METIS (Prudence), daughter of Oceanus, was the first wife of Jupiter, and exceeded gods and men in knowledge. Heaven and Earth, however, having told Jupiter that the first child of Metis, a maid, would equal him in strength and counsel; and that her second, a son, would be king of gods and men, he deceived her when she was pregnant, and swallowed her; and, after a time, the goddess Minerva sprang from his head. (Apollod., 1, 3, 6.) Metis is said to have given a potion to Saturn, which compelled him to vomit up the offspring whom he had swallowed.(Apollod, 1, 2, 1.) of Leuterochori. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p. | lene, a circumstance which appears to have created 216.). A city of Thessaly, noticed by Homer considerable rivalry between them, and probably in(Il., 2, 716), and situate, like the preceding, on the duced the Methymneans to adhere to the Athenians, seacoast. It must not, however, be confounded with while their neighbours were bent on detaching themthe Macedonian one, an error into which Stephanus selves from that power. (Thucyd., 3, 2, 18.) As a seems to have fallen (s. v. Mɛ0wvn.)-III. A city of reward for their fidelity, the Methymneans were exMessenia, on the western coast, below Pylos Messe- empted from contributions in money. (Thuryl., 6, niacus. According to Pausanias, the name was Mo- 85.) Towards the close of the Peloponnesian war, thone. Tradition reported, that it was so called from Methymna fell into the power of the Spartan comMothone, the daughter of Eneas; but it more probably mander Callicratidas, who, though urged to treat the derived its name from the rock Mothon, which formed citizens with severity, and to sell them as slaves, rethe breakwater of its harbour. (Pausan., 4, 35.) fused to comply with the advice, declaring that, as Strabo informs us, that, in the opinion of many wri- long as he was admiral, no Greek, as far as lay in his ters, Methone should be identified with Pedasus, rank- | power, should be enslaved. (Xen., Hist. Gr., 1, 6, 8.) ed by Homer among the seven towns which Agamem- The best Lesbian wine was obtained from an adjanon offered to Achilles. (Il., 9, 1294.-Strab., 359.) cent territory belonging to this city (Ovid, A. A., 1, Pausanias makes the same observation. In the Pelo- 57), and hence Bacchus was frequently called the god ponnesian war Methone was attacked by some Athe- of Methymna. (Athenæus, 8, p. 363, b.-Pausan., nian troops, who were conveyed thither in a fleet sent 10, 19.) According to Strabo, this city was the na to ravage the coast of the Peloponnesus; but Brasidas, tive place of the historian Hellanicus. (Strab., 616.) who was quartered in the neighbourhood, having forced It was also the birthplace of Arion, whose adventure his way through the enemy's line, threw himself into with the dolphin is related by Herodotus (1, 23).— the town with 100 men, which timely succour obliged The modern name, according to D'Anville, is Porto the Athenians to re-embark their troops. (Thucyd., Petera; but Olivier (vol. 2, p. 87) makes Molico, 2, 25.) Methone subsequently received a colony of which others write Moliwa, correspond to the site of Nauplians these, being expelled their native city by the ancient city. (Compare De Sinner, ad Bondelthe Argives, were established here by the Lacedæmo-mont., Ins. Archipel., p. 219.- Cramer's Asia Minor, nians. (Pausan, 4, 35.) Many years after, it sus- vol. 1, p. 160.) tained great loss from the sudden attack of some Illyrian pirates, who carried off a number of inhabitants, both men and women. Methone was afterward besieged and taken by Agrippa, who had the command of a Roman fleet: that general having found here Bocchus (Boyos), king of Mauritania, caused him to be put to death as a partisan of Marc Antony. (Strab., 359.) We learn from Pausanias that Trajan especially favoured this city, and bestowed several privileges on its inhabitants. Sir W. Gell states, that at about 2700 paces to the east of Modon is a place called Palaio Mothone, where are vestiges of a city. Modon is a Greek town of some size, with a fortress METTUS, OF METTIUS FUFFETIUS, I. dictator of Albuilt by the Venetians. · (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. ba. He fought against the Romans in the reign of 3, p. 137.)