Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 2.djvu/1021

Rh MEGALEAS. important renarks respecting the mythology of Heracles. ( Athen. xii. p. 512, 51 3) 2. A native of Eleusis, brought forward by Demosthenes as a witness in his speech against Callippus. He had had a dispute about some monev transactions with Lycon. (Dera, in Cal- lipp. p. 1241, ed. Reiske.) [C. P. M.] ME'GACLES {Me'yaKi]s). 1. A Syracusan, brother of Dion the son of Hipparinus, and brother- in-law of the elder Dionysius, to whose govern- ment he lent his support, and on one occasion when the tyrant was inclined to despair, urged him not to abandon the sovereignty until absolutely com- pelled to do so (Diod. XX. 78 ; but see Wesseling's note). He, however, in common with his brother, became discontented at the government of the younger Dionysius, and accompanied Dion in his flight from Syracuse, B.C. 358 (Diod. xvi. 6). He afterwards also took part with him in his expedition to Sicily, and when Dion made himself master of Syracuse, Megacles accompanied him on his triumphal entrj' into the city, and was associated with him in the chief command (Plut. Dion^ 28, 29). But from this period his name is not again mentioned. 2. An officer in the service of Pyrrhus, who accompanied that monarch on his expedition to Italy, B. c. 280. He is mentioned as accompanying Pyrrhus when he reconnoitered the Roman camp previous to the battle of Heracleia ; and in that action was the meaijs of saving the king's life, by excjianging armour with him, and thus directing the eil'orts of the assailants upon himself, instead of Pyrrhus. He fell a victim to his devotion, being slain by a Roman named Decius. (Plut. Pyrrh. 16, 17 ; Zonar. viii. 3.) [E. H. B.] ME'GACLES {M^yaKXyis). 1. A name borne by several of the Athenian family of the Alcmaeo- nidae. They are enumerated in the genealogical table of that family in Vol. I. p. 105 ; and what is known respecting those of any* historical import- ance will be found in ihe articles Cylon, Peisis- TRATUS, Alcibiades, &c., which are referred to in the article Alcmaeonidae. 2. A native of Mytilene, who, with the assist- ance of his friends, overthrew the Penthalidae, a ruling family in Mytilene. (Arist. Pol. v. 10. p. 1311, ed. Bekker.) 3. A Greek writer, the author of a treatise on illustrious men, quoted by Athenaeus (x. p. 419, a). [C. P. M.] ME'GACLES {yiiyaKTs an architect of unknown country and date, who, together with Antiphilus and Pothaeus, built the treasury of the Carthaginians at Olympia. (Paus. vi. 19. § 4.) [P. S.] MEGAERA. [Erinnyes.] MEGA'LEAS (MeyaAeas), was chief secretary to Antigonus Doson, king of Macedonia, who ap- pointed him, by his will, to the same office under Piiilip v., his ward and successor (b. c. 220). Megaleas was entirely under the influence of Apelles, and readily entered into his treasonable designs (b. c. 218), to baffle the operations of Philip in his war against the Aetolians, Their treachery, however, was counteracted by Aratus, and the latter accordingly was assailed with personal violence by Megaleas, Leontius, and Crinon, at Limnaea, in Acarnania, when Philip had returned thither from his successful campaign in Aetolia. For this offence Megaleas and Crinon were thrown MEGAREUS. 1007 into prison till they should find security for a fine of twenty talents, but Megaleas was released on the bail of Leontius, who had contrived to escape in the tumult for which his accomplices were punis'iied. In the same year (218) Megaleas and Leontius excited a mutiny at Corinth among the troops of Philip. It was soon quelled ; and, though the king knew who had been the authors of it, he dis- sembled his knowledge, and Megaleas and his chief accomplices were still holding high military rank when Apelles returned to court from Chalcis. The reception, however, of the latter proved that he had quite lost his master's confidence, and Megaleas fled in alarm to Athens ; and being refused refuge there, betook himself to Thebes. Here he con- tinued his impotent and rancorous course of treason by writing letters to the Aetolians, filled with abuse of Philip, and with strong exhortations to them to persevere in the war against him, as his finances were exhausted. The letters were inter- cepted and brought to the king, who thereupon despatched Alexander [Vol. I. p. 112] to Thebes, to sue Megaleas for the amount of his fine ; and the traitor, not venturing to abide the issue of the trial, put an end to his own life. (Pol. iv. 87, v. 2,14—16,25—28.) [E.E.] MEGALO'STRATA (MeyaAoo-Tpara), a Lace- daemonian poetess, beloved by Alcman, the follow- * ing fragment from whom contains all that is known of her : Tou0* dBeav Mwaav eSei^e Supov /JLOLKaipa irapOlvwu d ^avOd MeyaKoarpdra. (Alcman, Fr. ap. Ath. xiii. p. 600. f., No. 27 in Welcker, 18 in Schneidewin's De/ec/, Poes. Graec.^ 21 in Bergk's Poet. Lyr. Graee.) [P. S.] MEGAME'DE {vieyaix-nhr}), a daughter of Ar- naeus, and the wife of Thestius, by whom she be- came the mother of fifty daughters. (Apollod. ii. 4. § 10.) [L. S.] MEGANEIRA (Meyacetpa). 1. A daughter of Crocon, and the wife of Areas. (Apollod. iii. 9. § 1 ; comp. Arcas.) 2. The wife of Celeus. (Paus. i. 39. § 1 ; comp. Metan'Eira.) [L. S.J MEGAPENTHES {Vi^yairive-ns). 1. A son of Proetus, was king of Argos, and father of Anaxa- goras and Iphianeira. (Paus. ii. 18. § 4 ; Diod. iv. 68.) He exchanged his dominion for that of Perseus, so that the latter received Tirvns instead of Argos. (Apollod. ii. 4. § 4 ; Paus. ii. 16. § 3.) He is said to have afterwards slain Perseus. (Hygin. Fah. 244.) 2. A son of Menelaus by an AetoHan slave, Pieris or Teridae. Menelaus brought about a mar- riage between Megapenthes and a daughter of Alector. (Hom. Od. iii. 188, iv. 11, xv. 100; Apollod. iii. 11. § 1.) According to a tradition current in Rhodes, Megapenthes, after the death of his father, exp(41ed Helen from Argos, and she fled to Polyxo at Rhodes. (Paus. ui. 19. § 2 ; comp. ii. 18. § 5, iii. 18. § 7.) A third personage of this name occurs in Eusta- thius {ad Hom. p. 1480). [L. S.] ME'GARA (Meyopa), a daughter of king Creon of Thebes, and wife of Heracles. ( Horn. Od. xi. 269 ; Eurip. Here. Fur. 9 ; Apollod. ii. 4. § 11 ; Paus. L 41 ; Pind. Jsthm. i. 82.) Respecting her history see Heracles. [L. S.] MEGAREUS (Meyapeus), a son of Onchestus, is also called a son of Poseidon by Oencpe, of Hip-