; 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.
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.
Charles - 1867 - Classical Dictionary
But Polybius
dic-s not scruple to blame his countrymen, and more
especially Philopcemen, for their conduct to a people
with whom they were united by federal ties. (Polyb. ,
33, 10, 5. ) Hostilities commenced unfavourably for
the Achseans, as their advanced guard fell into an am-
buscade of the enemy, and was defeated with great
loss, Philopcemen himself remaining in the hands of
the victors. So exasperated were the Messenians at the
conduct of this celebrated general, that he was thrown
into a dungeon, and soon after put to death by poison.
His destroyers, however, did not escape the vengeance
of the Achseans; for Lycortas, who succeeded to the
command, having defeated the Messenians, captured
their city, and caused all those who had been con-
cerned in the death of Philopcemen to be immediately
executed. Peace was then restored, and Mcssenia
once more joined the Achaean confederacy, and re-
mained attached to that republic till the period of its
dissolution. ( Liv. , 39,49. --Polyb. , 24. 9. --Pausan. ,
4f 39. Cramer's Ane. Greece, vol. 3, p. 122, seqq. )
MfTABt'a, a tyrant of Privernum. He was father
of Camilla, whom he consecrated to the service of
Diana, when he had been banished from his kingdom
? ? by his ? objects. (Virg. , Mn. , 11, 540. )
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? M F; 1
4iunny fish cajght al its mouth. (Atken. , 7, 63. ) Stra-
\>j speaks of a port of the same name, which may have
been the town of Mctaurum. (Strab. , 256. --Cramer's
Anc. Italy, vol. 2, p. 423. )--II. A river of Umbria, in
Italy, flowing into the Adriatic. It was rendered
memorable by the defeat of Hasdrubal, the brother of
Hannibal. The Roman forces were commanded by
the consuls Livius Salinator and Claudius Nero, A. U. O
645. It is now the Metro. The battle must have ta-
ken place near the modern Fossombrone, and on the
left bank of the Metaurus. Though Livy has given no
precise description of the spot, it may be collected that
it was in that part of the course of the river where it
begins to be enclosed between high and steep rocks
(27, 47). Tradition has preserved a record of the
event in the name of a hill between Fossombrone and
the pass of Furba, called Monte d'Asdrubalc. (Cra-
mer's Anc. Italy, vol. I, p. 261. )
Mktkm. i, a distinguished family of the Caccilian
fens in Rome. Those most worthy of notice are:
Q. Ca>cilius Metellus Macedonicus, was sent, when
prator (13 C. 148), into Macedonia, against Andriscus,
who pretended to be a son of Perseus, the last king
of Macedonia, and who had excited a revolt against
the Romans. In this war Andriscus was defeated
and taken prisoner by Metellus, who obtained, in con-
sequence, a triumph, and the surname of Macedon-
icus. (Livy, Epit. , 50. --Pausanias. 7, 13, 1. --Eu-
trop. , 4, 13. ) In his consulship, B. C. 143, Metellus
was sent into Spain to oppose Virialhus, who had ob-
tained possession of the whole of IjUiitania, and had
defeated successively the pnrlors Vctilinaand Plautius.
Metellus remained in Spain two years, and obtained
several victories; but was superseded in the command,
Jofore the conclusion cf the war, bv Pompcy. (Liv. ,
Epit. , 52, 93. --Vol. Max, 3, 2, 21. -- ll, 7, 4, 5. --
id. , 9, 3, 7. -- Appian, Iber. , 76. ) During the cen-
sorship of Metellus and Pompey, B. C. 131, it was de-
creed that all citizens should be obliged to marry. The
? ration which Metellus delivered on this subject was
extant in the time of Livy, and is referred toby Suetoni-
us. (Liv, Ejnt. , 59. -- Suet, Vit. Aug. , 89. ) We
are told by Livy and Pliny, that, when Metellus was
returning one day from the Campus Martius, he was
seized by command of C. Attinius Labeo, a tribune of
the commons, wh<-m he had in his censorship expelled
from the senate, a'id was dragged to the Tarpeian rock;
and that it was with the greatest difficulty that his friends
were enabled to preserve his life by obtaining another
tribune to put his veto upon tho order of Attinius.