-IV. or Methana, a peninsula of Argolis, Tullus Hostilius, and agreed at length with the foe within the district of Trazene, formed by the harbour to leave the issue of the war to a combat between or bay of Pogon on one side, and the curvature of the three Horatii and three Curiatii. Beholding with the Epidaurian Gulf on the other, and connected with pain his country subdued by the defeat of the latter, the mainland by a narrow isthmus, which the Athe- he imagined that he should be able to recover her nians occupied and fortified in the seventh year of the freedom for her by joining with the Fidenates, who Peloponnesian war. (Thucyd., 4, 45.) Diodorus Sic- had attempted, during the late war, to shake off the ulus says it was taken by the same people under Tol- Roman yoke. Secretly encouraged by him, they took mides, in the interval between the Persian and Pelo the field, and advanced to the neighbourhood of Rome, ponnesian wars and this is perhaps the meaning of in conjunction with the Veientes, their allies. FuffeThucydides, when he says that, on peace being made, tius had promised to abandon the Romans, and go or, rather, a truce for thirty years, Trazene, among over to the Fidenates and Veientes in the middle of other towns, was restored to the Peloponnesians. the engagement. He had not courage enough to keep (Thucyd., 1, 115.) Within the peninsula was a small his word, but proved a traitor alike to the Romans town, also called Methone, which possessed a temple and to his new allies, by drawing off his troops from of Isis. About thirty stadia from the town were to the line of battle, and yet not marching over to the be seen some hot springs, produced by the eruption foe, but waiting to see which side would conquer. of a volcano in the reign of Antigonus Gonatas. The Romans gained the victory, and Fuffetius was (Pausan., 2, 34.) Dodwell says, that "the moun- torn asunder by being attached to two four-horse chartainous promontory of Methana consists chiefly of a iots, that were driven in different directions. (Liv., volcanic rock of a dark colour. The outline is grand 1, 23, seqq.)-The common form of the name is Metand picturesque, and the principal mountain which tus Fuffetius, but the more correct one is Mettius, as was thrown up by the volcano is of a conical form. is shown by Niebuhr (Rom. Hist., vol. 1, p. 299, Eng. Its apparent height is about equal to that of Vesu-transl.)-II. Tarpa, a critic. (Vid. Tarpa.) The ancient city of Methone, according to METON, a celebrated astronomer, who lived at Aththe same intelligent traveller, "was situated in the ens in the fifth century B.C. He was, according plain, at the foot of its acropolis, near which are a few to some, a Lacedæmonian (Aákov), but the best auremains of two edifices." (Dodwell, vol. 2, p. 281.- thorities call him a Leuconian (AεvкоviεUS). He is Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 269, segg.) said to have pretended insanity in order not to go with the Athenian expedition against Syracuse, the disastrous termination of which he plainly foresaw.-—-—The solstices which Meton observed with Euctemor are preserved by Ptolemy. He is best known, however, as the founder of the celebrated lunar cycle, vius." METHYMNA, a city of Lesbos, lying opposite to Assus in Troas, and situate, according to Ptolemy, near the northernmost point of the island. It was, next to Mytilene, the most important city of Lesbos. The territory of the place was contiguous to that of Myti called "the Metonic" after his name, and which is still preserved by the Western churches in their computation of Easter. This cycle takes its rise as follows: 235 revolutions of the moon are very nearly 19 revolutions of the sun, and one complete revolution of the moon's node. If these approximations were exact, all the relative phenomena of the sun and moon, particularly those of eclipses, would recommence in the same order, at the end of every 19 years. There is, however, an error of some hours in every cycle. The first year of the first Metonic period commenced with the summer solstice of the year 432 B.C.; and if the reckoning had been continuous, what is now called the golden number of any year would have denoted the year of the Metonic cycle, if the summer solstice had continued to be the commencement of the year. On reckoning, however, it will be found that A.D. I, which is made the first year of a period of 19 years, would have been part of the fourteenth and part of the fifteenth of a Metonic cycle. (Ideler, über den Cyclus des Meton.-Abhand. Acad., Berlin, 1814-1815, Hist. Philol. Cl., p. 230.