns to dust, while the skin remains cessfully combats this assertion, and shows, by very entire and of a beautiful colour; notwithstanding all clear proofs, that, under the Greeks and Romans, these and other facts are well established, yet even Egypt produced various kinds of wine. As regards the latest authors by whom it is mentioned continue the culture of the vine previous to the dominion of to fill their descriptions with imaginary horrors.-Re- these foreign powers, it appears very manifest, from land, in his account of the Lacus Asphaltites (Palæst., the paintings in the tombs throughout the Thebaid, vol. 1, p. 238), after inserting copious extracts from and other parts of the country, that it was far from beGalen concerning the properties and quality of the ing unknown. Some of these paintings represent the water, and its natural history, proceeds to account for whole process of the vintage. In the Sacred writings the strange fables that have prevailed with regard to also (Numb. 20, 5) there is a very plain allusion to its deadly influence, by showing that certain of the an- the vines of Egypt. We must either, therefore, concients confounded this lake with another, bearing the sider the remark of Herodotus incorrect, or refer it to same appellation of Asphaltites, near Babylon; and a part of the country merely. Perhaps, as the vines that they attributed to it qualities which properly be- were planted on the edge of the desert, above the level longed to the Babylonian waters. An account of the of the inundation, and not in Egypt properly so called, properties of the Babylonian lake occurs in the wri- the veracity of the historian may in this way be saved. tings of Vitruvius (8, 3), of Pliny (35, 15), of Athe- Unless this latter mode of explaning the difficulty be næus (2, 5), and of Xiphilinus (p. 252). From their adopted, he will be found to contradict himself, since various testimony it is evident, that all the phenomena it is stated in the 168th chapter of the same book, that supposed to belong to the Lake Asphaltites near Baby- the caste of warriors in Egypt received individually lon, were, from the similarity of their names, ulti- four measures of wine, oivov réσσapas àpvorпpas. mately considered as the natural characteristics of the (Compare Bulletin des Sciences Historiques, &c., vol. Judean lake, the two Asphaltites being confounded." 4, p. 77, seqq.)-The modern name of Lake Marcotis (Clarke's Travels, vol. 4, p. 399, Lond. ed.) is Mairout. For many ages after the Greek and Roman dominion in Egypt, it was dried up; for, though the bed is lower than the surface of the ocean, there is not sufficient rain to keep up any lake in the country in opposition to the force of perpetual evaporation. But in 1801, the English, in order to circumscribe more effectually the communications which the French army in the city of Alexandrea maintained with the surrounding country, cut across the walls of the old canal which had formed a dike, separating this low ground from Lake Maadie, or the Lake of Aboukir, on the east. In consequence of this easy operation, the water had a sudden fall of six feet, and the Lake Mareotis which had so long disappeared, and the site of which had been occupied partly by salt marshes, partly by cultivated lands, and even villages, resumed its ancient extent. The inhabitants of the villages were obliged to fly, and bewail from a distance the annihilation of their gardens and dwellings. This modern inundation of the sea is indeed much more extensive than the ancient Lake Mareotis, occupying probably four times its extent. (Malte-Brun, Geogr., vol. 4, p. 32, Am. ed.)

MAREOTIS, a lake of Egypt, in the immediate vicinity of Alexandrea. Its earlier name was Marea ( Mapeia iuvn); the later Greeks gave it the appellation of Mareotis (Maρeriç). The first writer that makes mention of it is Scylax (p. 44). "Pharos," says he, "is an uninhabited island, with a good harbour, but destitute of water. This last is obtained from the neighbouring lake Maria (EK Tñs Mapíaç Aiuvns údpevovτat.") The same writer informs us, that in very early times canals were cut connecting this lake with the Nile, and thus furnishing it with a constant supply of fresh water. The Lake Mareotis first rose into importance after the founding of Alexandrea. From this period it is mentioned by all the geographical writers, but the most particular description is given by Strabo (799). "The Lake Marea," says Strabo, "is more than 150 stadia in breadth, and not quite 300 in length. It extends on the west as far as the fortress called Chersonesus, which is 70 stadia from Alexandrea. It contains eight islands, and all the country around is well inhabited." In another part (p. 793) he informs us, that many canals connected this lake with the Nile, and that thus, in the summer season, when the lake would otherwise have been low, the inundation of the Nile afforded it an abundant supply of water, and rendered the neighbouring country, and Alexandrea in particular, extremely healthy; since, otherwise, had the waters of the lake been diminished by the summer heats, the sun would have acted on the mud left uncovered along the banks, and would have produced pestilence. Of these canals he remarks, on another occasion (p. 803), that many of them struck the Nile between Gynæcopolis and Momemphis. Along the canals connecting the river with the lake was the merchandise transported to Alexandrea, to be conveyed thence into the Mediterranean Sea. The country around the lake was remarkable for its fertility. The principal product was wine. It was a light, sweetish white wine, with a delicate perfume, of easy digestion, and not apt to affect the head; though the allusion in Horace (Od., 1, 37, 14) to its

