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## p. 1089 (#1105) ##########################################

MIMNERMUS.
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seven sages (about B. c. 600). He was a contem- | change which Minnermus made in the character
porary of Solon, who, in an extant fragment of one of elegiac poetry. (Comp. Propert. i. 9. 11. )
of his poems, addresses him as still living (Diog. Mimnermus is the oldest poet who mentioned an
Laërt. i. 60; Bergk, Poetae Lyrici Graeci, p. 339). eclipse of the sun, and spoke of it as a threatening
No other biographical particulars respecting him and mournful sign. (Plut. De Facie in Orbe Lunde,
have come down to us, except what is mentioned p. 931, e. ) He is also the earliest authority that
in a fragment of Hermesianar (Athen. xiii. p. we have for the mythus that the sun, after setting
597) of his love for a flute-player named Nanno, in the west, is carried round the earth in a golden
who does not seem to have returned his affec- bowl, the work of Hephaestus, by the river
tion.
Oceanus back again to the east. " (Athen. xi. p.
The numerous compositions of Mimnermus 470, a. ) In his account of the voyage of Jason,
(Suidas, who calls hiin Mluepuvos, says épave also, he removed the dwelling of Aeëtes to the
Bibula molná) were preserved for several centuries, shores of Oceanus.
comprised in two books, until they were burnt, The fragments of Mimnermus have been several
together with most of the other monuments of the times published, in the collections of Stephens,
erotic poetry of the Greeks, by the Byzantine Brunck, Gaisford, Buissonade, and Bergk. There
monks. A few fragments only have come down to is a separate edition by Bach, Lips. 1826. They
us; sufficient, however, when compared with the have been translated by Stollberg, Herder, Secken-
notices contained in ancient writers, to enable us dorf, A. W. v. Schlegel, and others. (Fabric.
to form a tolerably accurate judgment of the nature Bibl. Graec. vol. i. p. 733; K. O. Müller, History
of his poetry. These fragments belong chiefly to of the Literature of Ancient Greece, p. 115, &c. ;
a poem entitled Nanno, and addressed to the flute Bode, Gesch. der Hellen. Dichtkunst, vol. ii. pp.
player of that name. The compositions of Mim- 173, 175, 247, &c. )
[C. P. M. )
nermus form an epoch in the history of elegiac MINATIA GÉNS, plebeian, and of very little
poetry. Before his time the elegy had been de- note. On coins we find mention of an M. Mina-
voted chiefly either to warlike and national, or to tius Sabinus, who was a legate under Cn. Pompey,
convivial and joyous subjects. Archilochus had, the younger, in Spain (Eckhel, rol v. p. 253), and
indeed, occasionally employed the elegy for strains one of the ancestors of Velleius Paterculus was
of lamentation, but Mimnermus was the first who called Minatius Magius. (Magius, No. 3. ]
systematically made it the vehicle for plaintive, MI'NDARUS (Mivdapos), a Lacedaemonian,
mournful, and erotic strains. The threnetic origin was sent out in B. c. 411, to succeed Astyochus in
of the elegy, the national temperament and social the office of Admiral. In the same year, having
condition of the Asiatic Ionians, and the melan: reason to believe that the Phoenician ships, pro-
choly feelings with which they must have regarded mised by Tissaphernes, would never be forthcoming,
their subjection to the Lydians, rendered this he listened to the invitation of Pharnabazus, and
change easy and natural; and the elegiac poems of sailed from Miletus to the territory of the latter
Mimnermus may be looked upon as a correct ex- satrap on the Hellespont, having managed to es-
ponent of the general tone of feeling which marked cape the notice of the Athenian fleet, which was
his
age and people. Though warlike themes were aware of his intention and had removed from Samos
not altogether unnoticed by him (the war between to Lesbos with the view of preventing its execu-
Gyges and the Smyrnaeans was one topic of this tion. At Sestos he surprised the Athenian squad-
