MEDEA. Daughter of Æetes king of Colchis, and famous for her skill in witchcraft. Falling in love with Jason when he came to Colchis for the Golden Fleece, she assisted him to obtain it, and followed him to Greece as his wife. When Jason afterwards deserted her for the daughter of Creon, she revenged herself by slaying her own children by him, and his second wife. MELAMPUS. A seer, whose ears were cleansed by some young snakes that he had preserved from death, with the result that he was enabled to understand the language of birds. MELEAGER. Son of Oeneus, king of Calydon, and leader of the heroes who slew the boar that Artemis, offended at Oeneus's neglect in not asking her to a certain feast, had sent to ravage his country. Being in love with Atalanta, he gave her the boar's hide, and subsequently slew his mother's brothers for taking it from her. To avenge their death, his mother Althaea threw into the fire that fatal firebrand whose consumption, as she knew from the Fates, must be followed by his death. MELETUS. An obscure tragic poet, one of the accusers of Socrates. MELIA. A Nereid, mother of the river-god Ismenus. MELICERTES. _See_ ATHAMAS. MENANDER. A distinguished Athenian poet of the New Comedy, 342-291 B.C. MENELAUS. Brother of Agamemnon, and Helen's husband. The abduction of Helen by the Trojan Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. MENIPPUS. A Cynic philosopher, originally a slave, of Gadara in Coele-Syria. His date is placed about 60 B.C. It is probable that Lucian was much indebted to the writings of Menippus, which are now lost, though an imitation of them is still preserved in the _Menippean Satires_ of Varro. Among the titles of his works are _A Visit to the Shades_, _Wills_, and _Letters of the Gods_. He appears frequently as a character in Lucian's dialogues. MENTOR. A famous silversmith, before 356 B.C. METRODORUS. A distinguished Epicurean philosopher, 330-277 B.C. MIDAS. A king of Phrygia, to whom Dionysus granted the power of changing all that he touched into gold. Being unable in consequence to obtain any nourishment, Midas was permitted to cancel this privilege by bathing in the Pactolus. Chosen as a judge in a musical contest between Pan and Apollo he decided against the latter, who changed his ears into those of an ass. MIDIAS. A wealthy Athenian, and a bitter enemy of Demosthenes, whose speech against him is extant. MILO. Of Croton, a famous athlete, of whom various feats of strength are recorded. MILTIADES. Son of Cimon. Commanded the Athenians at Marathon. He afterwards used the power entrusted to him for his private purposes, and the charges brought against him were better justified than is implied in _Slander_ (29). MINA. A sum of money--£4 1_s._ 3_d._ MINOS I. Son of Zeus and Europa, brother of Rhadamanthus. King and legislator of Crete and, after his death, a judge in Hades.