MARGIANA, a country of Asia, lying along the river Margus, from which it derived its name. According to Ptolemy, it was bounded on the west by Parthiene, on the north by the Oxus, on the east by Bactriana, and on the south by Asia and the Sariphian mountains. It now answers to the northern part of Chorasan. (Compare Plin., 6, 16-Strabo, 515.) Strabo speaks in strong terms of the fertility of Margiana, and states that it took two men to clasp the lower part of the stem of the vines with their arms. (Strab., 73.)

MARGITES, the title of one of the minor poems ascribed to Homer. (Vid. Homerus, p. 642, col. 1.)

MARGUS, I. a river in Masia Superior, rising from Mount Orbelus, and falling into the Danube to the west of Viminacium. It is now the Morawa.-II. A river of Margiana, falling into the Oxus northwest of Nisea. It is now the Mariab. (Plin., 6, 16.)

MARIABA, I. a city of the Calingii, in the southeastern part of Arabia Felix, 13 miles northeast of

Muza; now Mareb.-II. A city of the Sabæi, in Arabia Felix. (Plin., 6, 28.)

MARIA LEX, I. by C. Marius, when tribune, A.U.C. 634. It ordained that the passages, called pontes, by which the people passed to give their votes at the comitia, should be narrower, in order that there might be no crowding there, and that no persons might take their stand there to impede or disturb the voters. (Cic., Leg., 3, 17.)-II. Maria Porcia, so called because proposed by two tribunes, Marius and Porcius. It was passed A.U.C.691, and ordained that those commanders should be punished who, in order to obtain a triumph, wrote to the senate a false account of the number of the enemy slain in battle, or of the citizens that were missing; and that, when commanders returned to the city, they should swear before the city quæstors to the truth of the account which they had sent. (Val. Max., 2, 8, 1.)

MARIANA FOSSA, a canal cut by Marius from the river Rhone, through the Campus Lapideus, into the Lake Mastramela. It was probably near the modern Martigues. (Mela, 2, 5.-Plin., 3, 4.). ·

MARIANDYNI, a people of Bithynia, to the east of the river Sangarius. They were of uncertain origin; but, since they differed neither in language nor in customs materially from the Bithynians, they might justly be considered as part of the same great Thracian stock. (Strab., 542.) That they were barbarous is allowed by all; and Theopompus, whose authority is referred to by Strabo, reported, that when the Megarians founded Heraclea in their territory, they easily subjected the Mariandyni, and reduced them to a state of abject slavery, similar to that of the Mnotæ in Crete, and the Penesta in Thessaly. (Strab., l. c.-Posidon., ap. Athen., 6, p. 263.-Athen., 14, p. 620.)