kind which he dwelt upon), he seems to have ron there, which escaped with difficulty and with
spoken of valorous deeds more in a tone of regret, the loss of four ships. The Athenians, however,
as things that had been, than with any view of under Thrasyllus and Thrasybulus followed him to
rousing his countrymen to emulate thein. The the north from Lesbos, and defeated him in the
instability of human happiness, the helplessness of Hellespont, off Cynossema. After the battle, Min-
man, the cares and miseries to which life is ex- darus sent to Euboea to Hegesandridas for rein-
posed, the brief season that man has to enjoy him forcements, and in the meantime we find him fur-
self in, the wretchedness of old age, are plaintively nishing aid to the Aeolians of Antandrus in their
dwelt upon by him, while love is held up as the insurrection against the garrison of Tissaphernes in
only consolation that men possess, life not being their town. Soon after we hear of him offering
worth having when it can no longer be enjoyed. sacrifices to Athena, at Ilium, whence he hastened
The latter topic was most frequently dwelt upon, to the aid of DORIEUS, who had been engaged with
and as an erotic poet he was held in high estima- a superior number of Athenian ships. A battle
tion in antiquity. (Hor. Epist. ii. 2. 100; Pro- ensued and continued doubtful, till the arrival of
pert. i. 9. 11. ) From the general character of his reinforcements under Alcibiades gave the victory
poetry he received the name Λιγυστιάδης, to the Athenians. But the latter, having despatched
Aguaotádns. He was a flute player as well as a a large portion of their fleet to different quarters to
poet (Strab. iv. p. 643 ; Hermesianax, ap. Athen. collect money, were left in the Hellespont with a
L c. ), and, in setting his poems to music, made use force of no more than forty ships, and Mindarus,
of the plaintive melody called the Nomos Kradias. whose squadron now amounted to sixty, prepared
Since the character which Mimnermus gave to to attack them ; but they moved away by night
elegiac poetry remained ever after its predominant from Sestos to Cardia, where they were joined by
characteristic, he is sometimes erroneously spoken Alcibiades with five galleys, and soon after by
of as the inventor of the elegy. The passage of Thrasybulus and Theramenes, each with twenty.
Hermesianax, where he says of Mimnermus, &s With this force they sailed to Cyzicus (whither
εύρετο πολλών ανατλάς 'Ηχον και μαλακού πνεύμ’ | the Peloponnesians had removed from Abydus),
dad tevTapétpov, which has frequently been un- and there surprised them. The latter, however,
derstood as conveying the same assertion, has been having drawn up their ships close together near the
more correctly interpreted, by throwing greater shore, made a vigorous resistance : but Alcibiades
stress on the word warakoù, as referring to the sailed round with twenty triremes to a different
(the
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1090
MINERVA.
MINIO.
;
part of the coast, apd attacked them from the land of days does not seem to have heen accidental, for
in the rear. Mindarus hereupon disembarked to Servius (ad Virg. Georg. i. 277) informs us that
meet him, but was slain in the battle, and the Athe- the number 5 was sacred to Minerva. (See Dict.
nians gained a complete victory, B. C. 410. (Thuc. of Ant. s. v. Quinquatrus. ) The most ancient
viii. 85, 99–105, 107, 108 ; Xen. Hell. i. 1. SS temple of Minerva at Rome was probably that on
1, 3–5, 8–18 ; Plut. Alc. 27, 28 ; Diod. xiii. the Capitol ; another existed on the Aventine (P.
39, 45, 49–51. ) (HIPPOCRATES. No. 6. ) [E. E. ] Vict. Reg. Urb. viii. ; Or. Fast. vi. 728); and she
MI'NDIUS MARCELLUS. _(MARCELLU6. ) had a chapel at the foot of the Caelian hill, where
MINERVA, one of the great Roman divinities, she bore the surname of Capta. (Ov. Fast. ii. 337. )
whose name seems to be of the same root as mens, She also had the surname of Nautia, which was
whence monere and promenervare (Fest. p. 205, ed. believed to have originated in the following manner.