-Encycl. Us. Knowl., vol. 15, p. 144.) "It has been suspected," observes Dr. Hale, "and not without foundation, that the celebrated lunar cycle of 19 years, which Meton introduced into Greece for the adjustment of their lunar year with the solar, was borrowed from the ancient Jewish tables. This was the opinion of the learned Anatolius, bishop of Laodicea, about A.D. 270." (Hale's Chronology, vol. 1, p. 66.) METROCLES, a disciple of Crates. He had previously been a follower of Theophrastus and Xenocrates; but when he commenced cynic, he committed their works to the flames, as the useless dreams of idle speculation. In his old age he became so dissatisfied with the world that he strangled himself. (Enfield, Hist. Philos., vol. 1, p. 314.) This city is farther memorable as the birthplace of Propertius, a fact of which he himself informs us (4, 1, 21). It is now an obscure village, which still, however, retains some traces of the original name in that of Bevagna. (Cramer's Anc. Italy, vol. 1, p. 269.) MEZENTIUS, king of Cære, at the time that Æneas was fabled to have landed in Italy. He is represented by Virgil as a monster of ferocity, wantonly murdering many of his subjects, and causing others, fastened face to face unto dead bodies, to expire amid loathsomeness and famine. His subjects, exasperated by his tyranny, expelled him from the throne. He and his son Lausus took refuge in the court of Turnus, whom they assisted in his war against Eneas. They both fell by the hand of the Trojan prince. The narrative of the combat in which they were slain is justly esteemed one of the most brilliant passages in the whole Æneid. Virgil has described Lausus as eminent for beauty of person, bravery, and filial piety; a pleasing contrast to his ferocious parent. The epithet contemptor divûm was applied to Mezentius by Virgil, because he demanded of his subjects the first fruits of their lands and their flocks, instead of appropriating them in sacrifice to the gods. (Cato, ap. Macrob., Sat., 3, 5.—Virg., En., 8, 478.-Id. ib., 10, 762, seqq.) just mentioned. This arrangement brought with it the ruin of his family and kingdom. (Vid. Jugurtha.) MICIPSA, king of Numidia, eldest son of Masinissa, shared with his brothers Gulussa and Mastanabal the kingdom of their father, which had been divided among them by Scipio Emilianus. (Vid. Masinissa.) On the death of his brothers he became monarch of the whole country, about 146 B.C. Of a pacific disposition, Micipsa enjoyed a quiet reign, and proved the mildest of all the Numidian kings. Animated by the same enlightened policy as his father, he exerted himself strenuously for the civilization of his subjects, established a colony of Greeks in his capital, and assemMETRODORUS, I. an intimate friend of Epicurus. bled there a large number of learned and enlightened He first attached himself to that philosopher at Lamp- men. Although he had many children by numerous sacus, and continued with him till his death. He concubines, still Hiempsal and Adherbal were his famaintained the cause of his friend and master with vourite sons. Unhappily, however, he adopted his great intrepidity, both by his discourses and his wri- nephew, the famous Jugurtha, and declared him, by his tings, against the Sophists and Dialectics, and con-will, joint heir to the kingdom along with his two sons sequently partook largely of the obloquy which fell upon his sect. (Cic., Tusc. Quæst., 2, 3.-Id., de Fin., 2, 3.) Plutarch charges him with having reprobated the folly of his brother Timocrates in aspiring to the honours of wisdom, while nothing was of any value but eating and drinking, and indulging the animal appetites. (Adv. Colot.-Op., ed. Reiske, vol. 10, p. 624, seqq.) But it is probable that this calumny originated with Timocrates himself, who, from a personal quarrel with Metrodorus, deserted the sect, and therefore can deserve little credit. (Enfield, Hist. Phil., vol. 1, p. 456.-Jonsius, Hist. Phil., 1, 2, 6.Menage ad Diog. Laert., 10, 22.)-II. A painter and philosopher of Stratonicea, B.C. 171. He was sent to Paulus Emilius, who, after his victory over Perseus, king of Macedonia, B.C. 168, requested of the Athenians a philosopher and a painter, the former to instruct his children, and the latter to make a painting of his triumphs. Metrodorus was sent, as uniting in himself both characters: and he gave satisfaction in both to the Roman general. (Plin., 35, 11.