cree; and when Metellus continued to support it, he commanded him to be led away to prison. Marius obtained the prætorship with great difficulty, in consequence of the violent opposition of the patrician order, who accused him of having obtained the office by means of bribery. At the expiration of his prætorship the province of Spain was assigned to him, which he cleared of robbers. On his return to Rome he was anxious to obtain the consulship; but he did not venture to become a candidate for many years after. He continued, however, to rise in public opinion, and appears about this time to have married Julia, one of the Julian family, who was aunt to the celebrated Julius Cæsar. In B.C. 109 he accompanied Metellus into Africa, in the capacity of legatus; and by his prudence and courage in the war with Jugurtha, he added greatly to his military reputation. His friends took advantage of his increasing popularity at Rome to persuade the people that the war with Jugurtha would never be concluded until the command was given to Marius. This led to an open rupture between him and Metellus; and it was with the greatest difficulty that the latter allowed his lieutenant Marius leave of absence to go to Rome in order to stand for the consulship. Marius was, however, successful; he obtained the consulship B.C. 107, and the command of the Jugurthine war. On his arrival in Africa he prosecuted the war with the greatest vigour; and in the following year (B.C. 106) obtained possession of the person of Jugurtha, who was treacherously given up by Bocchus to his quæstor Sylla. Marius remained in Africa during the next year (B.C. 105), in which the consul Manlius and the proconsul Cæpio were defeated by the Teutones and Cimbri, with the prodigious loss, according to Livy (Epit., 67), of 80,000 soldiers, besides 40,000 camp followers. The news of their defeat caused the greatest consternation at Rome, especially as the Teutones and Cimbri threatened the immediate invasion of Italy; and Marius was accordingly elected consul in his absence, without any opposition even from the patrician party, as the only man in the state who was able to save it from impending ruin. He entered upon his second consulship B.C. 104, and enjoyed a triumph for his victories over Jugurtha; but, in consequence of the threatened invasion of Italy having been deferred by an irruption of the Cimbri into Spain, he was again chosen consul in the two following years (B.Č. 103, 102). In the fourth consulship of Marius (B. C. 102), the Cimbri, having been defeated by the Celtiberi in Spain, returned to Gaul, MARIUS, CAIUS, a celebrated Roman, was born of and resolved to invade Italy in two divisions; the humble parents, at or in the neighbourhood of Arpi- one consisting of the Teutones and Ambrones (a Galnum, about B.C. 157. He served at the siege of Nu- lic people), through Gallia Narbonensis; and the othmantia, B.C. 134, under Scipio Africanus, together er, comprising the Cimbri, by way of Noricum. Mawith Jugurtha, where he highly distinguished himself. rius defeated the Teutones and Ambrones near Aquæ He received great marks of honour from Scipio, who Sextia (now Air) in Gaul; but Catulus, who was used frequently to invite him to his table; and when, stationed at the foot of the Alps to oppose the pasone evening at supper, Scipio was asked where they sage of the Cimbri, retreated first to the other side of should find so great a general when he was gone, he the Athesis (now the Adige), and afterward quitted is said to have replied, placing his hand upon the this position also, without waiting for the enemy's atshoulder of Marius, Here, perhaps." In B.C. 119 tack. In the following year (B.Č. 101), Marius, who he was elected tribune of the commons, through the was again elected consul for the fifth time, joined his influence of Cæcilius Metellus, according to Plutarch, forces with those of Catulus, and entirely defeated but more probably in consequence of the fame he had the Cimbri in the plain of Vercella (now Vercelli), acquired in the Numantine war. In this office he situate to the north of the Po, near the Sessites. In showed himself, as he did throughout the whole course these two battles the Teutones and Ambrones are said of his life, a most determined enemy of the patrician to have lost the incredible number of 290,000 men order, and one who was not easily to be put down by (200,000 slain, and 90,000 taken prisoners); and the the threats and opposition of his enemies. Having Cimbri 200,000 men (140,000 slain, and 60,000 taken proposed a law to prevent illegal voting at elections, prisoners). (Liv., Epit., 68.) Marius again became the senate passed a decree that the law should not be candidate for the consulship for the following year; put to the vote in the popular assembly, and summon- but, now that the fear of the Gallic invasion was reed Marius before them to answer for his conduct. moved, he was opposed by the whole strength of the Marius not only appeared, but threatened to commit patrician party. He nevertheless obtained the conthe consuls to prison if they did not repeal the de-sulship, in great part owing to the exertions of Satur

MARICA, I. a nymph of the river Liris, who had a grove near Minturnæ, into which, if anything was brought, it was not lawful to take it out again. (Plut., Vit. Marii, 39.) According to some authorities, she was the same with Circe. (Lactant., de Fals. Rel., 1, 21.) Virgil, however, makes her the wife of Faunus, and mother of Latinus. (En., 7, 47.-Serv., ad loc.)

MARINUS, a native of Tyre, who flourished in the second century of the Christian era, a short time before Ptolemy. An account of his work on Mathematical Geography will be given under the article Ptole

mæus.