Müller). She is accordingly the thinking, calcu- Diomedes had carried the Palladium from Troy ;
lating, and inventive power personified. Varro and as he found that it availed him nothing in his
(ap. Aug. de Civ. Dei, vii. 28) therefore considered misfortunes, and as the oracle commanded him to
her as the impersonation of all ideas, or as the plan restore it to the Trojans, he wanted to deliver it
of the universe, while Jupiter, according to him, up to Aeneas on his wanderings through Calabria.
is the creator, and Juno the representative of When he came to the Trojans, he found Aeneas
matter. Minerva was the third in the number of engaged in offering up a sacrifice, and Nautes re-
the Capitoline divinities, and sometimes is said to ceived the Palladium instead of Aeneas. The
have wielded the thunderbolts of Jupiter, her goddess (Minerva) bestowed many favours upon
father. Tarquin, the son of Demnaratus, was be him, instructed him in various arts, and chose him
lieved to have united the three divinities in one for her servant. The family of the Nautii after-
common temple, and hence, when repasts were pre- wards retained the exclusive knowledge of the
pared for the gods, these three always went together manner in which Minerva Nautia was to be wor-
(August. de Civ. Dei, iv. 10 ; Val. Max. ii. 1. & 2). shipped. Her mysterious image was preserved in
Às Minerva was a virgin divinity, and her father the most secret part of the temple of Vesta, and
the supreme god, the Romans easily identified her regarded as one of the safeguards of the state.
with the Greek Athena, and accordingly all the (Dionys. i. 69 ; Virg. Aen. v. 704; Serv. ad Aen.
attributes of Athena were gradually transferred to ii. 166, iii. 407 ; Lucan. i. 598; comp. Hartung,
the Roman Minerva. But we shall here confine Die Relig. der Römer, Fol. ii. p. 78, &c. ) (L. S.
)
ourselves to those which were peculiar to the MINERVI'NA, the mother of CRISPUS CAESAR,
Roman goddess, as far as they can be ascertained. is usually termed by historians the first wife of
As she was a maiden goddess her sacrifices con- Constantine the Great. However, Victor (Epil. 41)
sisted of calves which had not borne the yoke or and Zosimus (ii. 20), both of whom mention her
felt the sting (Fulgentius, p. 561, ed. Merc. ; Arnob. name, state expressly that she was his concubine,
iv. 16, vii. 22). She is said to have invented and their account is confirmed by Zonaras (xiii. 2).
numbers, and it is added that the law respecting to this direct testimony we can oppose nothing,
the driving in of the annual nail was for this reason except the improbability that Constantine should
attached to the temple of Minerva (Liv. vii. 3); have marked out an illegitimate son as his suc-
but it is generally well attested that she was wor- (Tillemont, Hist. des Empereurs, vol.
shipped as the patroness of all the arts and trades, iv. art. iv. p. 84, and Notes sur Constantin, note
for at her festival she was particularly invoked by v. ).
(W. R. ]
all those who desired to distinguish themselves in MINI'CIA GENS, came originally from Brixia
any art or craft, such as painting, poetry, the art of (Brescia), in Cisalpine Gaul. Brixia was a Roman
teaching, medicine, dyeing, spinning, weaving, and colony, but in what year it became one is un-
the like. (Or. Fast. iii. 809, &c. ; August. l. c. known. (Plin. H. N. iii. 19. ) The Minicii occur
vii. 16. )
only under the empire. There was a C. Minicius
This character of the goddess may be perceived Fundanus, one of the consules suffecti in A. D. 51;
also from the proverbs "to do a thing pingui Mi- and another C. Minicius, also one of the consules
nerva," i. e. to do a thing in an awkward or clumsy suffecti in A. D. 103. For this gens see Labus,
manner; and sus Minervam, of a stupid person Epigrapha nuovamente uscita dalle escavazioni
who presumed to set right an intelligent one. Bresciana, Milan, 1830. (W. B. D. ]
Minerva, however, was the patroness, not only of MINI'DIUS, L. , was a Roman merchant or
females, on whom she conferred skill in sewing, banker, established at Elis in B. C. 46, with whose
spinning, weaving, &c. , but she also guided men in heirs Cicero had some pecuniary transactions. He
the dangers of war, where victory is gained by was brother of L. Mescinius Rufus, quaestor in
cunning, prudence, courage, and perseverance. Achaia (Rufus), and married an Oppia. (Cic. ad
Hence she was represented with a helmet, shield, Fam. xiii. 26, 28. )
(W. B. D. )
and a coat of mail ; and the booty made in war MINI'DIUS or MI'NDIUS, M. , brother and
was frequently dedicated to her. (Liv. xlv. 33; heir of L. Minidius, and also a Roman merchant.