(Liv. , Epit. , 59 --Plin. , 7, 45 ) Pliny refers to Mo-
tellus as an extraordinary example of human happi-
neas : " For, besides the possession of the highest dig-
nities," says the Roman writer, " and having obtained
a surname from the conquest of Macedonia, he was
carried to the funeral pile by four sons, of whom one
bad been praetor, three had been consuls, two had en-
joyed a triumph, and one had been censor. " (Plin. ,
7, 45. )--II. Q. Ca? cilius Metellus Numidicus, derived
his surname from his victoriea in Numidia, whither he
was sent in his consulship, B. C. 109, in order to op-
pose Jugurlha. He remained in Numidia, B. C. 108,
as proconsul; but, in the beginning of the following
year, he was superseded in the command by Marius,
who had previously been his legatus or lieutenant-
general. On his return to Home Metellus obtained
the V >nours of a triumph. (Sallust, Bell. Jug. --Vel-
leiu* Paterc, 2. 11. --Eut ropius, 4, 27-- Liv , Epit. ,
? ? 65. ) Metellus was censor B. C. 102. He took an
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MFT
? I Xmincltn. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p.
f'6)-- ,H- A ci'y of Thessaly, noticed by Homer
I. M. . 2. /18), and situate, like the preceding, on the
seacoast. It must not, however, be confounded with
the Macedonian one, an error into which Stephanus
seems to have fallen (*. v. MeOuvi? . )--III. A city of
Hesneraa, on the western. coast, below Pyloa Messe-
niacus. According to Pa'usanios. the name was Mo-
Ujoic. Tradition reported, that it was so called Irom
Motbone, the daughter of jEneas; but it more probablv
derived its name from the rock Mothon, which formed
the breakwater of its harbour. (Pauran. , 4, 35. )
Strako informs us, that, in the opinion of manv wri-
ters, Methone should be identified with Pcdasus,'rank-
ed by Horuirr among the seven towns which Agamem-
non offered to Achilles. (II. , 9, 1294. --Strab , 359. )
Pausanias makes the same observation. In the Pelo-
ponnesian war Methone was attacked by some Athe-
nian troop*, who were conveyed thither in a fleet sent
to ravage the coast of the Peloponnesus; but Brasidas,
who wa* quartered in the neighbourhood, having forced
ais way through the enemy's line, threw himself into
the town with 00 men, which timely succour obliged
the Athenians to re-embark their troops. (Thucyd. ,
2,25. ) Methone subsequently received a colony of
rtauphans: these, being expelled their native city by
the Argives, were established here by the LacediEmo
mans. (Pausan, 4, 35. ) Many years after, it sus
tamed great loss from the sudden attack of some II-
lynan pirates, who carried off a number of inhabitants,
both men and women. Methone was afterv ard be-
sieged and taken by Agrippa, who had the ( jinmand
of a Roman fleet: that general having found jere Boc-
chus (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 fa-
voured this city, and bestowed several privileges on
its inhabitant. Sir W. Gell states, that at about
S700 paces to the east of Modon is a place called
ralaio Mothone, where are vestiges of a city. Mo-
dm is a Greek town of some size, with a fortress
bu-it by the Venetians. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol.
1, p. 137. )--IV. or Methana, a peninsula of Argolis,
within the district of Trazene, formed by the harbour
or bay of Pogon on one side, and the curvature of
the Epidaur. an Gulf on the other, and connected with
the mainland by a narrow isthmus, which the Athe-
nians occupied and fortified in the seventh year of the
Peloponnesian war. (Thucyd. ,4,45. ) Diodorus Sic-
ulus says it was taken by the same people under Tol-
mides, in the interval between the Persian and Pelo.
ponnesian wars: and this is perhaps the meaning of
Thucydides, when ho says that, on peace being made,
or, rather, a truce for thirty years, Trazene, among
other towns, was restored to the Peloponnesians.
(Thucyd, 1, 115. ) Within the peninsula was a small
town, also called Methone, which possessed a temple
of Isis. About thirty stadia from the town were to
be seen some hot springs, produced by the eruption
of a volcano in the reign of Antigonus Gonatas.