MARISUS, a river of Dacia which falls into the Tibiscus; now the Marosch. (Strabo.-Jornand., de Reb. Get., p. 102 )

minus, the tribune, who is described as a man that | patrician party. Shortly afterward, Marius and Cinscrupled at the commission of no crime to accom- na entered the city at the head of a large army, and plish his object. The events of the sixth consulship a general massacre of the opposite party ensued.— of Marius, which are some of the most important in Marius always appears to have been of a fierce and this period of Roman history, are imperfectly narrated unrelenting temper; and the sufferings he had lately by historians. It appears that an agrarian law, pro- undergone, which at his time of life must have greatposed by Saturninus, and supported by Marius and ly impaired his health, tended to exasperate him more one of the prætors named Glaucia, was carried, not- than ever against the party which had opposed and withstanding the most violent opposition of the patri- thwarted him during the whole of his life. All the cian party; and that Metellus Numidicus was driven leaders of the patrician party who were unable to esinto exile, in consequence of refusing to take the oath cape from Rome, were put to death. Lutatius Catuof conforming to the law. When the election of con- lus, who had been the colleague of Marius in the war suls for the ensuing year came on, Memmius, who with the Cimbri, destroyed himself to avoid assasopposed Glaucia as a candidate for the office, was sination; and among the numerous illustrious patri murdered by order of Saturninus; and the senate, cians that fell were C. and L. Julius Cæsar, and the perceiving the city to be in a state of anarchy, passed celebrated orator M. Antonius, who is so frequently the usual decree, "that the consuls should take care praised by Cicero, and is one of the principal speakthat the republic received no injury," by which almost ers in the dialogue "De Oratore." Marius and Cinna absolute power was vested in those magistrates. Ma- declared themselves consuls for the ensuing year rius, unable or unwilling to protect his old friends, be- (B.C. 86), without even holding the comitia; but sieged Saturninus and Glaucia, who had seized upon Marius died of a fever in the beginning of the year, the Capitol. They surrendered to Marius on the prom- on the 17th day of his consulship according to Pluise that their lives should be spared, but they were tarch (Vit. Mar., c. 46), or the 13th according to all immediately put to death. It appears probable Livy (Epit. 80).-The character o Marius is chiefly that Marius, after the blow which had been given to known to us from his life by Plutarch, who appears the popular party by the surrender of Saturninus and to have taken his account from the "Memoirs of SylGlaucia, would not have been able to save their lives, la," the inveterate enemy of Marius. It cannot be even if he had made the attempt. At the expiration denied, that, after his return from exile, Marius was of his consulship, Marius left Rome, to avoid witness-guilty of the greatest cruelties; but even these were ing the triumph of the patrician party in the return surpassed by the atrocities of Sylla; and we should of his old enemy Metellus, whose sentence of ban- not be doing justice to Marius if we ascribed to him ishment was repealed after the death of Saturninus. during the whole of his life the character which he According to Plutarch, he went to Cappadocia and displayed in his seventh consulship. "I have seen," Galatia, under the pretence of offering a sacrifice says Plutarch, "the statue of Marius at Ravenna, in which he had vowed to Cybele, but with the real Gaul, which expresses in a remarkable manner his object of exciting Mithradates to war, in order that sternness and severity. Since he was naturally rohe might be again employed in military affairs, since bust and warlike, and more acquainted with the arts he did not obtain much distinction in peace. In B.C. of war than those of peace, he was fierce and haughty 90 the Marsian or Social war broke out, in which when in authority. It is said that he never learned both Marius and Sylla were employed as legati to the Greek, and that he would not make use of that lantwo consuls. Marius gained several victories over guage on any serious occasion; as if it were ridicuthe enemy, but he no longer possessed that activity lous to learn the language of a people who were suband energy which had distinguished him in his earlier ject to others. If he could have been persuaded to years; and disgusted, it is said, with the increasing pay his court to the Grecian Muses and Graces, he reputation of Sylla, he resigned his command before would not, after bearing so many honourable offices, the conclusion of the war. The Marsian war had and performing so many glorious exploits, have crownscarcely been brought to an end, before the civil war ed the whole by a most savage and infamous old age, broke out between Marius and Sylla. The command in consequence of his yielding to anger, ill-timed amof the Mithradatic war had been assigned to the latter, bition, and insatiable avarice." (Plut., Vit. Mar.who was now consul (B.C. 88); but Marius used ev- Sall., Bell. Jug.-Encycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 14, p. 420, ery effort to wrest it from him, and is said by Plu- seq.)-II. Son of the preceding, resembled his father tarch to have gone every day to the Campus Martius, in private character, and was equally fierce and vinand to have performed his exercises with the young dictive. He seized upon the consulship at the age men, although he was now in his 70th year, and very of 27, and put to death numbers of his political oppocorpulent, in order to show that he was not incapaci- nents.' Defeated subsequently by Sylla, he fled to tated by age. He was warmly supported by P. Sul- Præneste, where he slew himself. (Plut., Vit. Mar.) picius, the tribune, who possessed great property and III. Mercator, an ecclesiastical writer, the antaginfluence; and a law was eventually passed, that the onist of Celestius and Nestorius, who flourished becommand should be taken from Sylla and given to tween 425 and 450 A.D. His country is not exactly Marius. Sylla was with the army at the time, besie-known: some believe him to have been a native of ging Nola; but, as soon as he heard of the law which Apulia; others, of some other province of Lower Itahad been passed, he marched to Rome, and Marius ly; and others, again, of Africa. It appears that he and his adherents were obliged to flee from the city. was not a priest. He has left behind him a number After wandering through many parts of Italy, Marius of works, or, rather, translations from the Greek, conescaped with the greatest difficulty to Africa; but he sisting of pieces relative to the heresies of Pelagius had no sooner landed at Carthage than Sextilius, the and Nestorius, of extracts from the works of the latgovernor of the province, sent word to him, that, unless ter, refutations of his doctrine, errors of Theodorus he quitted Africa, he should treat him as a public ene- and Mopsuestus, acts of synods held against heretics, my. "Go and tell him," replied the wanderer, "that &c. Marius Mercator was the disciple and friend of you have seen the exile Marius sitting on the ruins of St. Augustine. His works were edited by Garner, Carthage." But, in the following year (B.C. 87), du- Paris, 1673, 2 vols. fol., and by Baluze, Paris, 1684. ring the absence of Sylla, who had gone to Greece IV. Marcus Aurelius Marius Augustus, was orito oppose Archelaus, Marius returned to Italy in orginally an armourer or blacksmith in Gaul. He afder to join the consul Cinna, who, in his attempt to terward turned his attention to a military life, and abrogate the laws of Sylla, had been driven from soon raised himself, by his merit, to the highest staRome by his colleague Octaving, supported by the tions. After the death of Victorinus the younger, the