Virg. Aen. ii. 615. ) Minerva was further believed Cicero was engaged in a law-suit with him. (Cic.
to be the inventor of musical instruments, especially ad Fam. v. 20, xiii. 26. )
(W. B. D. ]
wind instruments, the use of which was very im- MINIO. 1. Was the confidential friend and
portant in religious worship, and which were ac- counsellor of Antiochus the Great, and his repre-
cordingly subjected to a sort of purification every sentative at the conference with the Roman envoys
year on the last day of the festival of Minerva. at Ephesus in B. c. 193. Minio commanded
This festival lasted five days, from the 19th to the portion of Antiochus' centre at the battle of Mag-
23d of March, and was called Quinquatrus, because nesia in B. c. 190. (Liv. xxxv. 15, 16, xxxvii. 40,
it began on the fifth day after the ides of the 42. )
month. (Fest. pp. 149, 257, ed. Müller ; Varro, 2. Q. MYNNIO (Muvvlwv), was a native of
De L. L. vi. 14; 0r. Fast. ii. 849. ) This number / Smyma, who, conspiring against Mithridates VI.
cessor.


## p. 1091 (#1107) ##########################################

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king of Pontus, in B. C. 86, was betrayed by one | Sarpedon, and conquered. (Herod. i. 173. ) But
of his confederates, and put to death. (Appian, Minos, who admired the beauty of the bull, did
Mithr. 48. )
(W. B. D. ] not sacrifice him, and substituted another in his
MI'NIUS_CERRINIUS, a Campanian, the place. Poseidon therefore rendered the bull furious,
Bon of Minia Paculla, was appointed by her one of and made Pasiphaë conceive a lore for the animal.
the two hierophants of the Bacchanalia at Rome in Pasiphaë concealed herself in an artificial cow made
B C. 186. On the discovery of these orgies (His- by Daedalus, and thus she became by the bull the
Pala FECENJA, HERENNIUS CERRINIUS), Minius mother of the Minotaurus, a monster which had
was arrested ; and, having confessed before the the body of a man, but the head of a bull. Minos
senate the impure and atrocious character of the shut the monster up in the labyrinth. (Apollod.
rites over which he presided, was placed in close iii. l. § 3, &c. ; comp. DAEDALUS. ) Minos is
custody at Ardea. His final sentence is unknown. further said to have divided Crete into three parts,
(Liv. xxxix. 13, 17, 19. )
(W. B. D. ) each of which contained a capital, and to have
MINOS (Mirws). 1. The son of Zeus and ruled nine years. (Hom. Od. xix. 178 ; Strab. x.
Europa, brother of Rhadamanthus, and king of pp. 476, 479. ) The Cretnns traced their legal and
Crete, where he is said to have given many and political institutions to Minos, and he is snid to
useful laws. After his death he became one of the have been instructed in the art of law-giving by
judges of the shades in Hades. (Hom. Il. xiii. 450, Zeus himself; and the Spartan, Lycurglis, was
xiv. 322, Od. xi. 321, 567, xvii. 523, xix. 178; believed to have taken the legislation of Minos as
comp. Mil. ETUS. ) He was the father of Deucalion his model. (Paus. iii. 4. & 2; comp. Plat. Min.
and Ariadne ; and, according to Apollodorus (iii. p. 319, b. ; Plut. De ser. Num. Vind. 4; Val.
1. $ 1, &c. ), Sarpedon also was a brother of his. Max.