(Pausan , 2, 34. ) Dodwell says, that "the moun-
tainous promontory of Methana consists chiefly of a
volcanic rock of a dark colour. The outline is'grand
and picturesque, and the principal mountain which
was thrown up by the volcano is of a conical form.
Its apparent height is about equal to that of Vesu-
viuj. " The ancient city of Methone, according to
the same intelligent traveller, "was situated in? the
? ? plain, at the foot of its acropolis, near which are a few
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MB V
MID
ealltJ "the Mctonic" after his n>>n>e, and which it
? till pieserved by the Western churches in their com-
{rjtaiion of Easier. This cycle takes its rise as fol-
ews: 235 revolutions of the moon are very nearly 19
Involutions of the sun, and one complete revolution of
the moon's nodj. II these approximations were exact,
all the relative phenomena of the sun and moon, par-
icularly those of eclipses, would recommence in the
same order, al the end of every 19 years. There is,
bowevor, an r/ror of some hours in every < ycle. The
6:st year of the first Mctonic 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 AD. 1,
which is made the first year of a period of 19 years,
would have been psrt of the fourteenth and part of the
fifteenth of a Mctonic cycle. (Idcler, uberden Cyclus
da Melon. --Abhand. Acad. , Berlin, 1814-1815, Hist.
J'hilol. CI. , p. 230. --Encycl. Us. Knoul. , vol. 15, p.
144. ) "It has been suspected," observes Dr. Hale,
"and not without foundation, that the celebrated lunar
cycle of 19 years, which Melon 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. )
Mttk0ci. es, a disciple of Crates. He had previ-
ously been a follower of Theophrastu3 anil Xenocra-
<es; nut when he commenced cynic, he committed
:'ia\e works to the Haines, aa the useless dreams of idle
speculation. In his old age he became so dissatisfied
r/ith the world that he slrangled himself. (Enfield,
Hist. Phtlos. , vol. 1, p. 314. )
Mktrodobub, I. an intimate friend of Epicurus.
He first aUached himself to that philosopher at Lamp-
sacus, an I continued with him till his death. He
maintained the cause of his friend and master with
great intrepidity, both by his discourses and his wri-
tings, against the Sophists and Dialectics, and con-
sequently partook largely of tho obloquy which fell
upon his sect. (Cic. , Tunc. Quasi. , 2, 3. -- Id. , de
Fin. , 2, 3. ) Plutarch charges him with having rep-
robated the folly of his brother Timocrales in aspi-
ring to the honours of wisdom, while nothing was of
any value but eating and drinking, and indulging the
animal appetites. (Adv. Colol. --Op. , ed. Rciskc, vol.
10, p. 624, seqq. ) But it is probable that this calumny
originated with Timocratcs himself, who, from a per-
sonal quarrel with Metrodorus, deserted the sect, and
therefore can deserve little credit. (Enfield, Hist.
J'hU. , vol. 1, p. 456. ---Jonnus, Hist. Phil. , 1, 2, 6 --
Menage ad Ding. Laett. , 10, 22)--II. A painter and
philosopher of Stratonicea, B. C. 171. He was sent
to Paulus . Ennlius, who, after his victory over Perse-
us, king of Macedonia, B. C. 168, requested of the
Athenians a philosopher and a painter, the former to
instruct his children, and tho 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. ,
tie Fin, 5, 1, de Oral. ,*)
MivanIi, a city of Umbria, on the river Tinia, in
the southwestern angle of the country, and to the
? ? northwest ->r Spoletium. It was famous for its wide-
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MIDAS.
MIL
Mount Dcrmion, a garden, in which grew spontane-
ously roses with sixty petals, and of extraordinary
fragrance. (Heiod, 8, 138. -- Compare Wesseling,
ad loc. ) To this garden Silenus was in the habit of
repairing; and Midas (Pausan. , 1, 4,5) or hia people,
by pouring wine into the fount from which ho was
wont to drink, intoxicated him, and he was thus cap-
tured. (Herod. , I. e. ) Midas put various questions to
him respecting the origin of things and the events of
pest times. (Serv. ad Virg. , Eclog. , 6, 13. ) One
was. What is best for men! Silenus was long silent;
at length, when he was constrained to answer, he
said: "Life is most free from pain when one is igno-
rant of future evils. It is best of all for man not to
be born: the second is, for those who are born to die
as soon as possible. " (Arislot. , de An. --Plut. , Con-
sol. ad Ajioll. Op. , 7, p. 352, ed. Hullen. ) He also,
it is said, gave the king a long account of an immense
country which lay without the ocean-stream, the peo-
ple of which once invaded the land of the Hyperbore-
ans. (Theopomp. , ap. JElian, V. H, 3, 18. )--The
name of Midas is also connected with the migration
of the Brygians from Thrace into Asia Minor, where
they are said to have changed their name to Phrygi-
ans (Strab. , 295. -- Ptin. , 6, 32-- Sleph. But. , s. v.