-Cic., de Fin., 5, 1, de Orat., 4.) MEVANIA, a city of Umbria, on the river Tinia, in the southwestern angle of the country, and to the northwest of Spoletium. It was famous for its wideextended plains and rich pastures. (Colum., 3, 8.) Strabo mentions Mevania as one of the most considerable cities of Umbria. (Strab., 227.-Compare Liv., 9, 41.) Here Vitellius took post, as if determined to make a last stand for the empire against Vespasian, but soon after withdrew his forces. (Tacit., Hist., 3, 55.) If its walls, as Pliny says, were of brick, it could not be capable of much resistance (35, 14). MICON, I. a painter and statuary, contemporary with Polygnotus, who flourished about Olymp. 80. This artist has been noticed at great length by Böttiger (Archeol. Pict., 1, p. 254, seqq.). In ancient MSS. his name is sometimes written Múkov, sometimes Mýkov or Níkov, but the more correct form is probably Míkov (Micon). Varro mentions him among the more ancient painters, whose errors were avoided by Apelles, Protogenes, and others. (L. L., 8, p. 129, ed. Bip.) Pliny states, that, in connexion with Polygnotus, he either invented some new colours, or employed those in use in his paintings on a better plan than that previously adopted. (Plin., 33, 13, 56.– Id., 35, 6, 25.) A list of some of his productions is given by Sillig (Dict. Art., s. v.).-II. Another painter, distinguished from the former by the epithet of "the Younger." His age and country are uncertain. (Plin., 35, 9, 35.) Böttiger confounds him with Micon I. (Sillig, Dict. Art., s. v.)-III. A statuary of Syracuse. At the request of the children of Hiero II., king of Syracuse, he made two statues of this monarch, which were placed at Olympia, the one representing him on horseback, the other on foot. The death of Hiero took place B.C. 215; and as the statues in question were made soon after this event, we can decide with certainty on the age of Micon. (Sillig, Dict. Art., s. v.) MIDAS, an ancient king of the Brygians in Thrace, son of Gordius, and whose name is connected with some of the earliest mythological legends of the Greeks. According to one account, he possessed, at the foot of Mount Bermion, a garden, in which grew spontane | The same monarch, in all probability, gave a favourable ously roses with sixty petals, and of extraordinary reception to the rites of Bacchus, then for the first time fragrance. (Herod., 8, 138.-Compare Wesseling, introduced into his dominions, and hence his success ad loc.) To this garden Silenus was in the habit of in the accumulation of riches may have been ascribed repairing; and Midas (Pausan., 1, 4, 5) or his people, to the favour of the god. The later cycle of fable, howby pouring wine into the fount from which he was ever, appears to have changed the receiver and protecwont to drink, intoxicated him, and he was thus cap- tor of the rites of Bacchus into a companion or follower tured. (Herod., l. c.) Midas put various questions to of Bacchus himself. Hence we find Midas numbered him respecting the origin of things and the events of among the Sileni and Satyrs, and, as such, having the past times. (Serv. ad Virg., Eclog., 6, 13.) One usual accompaniment of goat's ears. (Compare the was, What is best for men? Silenus was long silent; language of Philostratus: uereixe pèv yàp ToŨ TŴV at length, when he was constrained to answer, he Σατύρων γένους ὁ Μιδὰς, ὡς ἐδήλου τὰ ὦτα. — - Vit. said: "Life is most free from pain when one is igno- Apoll. Tyan., 6, 13, p. 303, ed. Morell.) Now it rant of future evils. It is best of all for man not to would seem that the Attic poets, in their satyric drabe born: the second is, for those who are born to die mas, made the story of Midas a frequent theme of traas soon as possible." (Aristot., de An.-Plut., Con- vesty, and in this way we have the wealthy monarch sol. ad Apoll. Op., 7, p. 352, ed. Hutten.) He also, converting everything into gold by his mere touch, even it is said, gave the king a long account of an immense his food undergoing this strange metamorphosis; and country which lay without the ocean-stream, the peo- again, the pricked-up ears of the goat-footed Satyr ple of which once invaded the land of the Hyperbore- become changed by Attic wit into the ears of an ass. ans. (Theopomp., ap. Elian, V. H., 3, 18.)-The It may be, too, that the first satyric composer, who inname of Midas is also connected with the migration troduced these appendages into his piece, discharged, of the Brygians from Thrace into Asia Minor, where in this way, a shaft at some theatrical judges who had they are said to have changed their name to Phrygi- rejected one of his own productions. (Consult the ans (Strab., 295. — Plin., 5, 32.