A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

MELEAGER. MELESIPPUIS. 1017
fdordium in the following summer (B.. 333).' We 2-4-; Arriani ap. Phot. p. 69, a.; Diod. xviii
afterwards find him present at the battles of Issus 2.)
and Arbela; associated with Craterus in the im- 2. An ilarch or commander of a squadron of
portant task of dislodging the enemy who guarded cavalry in the army of Alexander at the battle of
the passes into Persia; and again bearing a part in Arbela. (Arrian, Anab. iii. 11; Curt. iv. 50.)
the passage of the Hydaspes, and in various other He is certainly distinct from the preceding, and
operations in India (Arrian, Anab. i. 4, 14, 20, 24, is probably the same person whom we afterwards
ii. 8, iii. 11, 18, v. 12; Curt. iii. 24, v. 14, vii. 27; find mentioned among the friends and adherents of
Diod. xvii. 57). But notwithstanding this long Pithon, who participated in his projects of revolt
series of services we do not learn that Alexander against Antigonus, B.C. 316. -.[PITHON.] After
promoted him to any higher or more confidential the death of their leader, Meleager and Menoetas
situation, nor do we find him employed in any broke out into open insurrection, but were speedily
separate command of importance. Already, before defeated by Orontobates and Hippostratus, who
the king's death, Meleager had given evidence had been left by Antigonus in the government of
of an insolent and factious disposition, and these Media, and Meleager was slain in the battle.
qualities broke out in their full force during the dis- (Diod. xix. 47.).cussions which ensued after the death of Alexander. 3. A son of Ptolemy Soter and Eurydice,
His conduct on that occasion is differently related. daughter of Antipater, succeeded his brother PtoAccording to Justin, he was the first to propose in lemy Ceraunus on the throne of Macedonia, after
the council of officers, that either Arrhidaeus or the latter had fallen in battle against the Gauls
Heracles the son of Barsine should at once be (B. C. 280); but was compelled by the Macedonian
chosen king, instead of waiting for the chance of troops to resign the crown, after a reign of only
Roxana bearing a son. Curtius, on the contrary, two months. (Euseb. Arn. pp. 156, 157; Dexippus,
represents him as breaking out into violent in- ap. Syncell. pp. 267, 270.) His reign is omitted by:
vectives against the ambition of Perdiccas, and Justin. [E. H. B.]
abruptly quitting. the assembly, in order to excite MELEA'GER (Meeaeypos), son of Eucrates,
the soldiery to a tumult. Diodorus, again, states the celebrated writer and collector of epigrams,
that he was sent by the assembled generals to was a native of Gadara in Palestine, and lived
appease the clamours and discontent of the troops, about B. c. 60. There are 131 of his epigrams in
but instead of doing so he himself joined the the Greek Anthology, written in a good Greek
mautineers. In any case it is certain that Meleager style, though somewhat affected, and distinguished
early assumed the lead of the opposition to Perdic- by sophistic acumen and amatory fancy. (Brunck,
cas and his party; and placed himself at the head of Anal. vol. i. pp. 1-38; Jacobs, Ants. G(raec. vol.
the infantry, who had declared themselves (probably i. pp. 1-40, vol. xiii. pp. 639, 698, 915, 916;
at his instigation) in favour of the claims of Arrhi- Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iv. pp. 416-420.) Bedaeus to the vacant throne. Meleager even went so sides the various editions of the Greek Anthology,
far as to order the execution of Perdiccas, without there are separate' editions of the epigrams of Meany express authority from his puppet of a king; leager, for which see Fabricius. An account of his
but this project was disconcerted by the boldness e'rpazvos, or collection of epigrams, is given under
of the regent: and the greater part of the cavalry, PLANUDES.. [P. S.]
together with almost all the generals, sided with MELES (Metls), an Athenian, who -was bePerdiccas, and, quitting Babylon, established them- loved by Timagoras, but refused to listen to hinm,
selves in a separate camp without the walls of the and ordered him to leap from the rock of the acrocity. Matters thus seemed tending to an open polis. Timagoras, who was only a'metoikos at
rupture, but a reconciliation was effected, principally Athens, did as he was bid; but Meles, repenting
by the intervention of Eumenes, and it was agreed of his cruel command, likewise threw himself from
that the royal authority should be divided between the rock; and the Athenians from that time are
Arrhidaeus and the expected son of Roxana, and said to have worshipped Anteros, as the avenger
that in the mean time Meleager should be asso- of Timagoras. (Paus. i. 30. ~ 1.)
ciated with Perdiccas in the regency. It was, Meles is also the god of the river Meles, near
however, evidently'impossible that these two should Smyrna; and this river-god was believed by some
long continue on really friendly terms, and Me- to have been. the father of Homer. (Vit. Script.
leager proved no match for his wily and designing Graec. p. 27, ed. Westermann.) [L. S.]
antagonist. Perdiccas contrived by his profound MELES (ME;Ws). 1. Of Colophon, the father
dissimulation, to lull his rival into fancied security, of the poet Polymnestus (Plut. de MAus. p. 1 133, a.).
while he made himself master both of the person 2. Of Athens, the father of the dithyrambic
and the disposition of the imbecile Arrhidaeus, of poet Cinesias, was himself also a dithyrambic poet,
which he immediately took advantage, and hastened and is ranked by Pherecrates as the worst of all
to strike the first blow. The whole army was the citharoedic poets of his day (Schol. ad Aristoph.
assembled under pretence of a general review and Av. 858). Plato also tells us that his performances
lustration, when the king, at the instigation of annoyed the audience (Gorg. p. 502). [P. S.]
Perdiccas, suddenly demanded the surrender and MELESA'GORAS. [AMELESAGORAS.]
punishment of all the leaders in the late disorders. MELESIPPUS (MEA'sL7r7os), a LacedaemoThe infantry were taken by surprise, and unable to nian, son of Diacritus, was one of the three ambasoffer any resistance; 300 of the alleged muti- sadors sent to Athens in B. C. 432, just before the
neers were singled out, and instantly executed; commencement of the Peloponnesian war, with the
and though Meleager himself was not personally final demand of Lacedaemon for the restoration of
attacked, he deemed it necessary to provide for his the independence of all the Greek states.: By the
safety by flight, and took refuge in a temple, where advice of Pericles, the Athenians refused complihe was quickly pursued and p'ut to death by order ance. In the following year, when Archidamus
of Perdiccas. (Curt. x. 21. —29; Justin. xiii. was on his march to invade Attica, he again sent