hpiytc), and it has been supposed that the Brygians
passed over under the same Midas of whom the above
legend is related. (Hock, Kreta, vol. 1, p. 129. ) At
all events, we rind the name Midas reappearing in the
legends of Asia Minor. Thus, mention is made of
a King Midas who reigned at Pcssinus, where he built
a splendid temple to Cybele, and established her sa-
cred rites. (Diod. Sic, 3, 5. ) So also Xenophon
places near Thymbriuin the fountain where Midas was
said to have caught the satyr. (Anab, 1, 2, 13. )
Wc have likewise another legend relative to Midas and
Silenus, the scene of which is laid, not in Europe, but
in Lower Asia. According to this account, as Bac-
chus was in Lydia, on his return from the conquest of
the East, some of the country people met Silenus stag-
gering about, and, binding him with his own garlands,
fed 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
bis 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 di-
rected him to bathe in the Pactolua, and hence that
river obtained golden sands. (Otid, Met. , 11, 85,
seqa. -- Hygin. ,fab. , 191. -- Serv. , ad Mn. , 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 endeav-
oured 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 re-
veal it, dug a bole in the ground, and whispered there-
in what he had perceived. His words were echoed by
the reeds which afterward grew on the spot, and which
are said to hare repeated, when agitated by the wind,
"Xing- Midas has asses' cart. " (Ovid, Met. , 11, 153,
? ? seqq. )--The legend respecting the wealth of Midas
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MILETUS.
MiL
Miletjs, 1 a son of Apollo, who fled from Crete
? o avoid falling into the hands of Minos. (Apollod. , 3,
1, 2. ) He came to Caria, and was said to have been
the founder of tho city of Miletus. {Apollod. , I. c. --
Compare Heyne, ad loc. )--II. The most celebrated of
the cities of Ionia, situate on the southern ahore of the
bay into which the river Latmus emptied, and, accord-
ing to Strabo, eighty stadia south of the embouchure
Of the Meander. (Strab. , 634. ) The origin of this
city falls in the period of the first Greek emigrations
from home; but the circumstances connected with its
founding are involved in great uncertainty. As far as
any opinion can be formed from various accounts that
are given of this event, it would appear that the place
was first settled by natives of the country; that to
these came Sarpcdon from Miletus in Crete, and after
him Neleus from Attica, together with other settlers
in process of time. {Strab. , I. c. -- l'ausan , 7, 2. --
Apollod. , 3, l. --Euslalh. ad Dionys. , v. 825. ) Mile-
tus was already large and flourishing when the cities
of the parent country were but just beginning to emerge
from obscurity. The admirable situation of the place,
and the convenience of having four harbours, one of
which was capable of containing a large fleet, gave it
an early and great preponderance in maritime affairs.
It carried on an active and extensive commerce with
the shores of the Euxine on the one hand, and the dis-
tant coast of Spain on the other, to say nothing of the
principal ports of the Mediterranean, which were like-
wise frequented by the Milesian vessels. Its most
important trade, however, was with the shores of the
Euxine. Almost all the Greek cities along the coast
of this inland sea, which were found there at the pe-
riod of the Persian power, were of Milesian origin.
As, however, many of those cities were themselves
conspicuous for size and population, ono can hardly
comprehend how Miletus, in the midst of so active a
traffic, which of itself must have required tho attention
of considerable numbers, could command a superflu-
ous population, sufficiently extensive for the establish-
ment of so many colonies, which Pliny makes to have
been eighty in number, and Seneca seventy-five.