—Steph. Byz., s. v. remarks of Wieland, Attisches Museum, vol. 1, p. Bpiyes), and it has been supposed that the Brygians 354, seqq., and compare Welcker, Nachtrag, p. 301.) passed over under the same Midas of whom the above Schwenck, however, takes a very different view of legend is related. (Höck, Kreta, vol. 1, p. 129.) At the subject. He makes Midas to have been an old all events, we find the name Midas reappearing in the Thracian or Phrygian deity, referring to Hesychilegends of Asia Minor. Thus, mention is made of us (Midàc vɛós) as an authority for this, and identia King Midas who reigned at Pessinus, where he built fies him with the moon-god, or Deus Lunus. He a splendid temple to Cybele, and established her sa- compares the name Midus with μeis, μevós, as the cred rites. (Diod. Sic., 3, 5.) So also Xenophon Cretan irrov was related to eis, évós. Now uɛíc inplaces near Thymbrium the fountain where Midas was dicates unity, being merely is with a prefix, as in said to have caught the satyr. (Anab., 1, 2, 13.) uia for ia; and Evoc (annus), "the year," has also reWe have likewise another legend relative to Midas and lation to unity. Thus, according to Schwenck, Midas Silenus, the scene of which is laid, not in Europe, but indicated the lunar year as a unit of time. The long in Lower Asia. According to this account, as Bac-ears of Midas he also makes a lunar symbol, as in the chus was in Lydia, on his return from the conquest of case of the Scandinavian goddess Mani, or the Moon. the East, some of the country people met Silenus stag-(Etymologisch-Mythol. Andeut., p. 66, seq.) This gering about, and, binding him with his own garlands, led him to their king. Midas entertained him for ten days, and then conducted him to his foster-son, who, in his gratitude, desired the king to ask whatever gift he would. Midas craved that all he touched might turn to gold. His wish was granted; but when he found his very food converted to precious metal, and himself on the point of starving in the midst of wealth, he prayed the god to resume his fatal gift. Bacchus directed him to bathe in the Pactolus, and hence that river obtained golden sands. (Ovid, Met., 11, 85, seqq.-Hygin., fab., 191.-Serv., ad En., 10, 142. -Max. Tyr., 30.) There is a third legend relative to Midas. Pan, the god of shepherds, venturing to set his reed-music in opposition to the lyre of Apollo, was pronounced overcome by Mount Tmolus; and all | present approved the decision except King Midas, whose ears were, for their obtuseness, lengthened by the victor to those of an ass. The monarch endeavoured to conceal this degradation from his subjects; but it was perceived by one of his attendants, who, finding it difficult to keep the secret, yet afraid to reveal it, dug a hole in the ground, and whispered therein what he had perceived. His words were echoed by the reeds which afterward grew on the spot, and which are said to have repeated, when agitated by the wind, "King Midas has asses' ears." (Ovid, Met., 11, 153, seqq.) The legend respecting the wealth of Midas would seem to have an historical basis, and to point to some monarch of Phrygia who had become greatly enriched by mines and commercial operations. Hence the Phrygian tradition, that when Midas was an infant, some ants crept into his mouth as he lay asleep, and deposited in it grains of wheat. This was regarded as an omen of future opulence. (Elian, V. H, 12, 45.- Cic., Div., 1, 36.- Val. Max., 1, 6.) explanation is very far-fetched.-It is more than probable that the name Midas was common to the Lydians as well as Phrygians, since Midas, according to some accounts, was the husband of Omphale. (Clearch., ap. Athen., 12, p. 516.)-Mr. Leake gives an account of a very ancient monument at Doganlir, in what was originally a part of Phrygia, which appeared to him to have been erected in honour of one of the kings of Phrygia, of the Midaian family. (Journal of a Tour in Asia Minor, p. 31.) It is very probable, indeed, that many monarchs of the Phrygian dynasty bore the name of Midas. (Leake, l. c.) MIDEA, I. an ancient city of Boeotia, near the lake Copaïs, and, according to tradition, swallowed up, along with Arne, by the waters of that lake. (Hom., Il., 2, 507.-Strab., 413.)-II. A town of Argolis, in the Tyrinthian territory, named, as was said, after the wife of Electryon (Pind., Olymp., 7, 49.