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

MENAS. MENECLES. t1035
legions, with which he took Sardinia, and gained vehemently attacked by Horace in his fourth epode
over two legions that were stationed there. Sar- was no other than the subject of the present article.
dinia was soon, after recaptured by Helenus, a This statement has been called in question by
favourite freedman of Octavian's; but Menas, in many modern commentators; but their arguments,
the same year (B.c. 40), was again entrusted by drawn exclusively from internal evidence, are far
Sextus with a fleet to carry on operations against from satisfactory. The discussion of the point is,
Octavian and Antony, who had just been recon- in this place, impossible, connected as it is with
ciled to one another; and in this expedition he the vexata quaestio of the chronology of the poems
ravaged the Etrurian coast, and once more gained of Horace. For the literature of the subject, see
possession of Sardinia; but, wishing to secure a above, Vol. II. p. 522, and comp. Classical Museum,
refuge in the protection of Octavian should circum- vol. ii. pp. 207-209, 217-221. [E. E.]
stances make it desirable, he sent back to him MENDEIS. [SITONP.]
Helenus and several other prisoners without ran- MENDES (M 6v3 -s), an Egyptian divinity, wor*
som. In B. C. 39 he tried in vain to dissuade his shipped in the town of Mendes. He is said to
master from concluding a peace with Octavian and have resembled the Arcadian Pan. (Herod. ii.
Antony; and, at an entertainment given to them 46; Strab. xvii. pp. 802, 812.) [L. S.]
by Sextus on board his ship at Misenum, Menas MENE (M~n7), a female divinity presiding
suggested to him to cut the cables of the vessel, over the months. (Hom. Hymn. xii. 1; Apollon,
and, running it out to sea, despatch both his rivals. Rhod. iii. 533, iv. 55; August. De Civ. Dei, vii.
The treacherous proposal, however, was rejected 2.) [L. S.]
by Pompeius. (Dion Cass. xlviii. 30. 36-38; MENECLEIDAS (MetvsAsears), a Theban
Appian, B. C. v. 56, 66, 70-73; Plut. Ant. 32; orator, was one of those who joined Pelopidas in
Vell. Paterc. ii. 73, 77.). Meanwhile Pompey's delivering Thebes from Sparta and the oligarchical
suspicions of the fidelity of Menas had been ex- government in B. C. 379. After this, however,
cited by his dismissal of Helenus and his commu- finding himself eclipsed by Pelopidas and Epaminication with Octavian, and had been further nondas, he strove in every way to bring them'into
fomented by the representations of certain persons discredit with their countrymen, and, in particular,
who were envious of his power in Sardinia. He he took part in the prosecution against them for
therefore sent for him early in B. c. 38, on pretence having retained -their command beyond the legal
of requiring an account of the provisions and time in the campaign of B. C. 369. Being further
money which he had had to administer. But exasperated by their acquittal, he continued his:Menas put all the messengers to death, and cove- rancorous attacks on them; and, as he was a
nanted with Octavian to surrender to him the powerful speaker, he so far succeeded against Epaisland, together with the whole force, military and minondas as to exclude him from the office of
naval, under his command. Octavian gladly em- Boeotarch. Against Pelopidas his efforts were of
braced his offer, and not only refused to give him no avail, and he therefore endeavoured, in the true
up, according to Dion, on the application of Sextus, spirit of envy, to throw his merits into the shade,
but treated him with great distinction, advanced by advancing and exaggerating those of Charon.
him to the equestrian order, and, investing him The latter had been successful in a slight skirmish
with the authority of legate under Calvisius Sabinus, of cavalry just before the great battle of Leuctra
placed him in command of the ships which he had (B. c. 371), and Menecleidas brought forward a
himself Brought over. In this capacity he was decree for commemorating the exploit by a picture,
engaged in the naval campaign towards the end of to be dedicated in one of the temples, and inscribed
B. C. 38, which was on the whole disastrous to with Charon's name. For this he was impeached
Octavian, but in which Menas did good service, by Pelopidas, on the ground that the honour of all
and, through his skilful seamanship, saved the victories belonged, not to any individual, but to the
ships entrusted to him from destruction by a storm state. He was found guilty and fined; and his
which shattered a great portion of the fleet. (Dion inability to pay, the penalty led him afterwards to
Cass. xlviii. 45-48; Appian, B. C. v. 77-90.) enter into revolutionary designs against his country.
Just before the re-commencement of hostilities be- (Plut. Pelop. 25. See Vol. II. p. 23, a.) [E. E.]
tween Sextus and Octavian, in B.C. 36, Menas MENECLES (MeveKAihs). 1. Of Barce in
again played the deserter, and returned to his old Cyrene, is mentioned by Athenaeus (iv. p. 184)
master's service, not only because the last campaign simply as an historian, and is perhaps the same as
may have given him reason to think that the the, one whose work in another passage (ix. p. 390)
stronger side, but also because he was indignant at he mentions under the title of oavvaytcy. There
having merely a subordinate command assigned to also existed an historical work on Athens (7repl
him. In the operations which ensued, he gained'ArnCv), the authorship of which was doubtful,
some advantages. over the enemies' ships; and even in antiquity, some attributing it to Menecles,
having raised an impression that, formidable as an and others to Callistratus (Harpocrat. s. vv. Kepaopponent, he might be equally useful as an ally, he MsELKO'S, EKcaTLZ74reRov; Etym. Magn. s. v. AZohess;
again revolted to Octavian, being especially offended Harpocrat., Phot., Suid. s.v.'Epla?). But it is
at not having been reinstated in his former com- scarcely probable that this historian of Athens
mand by Pompeius, under whose suspicion he felt should be the same as Menecles of Barce. It is
uneasy. Octavian received him gladly, but con- more likely that the Barcaean is identical with the
tinued to regard him with distrust. In B. C. 35 he author of a work on the history of Libya, who is
accompanied his patron on his expedition to the mentioned in an anonymous treatise, De Mulieribus
north-eastern coast of theAdriatic, and was slain Bello claris, ~ 10, which is printed in the Bibliotliek
in the Pannonian campaign at the siege of Siscia. der Alt. Lit. und Kunst, vi. p. 21, It is highly:(Dion Cass. xlviii. 54, xlix. 1, 37~ Appian, B. C. probable that the Menecles of Barce was also the
v. 96, 100, 101.) author of a work from which a fragment concerning
According to the old scholiasts, the person so Battus of Cyrene, is still extant. (Schol. ad Pind.