(Plin , 2>>. -- Senec, Consol. ad Hclv.
dic-s not scruple to blame his countrymen, and more
especially Philopcemen, for their conduct to a people
with whom they were united by federal ties. (Polyb. ,
33, 10, 5. ) Hostilities commenced unfavourably for
the Achseans, as their advanced guard fell into an am-
buscade of the enemy, and was defeated with great
loss, Philopcemen himself remaining in the hands of
the victors. So exasperated were the Messenians at the
conduct of this celebrated general, that he was thrown
into a dungeon, and soon after put to death by poison.
His destroyers, however, did not escape the vengeance
of the Achseans; for Lycortas, who succeeded to the
command, having defeated the Messenians, captured
their city, and caused all those who had been con-
cerned in the death of Philopcemen to be immediately
executed. Peace was then restored, and Mcssenia
once more joined the Achaean confederacy, and re-
mained attached to that republic till the period of its
dissolution. ( Liv. , 39,49. --Polyb. , 24. 9. --Pausan. ,
4f 39. Cramer's Ane. Greece, vol. 3, p. 122, seqq. )
MfTABt'a, a tyrant of Privernum. He was father
of Camilla, whom he consecrated to the service of
Diana, when he had been banished from his kingdom
? ? by his ? objects. (Virg. , Mn. , 11, 540. )
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? M F; 1
4iunny fish cajght al its mouth. (Atken. , 7, 63. ) Stra-
\>j speaks of a port of the same name, which may have
been the town of Mctaurum. (Strab. , 256. --Cramer's
Anc. Italy, vol. 2, p. 423. )--II. A river of Umbria, in
Italy, flowing into the Adriatic. It was rendered
memorable by the defeat of Hasdrubal, the brother of
Hannibal. The Roman forces were commanded by
the consuls Livius Salinator and Claudius Nero, A. U. O
645. It is now the Metro. The battle must have ta-
ken place near the modern Fossombrone, and on the
left bank of the Metaurus. Though Livy has given no
precise description of the spot, it may be collected that
it was in that part of the course of the river where it
begins to be enclosed between high and steep rocks
(27, 47). Tradition has preserved a record of the
event in the name of a hill between Fossombrone and
the pass of Furba, called Monte d'Asdrubalc. (Cra-
mer's Anc. Italy, vol. I, p. 261. )
Mktkm. i, a distinguished family of the Caccilian
fens in Rome. Those most worthy of notice are:
Q. Ca>cilius Metellus Macedonicus, was sent, when
prator (13 C. 148), into Macedonia, against Andriscus,
who pretended to be a son of Perseus, the last king
of Macedonia, and who had excited a revolt against
the Romans. In this war Andriscus was defeated
and taken prisoner by Metellus, who obtained, in con-
sequence, a triumph, and the surname of Macedon-
icus. (Livy, Epit. , 50. --Pausanias. 7, 13, 1. --Eu-
trop. , 4, 13. ) In his consulship, B. C. 143, Metellus
was sent into Spain to oppose Virialhus, who had ob-
tained possession of the whole of IjUiitania, and had
defeated successively the pnrlors Vctilinaand Plautius.
Metellus remained in Spain two years, and obtained
several victories; but was superseded in the command,
Jofore the conclusion cf the war, bv Pompcy. (Liv. ,
Epit. , 52, 93. --Vol. Max, 3, 2, 21. -- ll, 7, 4, 5. --
id. , 9, 3, 7. -- Appian, Iber. , 76. ) During the cen-
sorship of Metellus and Pompey, B. C. 131, it was de-
creed that all citizens should be obliged to marry. The
? ration which Metellus delivered on this subject was
extant in the time of Livy, and is referred toby Suetoni-
us. (Liv, Ejnt. , 59. -- Suet, Vit. Aug. , 89. ) We
are told by Livy and Pliny, that, when Metellus was
returning one day from the Campus Martius, he was
seized by command of C. Attinius Labeo, a tribune of
the commons, wh<-m he had in his censorship expelled
from the senate, a'id was dragged to the Tarpeian rock;
and that it was with the greatest difficulty that his friends
were enabled to preserve his life by obtaining another
tribune to put his veto upon tho order of Attinius.