—Schol., ad loc.); but Apollodorus affirms that it already existed in the time of Perseus (2, 4)—It was afterward destroyed by the Argives. (Strab., 373.) The vestiges of this place are near the monastery of Agios Adrianos, where there is a Palæo Castro in a bold rock; the walls are of ancient masonry. (Gell, Itin. of the Morea, p. 185.-Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 3, p. 250.) MILESII, the inhabitants of Miletus. (Vid. Miletus.) MILESIORUM MURUS (Miλnoiwv Teixos), a place in Lower Egypt, to the west of the Sebennytic mouth of the Nile, and which owed its foundation to the Milesians, or people of Miletus. (Eustath. ad Dionys.→ Huds., Geogr. Min., vol. 4, p. 146.) MILETOPOLIS, a city of Mysia, northeast of Adramyttium, and situate on a branch of the river Rhyn dacus. It coincides, according to D'Anville, with the modern Beli Kessk. (Plin., 5, 32.-Steph. Byz., p 467.) MILETUS, I. a son of Apollo, who fled from Crete | Persian satraps, and, after repeated defeats, Miletus to avoid falling into the hands of Minos. .(Apollod., 3, was besieged by land and sea, and finally taken by 1, 2.) He came to Caria, and was said to have been storm. This beautiful and opulent city, the pride and the founder of the city of Miletus. (Apollod., l. c. - ornament of Asia, was thus plunged into the greatest Compare Heyne, ad loc.)-II. The most celebrated of calamity; the surviving inhabitants were carried to the cities of lonia, situate on the southern shore of the Susa, and settled, by order of Darius, at Ampe, near bay into which the river Latmus emptied, and, accord- the mouth of the Tigris. The town itself was given ing to Strabo, eighty stadia south of the embouchure up by the Persian commanders to the Carians. The of the Mæander. (Strab., 634.) The origin of this Athenians are said to have been so much affected by city falls in the period of the first Greek emigrations this event, that when Phrynichus, the tragic writer, infrom home; but the circumstances connected with its troduced on the stage his play of "the Capture of Mifounding are involved in great uncertainty. As far as letus," the whole house burst into tears, and the peoany opinion can be formed from various accounts that ple fined the poet 1000 drachmas, and forbade the perare given of this event, it would appear that the place formance for the future. (Herod., 6, 6, seqq. Calwas first settled by natives of the country; that to listh., ap. Strab., 635.)-When Alexander, after the these came Sarpedon from Miletus in Crete, and after battle of the Granicus, appeared before Miletus, the him Neleus from Attica, together with other settlers inhabitants, encouraged by the presence of a Persian in process of time. (Strab., l. c.—. -Pausan., 7, 2.- army and fleet stationed at Mycale, refused to submit Apollod., 3, 1.—Eustath. ad Dionys., v. 825.) Mile- to that prince, and open their gates to his forces; upon tus was already large and flourishing when the cities which he immediately commenced a most vigorous at of the parent country were but just beginning to emerge tack on their walls, and finally took the city by assault. from obscurity. The admirable situation of the place, He however forgave the surviving inhabitants, and and the convenience of having four harbours, one of granted them their liberty. (Arrian, Exp. Al., 1, 18, which was capable of containing a large fleet, gave it seqq.) The Milesians sided with the Romans during an early and great preponderance in maritime affairs. the war with Antiochus. (Liv., 37, 16.—Id., 43, 6.) It carried on an active and extensive commerce with This city was yet flourishing when Strabo wrote (Sirathe shores of the Euxine on the one hand, and the dis- bo, l. c.-Compare Tacit., Ann., 4, 55 et 63), and tant coast of Spain on the other, to say nothing of the still later, in the time of Pliny (5, 29) and Pausanias principal ports of the Mediterranean, which were like- (7, 2). It appears from the Acts of the Apostles, that wise frequented by the Milesian vessels. Its most St. Paul sojourned here a few days on his return from important trade, however, was with the shores of the Macedonia and Troas, and summoned hither the elEuxine. Almost all the Greek cities along the coast ders of the Ephesian Church, to whom he delivered an of this inland sea, which were found there at the pe- affectionate farewell address. (Acts, 20, 17, seqq.) riod of the Persian power, were of Milesian origin. The Milesian Church was under the direction of bishAs, however, many of those cities