army elected Marius emperor. It is generally supposed that the Empress Victorina contributed to his elevation, with the hope of preserving her own authority; but this is denied by some modern writers, who maintain that she took part in the conspiracy which deprived Marius of his crown and life. (De Boze, Dissertation sur un médaillon de Tetricus.Mem de l'Acad. des Inscr., vol. 26.) He reigned only three days, and was slain by a soldier to whom he had refused some favour, and who, in stabbing him, exclaimed, "Take it-it was thou thyself that forged it." Marius was remarkable for personal strength, of which historians give some accounts that are evidently fabulous. (Treb. Pollio, Trigint. Tyrann.-Vit. Marii.)

the elegant and classic character of those of Cyrene, being ruder, and more in the Egyptian style. (Pacho, Voyage dans la Marmarique, p. 63, seqq.) The inhabitants of this region are entirely Bedouins, chiefly of the great tribe of Welled Ali, and are supposed by M. Pacho not to exceed 38,000. (Modern Traveller, pt. 50, p. 182, seqq.)

MARMARIDE, the inhabitants of Marmarica.

MARMARIUM, a place in the immediate vicinity of Carystus, in Euboea, which furnished the valuable marble for which Carystus was famed. A temple was erected here to Apollo Marmarus. Marmarium was exactly opposite to Hala Araphenides in Attica. (Strabo, 446.-Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 2, p. 142.) MARO. Vid. Virgilius.

MARON, I. a priest of Apollo in Thrace, near Maronea. (Hom., Od., 9, 197.)-II. A follower of Osiris, well acquainted with the art of rearing the vine. (Diod. Sic., 1, 18.) Athenæus (1, 25) makes him a follower of Bacchus. He was fabled to have been the founder of Maronea in Thrace. (Consult Wesseling's note, ad Diod., l. c.)