(Liv. , Epit. , 59 --Plin. , 7, 45 ) Pliny refers to Mo-
tellus as an extraordinary example of human happi-
neas : " For, besides the possession of the highest dig-
nities," says the Roman writer, " and having obtained
a surname from the conquest of Macedonia, he was
carried to the funeral pile by four sons, of whom one
bad been praetor, three had been consuls, two had en-
joyed a triumph, and one had been censor. " (Plin. ,
7, 45. )--II. Q. Ca? cilius Metellus Numidicus, derived
his surname from his victoriea in Numidia, whither he
was sent in his consulship, B. C. 109, in order to op-
pose Jugurlha. He remained in Numidia, B. C. 108,
as proconsul; but, in the beginning of the following
year, he was superseded in the command by Marius,
who had previously been his legatus or lieutenant-
general. On his return to Home Metellus obtained
the V >nours of a triumph. (Sallust, Bell. Jug. --Vel-
leiu* Paterc, 2. 11. --Eut ropius, 4, 27-- Liv , Epit. ,
? ? 65. ) Metellus was censor B. C. 102. He took an
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MFT
? I Xmincltn. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol. 1, p.
f'6)-- ,H- A ci'y of Thessaly, noticed by Homer
I. M. . 2. /18), and situate, like the preceding, on the
seacoast. It must not, however, be confounded with
the Macedonian one, an error into which Stephanus
seems to have fallen (*. v. MeOuvi? . )--III. A city of
Hesneraa, on the western. coast, below Pyloa Messe-
niacus. According to Pa'usanios. the name was Mo-
Ujoic. Tradition reported, that it was so called Irom
Motbone, the daughter of jEneas; but it more probablv
derived its name from the rock Mothon, which formed
the breakwater of its harbour. (Pauran. , 4, 35. )
Strako informs us, that, in the opinion of manv wri-
ters, Methone should be identified with Pcdasus,'rank-
ed by Horuirr among the seven towns which Agamem-
non offered to Achilles. (II. , 9, 1294. --Strab , 359. )
Pausanias makes the same observation. In the Pelo-
ponnesian war Methone was attacked by some Athe-
nian troop*, who were conveyed thither in a fleet sent
to ravage the coast of the Peloponnesus; but Brasidas,
who wa* quartered in the neighbourhood, having forced
ais way through the enemy's line, threw himself into
the town with 00 men, which timely succour obliged
the Athenians to re-embark their troops. (Thucyd. ,
2,25. ) Methone subsequently received a colony of
rtauphans: these, being expelled their native city by
the Argives, were established here by the LacediEmo
mans. (Pausan, 4, 35. ) Many years after, it sus
tamed great loss from the sudden attack of some II-
lynan pirates, who carried off a number of inhabitants,
both men and women. Methone was afterv ard be-
sieged and taken by Agrippa, who had the ( jinmand
of a Roman fleet: that general having found jere Boc-
chus (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 fa-
voured this city, and bestowed several privileges on
its inhabitant. Sir W. Gell states, that at about
S700 paces to the east of Modon is a place called
ralaio Mothone, where are vestiges of a city. Mo-
dm is a Greek town of some size, with a fortress
bu-it by the Venetians. (Cramer's Anc. Greece, vol.
1, p. 137. )--IV. or Methana, a peninsula of Argolis,
within the district of Trazene, formed by the harbour
or bay of Pogon on one side, and the curvature of
the Epidaur. an Gulf on the other, and connected with
the mainland by a narrow isthmus, which the Athe-
nians occupied and fortified in the seventh year of the
Peloponnesian war. (Thucyd. ,4,45. ) Diodorus Sic-
ulus says it was taken by the same people under Tol-
mides, in the interval between the Persian and Pelo.
ponnesian wars: and this is perhaps the meaning of
Thucydides, when ho says that, on peace being made,
or, rather, a truce for thirty years, Trazene, among
other towns, was restored to the Peloponnesians.
(Thucyd, 1, 115. ) Within the peninsula was a small
town, also called Methone, which possessed a temple
of Isis. About thirty stadia from the town were to
be seen some hot springs, produced by the eruption
of a volcano in the reign of Antigonus Gonatas.
(Pausan , 2, 34. ) Dodwell says, that "the moun-
tainous promontory of Methana consists chiefly of a
volcanic rock of a dark colour. The outline is'grand
and picturesque, and the principal mountain which
was thrown up by the volcano is of a conical form.