were themselves ops, who sat in several councils, and ranked as metroconspicuous for size and population, one can hardly politans of Caria. (Hierocl., Synecd., p. 687.) This comprehend how Miletus, in the midst of so active a continued as late as the decline of the Byzantine emtraffic, which of itself must have required the attention pire (Mich. Duc., p. 41); at which time, however, the of considerable numbers, could cominand a superflu- town itself was nearly in ruins, from the ravages of the ous population, sufficiently extensive for the establish- Turks and other barbarians, and the alluvial deposites ment of so many colonies, which Pliny makes to have caused by the Mæander. Miletus deserves farther been eighty in number, and Seneca seventy-five. mention as the birthplace of Thales, the celebrated (Plin., 29.-Sencc., Consol. ad Helv., c. 6.-Consult mathematician and philosopher; and his successors Rambach, de Mileto ejusque Coloniis, Hal. Sax., 1790. Anaximander and Anaximenes; also of Cadmus and -Larcher, Hist. d'Hérod., vol. 8, p. 344, 359.) It is Hecatæus, two of the earliest historians of Greece. more than probable, that, in sending out these colonies, (Strab., 635. — Plin., 5, 39.—Suid., s. v. Kádμos.) the natives of the country, the Lydians, Carians, and The Milesians were in repute for their manufactures of Leleges, were invited to join, and did so.-Miletus couches and other furniture; and their woollen cloths was already a powerful city when the Lydian monarchy and carpets were especially esteemed. (Athenæus, 1, rose into consequence. The kings of Lydia, posses- p. 28.-Id., 11, p. 428.-Id., 12, p. 540, &c.) The sors of all the surrounding territory, could not brook modern village of Palatscha occupies part of the site the independence of the Ionian city; they accordingly of the ancient city. The coast, however, has undercarried on war against it for many years, and were at gone great changes, for some remarks on which contimes powerful enough to advance even to the city walls, sult the article Mander. (Cramer's Asia Minor, and to destroy or carry off the produce of the neigh- vol. 1, p. 385, seqq.) bouring country; but they were unable to mar the prosperity of a city which had the control of the sea, and consequently bade defiance to their power. The Milesians appear subsequently to have made a treaty with Croesus, in which they probably acknowledged that sovereign as their liege lord, and consented to pay him tribute. The same treaty was also agreed upon between them and Cyrus, when the latter had conquered Lydia; and this saved Miletus from the disasters which befell at that time the other Ionian states. (Herod., 1, 141, 143.) But it was not always equally fortunate. In the reign of Darius, the whole of Ionia was excited to revolt by the intrigues and ambitious schemes of Histiæus, who had been raised to the sovereignty of Miletus, his native city, by the Persian monarch, in recompense for the services he had rendered in the Scythian expedition. Aristagoras, his deputy and kinsman, also greatly contributed to inflame the minds of his countrymen. At his instigation, the Athenians sent a force to Asia Minor, which surprised and burned Sardis; but this insult was speedily avenged by the MILO, I. a celebrated athlete of Crotona in Italy. He accustomed himself from early life to bear burdens, the weight of which he successively augmented, and at last became so conspicuous for strength as to carry the most surprising loads with the utmost ease. Many curious stories are related by the ancients concerning his wonderful strength. He could hold a pomegranate in his hand, with his fingers closed over it, and yet, without either crushing or even pressing on the fruit, could keep his fingers so firmly bent as to render it impossible for any one to take the fruit from him. He could place himself on a discus, some say a shield, covered over with oil or other unctuous substances, and rendered, of course, very slippery, and yet he could retain so firm a foothold that no one was able to dislodge him. He could encircle his brow with a cord, and break this asunder by holding his breath and causing the veins of the head to distend. He could hold hie right arm behind his back, with the hand open and the thumb raised, and a man could not then separate his little finger from the rest. The account that is given of his voracity is almost incredible. He ate, it virtue of his office, he was on the following day to ap- Vellei |