MINOS II. Grandson of Minos I, and king of Crete. Made war on the Athenians and compelled them to send to Crete an annual tribute of seven youths and seven maidens, to be devoured by the Minotaur, the monstrous offspring of Pasiphae and a bull. _See_ THESEUS. MINOTAUR. See MINOS II MITHRAS. God of the sun among the Persians. MOMUS. Son of Night, and God of criticism. MORMO. A female spectre, used to frighten children with. MUSAEUS. The supposed author of various poetical works. His origin is doubtful; he is sometimes called the son of Orpheus. MUSES. The Goddesses of poetry, and of the arts and sciences. They were nine in number, and were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (Memory). Mount Helicon in Boeotia was their favourite haunt. MUSONIUS RUFUS. A celebrated Stoic philosopher, banished by Nero in 66 A.D. on the pretext of conspiracy. MYIA. Of this daughter of Pythagoras we have no certain information. MYRON. A celebrated sculptor, born about 480 B.C. MYSTERIES (Eleusinian). Eumolpus, Musaeus, and Demeter, are all mentioned as the founders of these Mysteries, in which were commemorated the rape of Persephone by Pluto, and the wanderings of Demeter in search of her. They were held annually, the Greater at Eleusis and Athens, the Lesser at Agrae. Persons initiated at the Lesser could only be admitted to the Greater after a year's interval. A part of the Greater Mysteries, to which those only were admitted who had been fully initiated, and had taken the oath of secrecy, consisted of a torchlight procession from Athens to the temple of Demeter at Eleusis, after which the initiated were purified, repeated the oath of secrecy, and were admitted to the inner sanctuary of the temple. Of the secret doctrines there divulged nothing is known. NARCISSUS. A youth so beautiful that he fell in love with his image reflected in a pool. NAUSICAA. The beautiful daughter of Alcinous and Arete, who received Odysseus with kindness when cast up by the sea. NELEUS. Of Scepsis; he is known to have been in possession of the MSS. of Aristotle, and may therefore have been a patron of literature. NEMESIS. 'Wrath,' the Goddess who avenges presumption. NEOPTOLEMUS, also called Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, after whose death the seer declared that Troy could not be taken without the help of his son. He distinguished himself in the taking. NEPHELE. _See_ ATHAMAS. Changed to a cloud after his desertion of her. NEREÏDS. The sea nymphs, daughters of Nereus, a Sea-God. NESIOTES. _See_ CRITIUS. NESTOR. Oldest and wisest of the Greek chiefs at Troy. His cup was one that 'scarce could another move from the table when it was full, but old Nestor lifted it with ease.' NICANDER. Grammarian, poet, and physician of Colophon, about 140 B.C. Wrote _Theriaca_ and _Alexipharmaca_, works on poisons and antidotes. NICIAS. The Athenian general in command of the Sicilian expedition, 415 B.C. Put to death by the Syracusans.