Its apparent height is about equal to that of Vesu-
viuj. " The ancient city of Methone, according to
the same intelligent traveller, "was situated in? the
? ? plain, at the foot of its acropolis, near which are a few
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MB V
MID
ealltJ "the Mctonic" after his n>>n>e, and which it
? till pieserved by the Western churches in their com-
{rjtaiion of Easier. This cycle takes its rise as fol-
ews: 235 revolutions of the moon are very nearly 19
Involutions of the sun, and one complete revolution of
the moon's nodj. II these approximations were exact,
all the relative phenomena of the sun and moon, par-
icularly those of eclipses, would recommence in the
same order, al the end of every 19 years. There is,
bowevor, an r/ror of some hours in every < ycle. The
6:st year of the first Mctonic 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 AD. 1,
which is made the first year of a period of 19 years,
would have been psrt of the fourteenth and part of the
fifteenth of a Mctonic cycle. (Idcler, uberden Cyclus
da Melon. --Abhand. Acad. , Berlin, 1814-1815, Hist.
J'hilol. CI. , p. 230. --Encycl. Us. Knoul. , vol. 15, p.
144. ) "It has been suspected," observes Dr. Hale,
"and not without foundation, that the celebrated lunar
cycle of 19 years, which Melon 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. )
Mttk0ci. es, a disciple of Crates. He had previ-
ously been a follower of Theophrastu3 anil Xenocra-
<es; nut when he commenced cynic, he committed
:'ia\e works to the Haines, aa the useless dreams of idle
speculation. In his old age he became so dissatisfied
r/ith the world that he slrangled himself. (Enfield,
Hist. Phtlos. , vol. 1, p. 314. )
Mktrodobub, I. an intimate friend of Epicurus.
He first aUached himself to that philosopher at Lamp-
sacus, an I continued with him till his death. He
maintained the cause of his friend and master with
great intrepidity, both by his discourses and his wri-
tings, against the Sophists and Dialectics, and con-
sequently partook largely of tho obloquy which fell
upon his sect. (Cic. , Tunc. Quasi. , 2, 3. -- Id. , de
Fin. , 2, 3. ) Plutarch charges him with having rep-
robated the folly of his brother Timocrales in aspi-
ring to the honours of wisdom, while nothing was of
any value but eating and drinking, and indulging the
animal appetites. (Adv. Colol. --Op. , ed. Rciskc, vol.
10, p. 624, seqq. ) But it is probable that this calumny
originated with Timocratcs himself, who, from a per-
sonal quarrel with Metrodorus, deserted the sect, and
therefore can deserve little credit. (Enfield, Hist.
J'hU. , vol. 1, p. 456. ---Jonnus, Hist. Phil. , 1, 2, 6 --
Menage ad Ding. Laett. , 10, 22)--II. A painter and
philosopher of Stratonicea, B. C. 171. He was sent
to Paulus . Ennlius, who, after his victory over Perse-
us, king of Macedonia, B. C. 168, requested of the
Athenians a philosopher and a painter, the former to
instruct his children, and tho 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. ,
tie Fin, 5, 1, de Oral. ,*)
MivanIi, a city of Umbria, on the river Tinia, in
the southwestern angle of the country, and to the
? ? northwest ->r Spoletium. It was famous for its wide-
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MIDAS.
MIL
Mount Dcrmion, a garden, in which grew spontane-
ously roses with sixty petals, and of extraordinary
fragrance. (Heiod, 8, 138. -- Compare Wesseling,
ad loc. ) To this garden Silenus was in the habit of
repairing; and Midas (Pausan. , 1, 4,5) or hia people,
by pouring wine into the fount from which ho was
wont to drink, intoxicated him, and he was thus cap-
tured. (Herod. , I. e. ) Midas put various questions to
him respecting the origin of things and the events of
pest times. (Serv. ad Virg. , Eclog. , 6, 13. ) One
was. What is best for men! Silenus was long silent;
at length, when he was constrained to answer, he
said: "Life is most free from pain when one is igno-
rant of future evils. It is best of all for man not to
be born: the second is, for those who are born to die
as soon as possible. " (Arislot. , de An. --Plut. , Con-
sol. ad Ajioll. Op. , 7, p. 352, ed. Hullen. ) He also,
it is said, gave the king a long account of an immense
country which lay without the ocean-stream, the peo-
ple of which once invaded the land of the Hyperbore-
ans. (Theopomp. , ap. JElian, V. H, 3, 18. )--The
name of Midas is also connected with the migration
of the Brygians from Thrace into Asia Minor, where
they are said to have changed their name to Phrygi-
ans (Strab. , 295. -- Ptin. , 6, 32-- Sleph. But. , s. v.