MARONEA, a town of Thrace, southeast of the Bistonis Palus, on the coast. It was a place of some note, and is mentioned by Herodotus (7, 109), Scylax (p. 27), Strabo (Epit., 7, p. 331), and several other writers. Diodorus Siculus (1, 18) reports that it was founded by Maron, a follower of Osiris (vid. Maron), but Scymnus affirms (v. 675) that it was a colony of Chios. Pliny states that the more ancient name was Ortagurea (4, 11). The same writer extols the excellence of its wine (14, 4), whence a comic writer, quoted by Athenæus (8, 44), styled it a tavern. Maronea, taken in the first Macedonian war by Philip, king of Macedon (Liv., 31, 16), and his retaining possession of it, was subsequently made a cause of complaint against him at Rome (39, 24). According to Mela, it was situated near a small river named Schonus. Its ruins are still called Marogna. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p. 313.)

MARMARICA, a country of Africa, to the east of Cyrenaïca, lying along the Mediterranean shore. It forms at present a part of the district of Barca. The inhabitants were a roving race, and remarkable for their skill in taming serpents. (Sil. Ital., 3, 300.) The ancient Marmarica was a region much less highly favoured by nature than Cyrenaica. According to Della Cella (p. 182, seqq.), the general features of the country, however, are similar to those of the region last mentioned. "We wound our way," says this traveller, "among wild and rugged mountains, frequently enlivened by groups of evergreens; among which the cypress, arbutus, Phoenician juniper, gigantic myrtle, carob, and laurel, were most abundant; and as they form no long and uniform woods, but are scattered about in a variety of forms and groups among the rocks, they are very picturesque ornaments of the scenery. The ground is throughout broken and irregular, and does not slope down into pastures, as in Cyrenaica; but the privation of that agreeable feature has its compensation, for the want of grasslands secures this district from the incursions of the vagabond hordes in its neighbourhood. The woody and elevated nature of this country affords frequent and copious springs of clear and most delicious water. This tract of border country is, as in former times, the resort of all the thieves, miscreants, and malcontents of the two governments of Tripoli and Egypt. Pitching their tents in the neighbourhood of the Bay of Bomba, they make incursions into the adjacent districts, and pillage all who have the misfortune to fall in their way. They are ever on the watch for the caravans and pilgrims who traverse this country on their way to Mecca; and this is the only route used by the people of Morocco, above all others the most fervently devoted to their prophet."M. Pacho speaks of the general aspect of Marmarica in still less favourable terms. The soil, he says, is rocky, of a yellowish-gray colour, and depends for its fertility solely on the copious rains. The country presents none of those verdant groves of laurel and myrtle which crown the mountains and overshadow the valleys of the Pentapolis. The singing-birds, vainly seeking foliage and shelter, flee from this naked region; only birds of prey, the eagle, the hawk, and the vulture, appear in numerous flights, their sinister screams rendering the solitude more frightful. The jackal, the hyena, the jerboa, the hare, and the gazelle, are the wild animals which chiefly abound; and the existence of man is indicated merely by the bleating of distant flocks, and the dark tent of the Arab. Yet this country also exhibits traces of having once been occupied by a civilized and even numerous popula-slip of territory on the right bank of the river Aternus, tion, and there are marks of the extraordinary exertions which were made to supply the deficiency of water. Canals of irrigation cross the plain in every direction, and even wind up the sides of the hills. The ancient cisterns are numerous; they are frequently divided into several chambers, adorned with pillars, and coated with a cement harder than stone. But the monuments of Marmarica possess none of

MARPESSA, daughter of Evenus, was beloved by Apollo, whose suit was favoured by her father. Idas, another applicant for her hand, having obtained a winged chariot from Neptune, carried off the apparently not reluctant maid. Her father pursued the fugitives, but, coming to the river Lycormas, and finding his progress stopped by it, he slew his horses and cast himself into the stream, which from him derived its name Evenus. Meantime Apollo met and took the fair prize from Idas. The matter being referred to Jupiter, he al."-lowed the maiden to choose for herself; whereupon, fearing that when she grew old Apollo would desert her, she wisely chose to match with her equal, and gave her hand to her mortal lover. (Apollod., 1, 1, 7.-Schol. ad Il., 9, 557.-Keightley's Mythology, p. 119, seq.)