hpiytc), and it has been supposed that the Brygians
passed over under the same Midas of whom the above
legend is related. (Hock, Kreta, vol. 1, p. 129. ) At
all events, we rind the name Midas reappearing in the
legends of Asia Minor. Thus, mention is made of
a King Midas who reigned at Pcssinus, where he built
a splendid temple to Cybele, and established her sa-
cred rites. (Diod. Sic, 3, 5. ) So also Xenophon
places near Thymbriuin the fountain where Midas was
said to have caught the satyr. (Anab, 1, 2, 13. )
Wc have likewise another legend relative to Midas and
Silenus, the scene of which is laid, not in Europe, but
in Lower Asia. According to this account, as Bac-
chus was in Lydia, on his return from the conquest of
the East, some of the country people met Silenus stag-
gering about, and, binding him with his own garlands,
fed 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
bis 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 di-
rected him to bathe in the Pactolua, and hence that
river obtained golden sands. (Otid, Met. , 11, 85,
seqa. -- Hygin. ,fab. , 191. -- Serv. , ad Mn. , 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 endeav-
oured 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 re-
veal it, dug a bole in the ground, and whispered there-
in what he had perceived. His words were echoed by
the reeds which afterward grew on the spot, and which
are said to hare repeated, when agitated by the wind,
"Xing- Midas has asses' cart. " (Ovid, Met. , 11, 153,
? ? seqq. )--The legend respecting the wealth of Midas
Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-26 09:13 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/uva. x001045523 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? MILETUS.
MiL
Miletjs, 1 a son of Apollo, who fled from Crete
? o avoid falling into the hands of Minos. (Apollod. , 3,
1, 2. ) He came to Caria, and was said to have been
the founder of tho city of Miletus. {Apollod. , I. c. --
Compare Heyne, ad loc. )--II. The most celebrated of
the cities of Ionia, situate on the southern ahore of the
bay into which the river Latmus emptied, and, accord-
ing to Strabo, eighty stadia south of the embouchure
Of the Meander. (Strab. , 634. ) The origin of this
city falls in the period of the first Greek emigrations
from home; but the circumstances connected with its
founding are involved in great uncertainty. As far as
any opinion can be formed from various accounts that
are given of this event, it would appear that the place
was first settled by natives of the country; that to
these came Sarpcdon from Miletus in Crete, and after
him Neleus from Attica, together with other settlers
in process of time. {Strab. , I. c. -- l'ausan , 7, 2. --
Apollod. , 3, l. --Euslalh. ad Dionys. , v. 825. ) Mile-
tus was already large and flourishing when the cities
of the parent country were but just beginning to emerge
from obscurity. The admirable situation of the place,
and the convenience of having four harbours, one of
which was capable of containing a large fleet, gave it
an early and great preponderance in maritime affairs.
It carried on an active and extensive commerce with
the shores of the Euxine on the one hand, and the dis-
tant coast of Spain on the other, to say nothing of the
principal ports of the Mediterranean, which were like-
wise frequented by the Milesian vessels. Its most
important trade, however, was with the shores of the
Euxine. Almost all the Greek cities along the coast
of this inland sea, which were found there at the pe-
riod of the Persian power, were of Milesian origin.
As, however, many of those cities were themselves
conspicuous for size and population, ono can hardly
comprehend how Miletus, in the midst of so active a
traffic, which of itself must have required tho attention
of considerable numbers, could command a superflu-
ous population, sufficiently extensive for the establish-
ment of so many colonies, which Pliny makes to have
been eighty in number, and Seneca seventy-five.
(Plin , 2>>. -- Senec, Consol. ad Hclv.