MARPESUS, I. a town of Troas, to the north of the Scamander, and to the west of Troja Vetus. (Tibull., 2, 5, 67 )—II. or Marpessa (Máρñŋooɑ), a mountain in the island of Paros, containing the quarries whence the famous Parian marble was obtained. Hence the expresssion of Virgil, Marpesia cautes (En., 6, 471.— Compare Plin., 36, 4.-Jornand., de Reb. Get., p. 88). This mountain was situate to the west of the harbour of Marmora. Dr. Clarke gives Capresso as the modern name. (Travels, vol. 6, p. 134, Lond. ed.)

MARRUCINI, a people of Italy, occupying a narrow

between the Vestini to the north and the Frentani to the south, and between the Peligni and the sea towards the east and west. Cato derived their origin from the Marsi (ap. Priscian., c. 8). Like that people, they were accounted a hardy and warlike race, and with them they made common cause against the tyranny of Rome. An idea may be formed of the population and force of the several petty nations in this quarter of

Italy, from a statement of Polybius (2, 24), where | spouse) he seems to have known nothing. In the Iliad that historian, in enumerating the different contingents we may observe that Mars and Venus are spoken of as which the allies of the Romans were able to furnish brother and sister, much in the same manner as Apollo about the time of the second Punic war, estimates that and Diana. (II, 5, 359, seq.—Ib., 21, 416, seqq.)— of the Marsi, Marrucini, Vestini, and Frentani, at The best known of the children of this god by imortal 20,000 foot and 4000 horse. The only city of note women were Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, Enomaus, which we find ascribed to the Marrucini, is Teate, king of Pisa, Diomedes of Thrace, Cycnus, Phlegyas, now Chieti, on the right bank of the Aternus. (Cra- Dryas, Parthenopaus, and Tereus. He was also said mer's Anc. Italy, vol. 1, p. 339.) to be the sire of Meleager and other hero-princes of Etolia. The temples and images of Mars were not numerous. He was represented as a warrior, of a severe and menacing air, dressed in the heroic style, with a cuirass on, and a round Argive shield on his arm. His arms are sometimes borne by his attendants. (Keightley's Mythology, p. 104, seqq.)

MARKUVIUM, I. a town of the Sabines, answering to the modern Morro Vecchio.-II. The capital of the Marsi, situate on the eastern shore of the Lacus Fucinus, and corresponding to the modern San Benedetto. (Strabo, 241.-Plin., 3, 12.-Cramer's Anc. Italy, vol. 1, p. 328.)

MARSACI, a people of Gallia Belgica, of German origin, and belonging to the great tribe of the Istævones. According to Wilhelm (Germanien und seine Bewohner, Weimar, 1823), they occupied the islands between the mouths of the Mase and Scheld. Wersebe, however (über die Völker des Alten Teutschlands, Hannover, 1826), makes their territory correspond to the modern province of Utrecht. They are

MARS (in Greek Apns), the god of war, about whose parentage different accounts are given. Homer (Il., 5, 892, seqq.) and Hesiod (Theog., 922) make him to have been the offspring of Jupiter and Juno. Others say that he was the son of Enyo or Bellona. (Schol. ad Il., l. c.) Ovid, however, gives a different version of the fable. According to this poet, Juno wished to become a mother by herself, just as Jupiter had become a father in the case of Minerva. On ap-mentioned by Tacitus (Hist., 4, 56) and Pliny (4, 29). plying to Flora for aid in the accomplishment of her design, the latter directed her to pluck a certain flower which grew near the city of Olenus, the touch of which would make her instantly a mother. Juno obeyed, and straightway conceived the god Mars. (Ovid, Fast., 5, 227, seqq.)-The delight of Mars was in war and strife; yet his wild fury was always forced to yield to the skill and prudence of Minerva, guided by whom Diomede, in the Iliad, wounds and drives him from the battle (Il., 5, 855); and in the conflict of the gods (I., 21, 391), this goddess strikes him to the earth with a stone. To give an idea of his huge size and strength, the poet says, in the former case, that he roared as loud as nine or ten thousand men; and in the latter, that he covered seven plethra of ground. Terror and Fear (Aɛuóc and Póbor), the sons of Mars, and Strife (Epic), his sister, accompany him to the field when he seeks the battle. (I., 4, 440.) Another of his companions is Enyo ('Evvó), the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, according to Hesiod (Theog, 273), a war-goddess answering to the Bellona of the Romans. The name Enyalius, which is frequently given to him in the Iliad, corresponds with hers.The figurative language, which expresses origin and resemblance by terms of paternity, gave a mortal progeny to Mars. As a person who came by sea was figuratively called a son of Neptune, so a valiant warrior was termed a son, or, as it is sometimes expressed by Homer, a branch or shoot of Mars (ŏ5os "Apnos). But the only tale of his amours related at any length by the poets, is that in the case of Venus. (Hom., Od., 8, 266, seqq.-Ovid, A. A., 2, 561.) This tale is an evident interpolation in the Odyssey, where it occurs. Its date is uncertain; though the language, the ideas, and the state of society which it supposes, might almost lead us to assign its origin to a comparatively late period. It is generally supposed to be a physical myth, or, rather, a combination of two such myths; for beauty might naturally have been made the spouse of the god, from whose workshop proceeded so many elegant productions of art; and, as we are about to show, another physical view might have led to the union of Mars and Venus. Hesiod, for example, says (Theog, 937) that Harmonia (Order) was the daughter of Mars and Venus. This has evidently all the appearance of a physical myth, for from Love and Strife (i. e., attraction and repulsion), arises the order or harmony of the universe. (Plut., de Is. et Os., 48.Aristot., Pol., 2, 6.-Welcker, Kret. Kol., 40.) Terror and Fear are also said by Hesiod (Theog., 934) to have been the offspring of Mars and Venus, of whose union with Vulcan (to whom he gives a different |

MARSI, I. a people in the northwestern part of Germany, belonging to the great tribe of the Istævones. They appear to have been originally settled on both banks of the Lippe, whence they spread south to the Tenchtheri. Weakened by the Roman arms, they retired into the interior of Germany, and from this period disappeared from history. (Mannert, Geogr., vol. 3, p. 168.)-II. A nation of Italy, whose territory lay to the northeast of Latium, and southeast of the count of the Sabines. Though inconsiderable as a people they are yet entitled to honourable notice in the page of history, for their hardihood and warlike spirit. Their origin, like that of many other Italian tribes, is enveloped in obscurity and fiction. A certain Phrygian, named Marsyas, is said to have been the founder of their race (Solin., 8); by others Marsus, the son of Circe (Plin., 7, 2), and hence they are represented as enchanters, whose potent spells deprived the viper of its venom, or cured the hurt which it might have caused. (Virg., Æn., 7, 750.—Sil. Ital., 8, 497.)— We do not find the Marsi engaged in war with Rome before A.U.C. 445, when they were defeated and forced to sue for peace. (Livy, 9, 41.) Six years after they again assumed a hostile character, but with as little success; they were beaten in the field, and lost several of their fortresses. (Liv., 10, 3.) From that time we find them the firm and stanch allies of Rome, and contributing by their valour to her triumphs, till her haughty and domineering spirit compelled them and most of the other neighbouring people to seek, by force of arms, for that redress of their wrongs, and that concession of privileges and immunities, to which they were justly entitled, but which was not to be granted to their entreaties. In the war which ensued, and which, from that circumstance, is called the Marsic as well as Social War, the Marsi were the first to take the field under their leader Silus Pompædius, A.U.C. 661. Though often defeated, the perseverance of the allies was at last crowned with success, by the grant of those immunities which they may be said to have extorted from the Roman senate, A.U.C. 665. (Straho, 241.-Vell. Paterc., 2, 16.-Appian, Bell. Civ., 1, 39.-Liv., Epit., 72.) The valour of the Marsi is sufficiently indicated by the proverbial saying which Appian records (Bell. Civ., 1, 46), "that there was no triumph to be obtained either over the Marsi or without their aid: oυTE KаTà Máрowy, oйTε úveν Mápσων, γενέσθαι θρίαμβον.” (Cramer's Anc. Italy, vol. 1, p. 325, seqq.)

MARSYAS, I. a satyr of Phrygia, son of ympus, who, having found the pipe which Minerva, for fear of injuring her beauty, had thrown away, contended with