MANTUA, in Italy, birthplace of Virgil
MANU, ancestor of mankind
MARATHON, where Theseus and Pirithous met
MARK, King of Cornwall, husband of Isoude the Fair
MARO See VIRGIL
MARPHISA, sister of Rogero
MARSILIUS, Spanish king, treacherous foe of Charlemagne
MARSYAS, inventor of the flute, who challenged Apollo to musical compet.i.tion, and, defeated, was flayed alive
MATSYA, the Fish, first avatar of Vishnu
MEANDER, Grecian river
MEDE, A, princess and sorceress who aided Jason
MEDORO, a young Moor, who wins Angelica
MEDUSA, one of the Gorgons
MEGAERA, one of the Furies
MELAMPUS, a Spartan dog, the first mortal endowed with prophetic powers
MELANTHUS, steersman for Bacchus
MELEAGER, one of the Argonauts (See Althaea)
MELIADUS, King of Lionesse, near Cornwall
MELICERTES, infant son of Ino. changed to Palaemon (See Ino, Leucothea, and Palasmon)
MELISSA, priestess at Merlin"s tomb
MELISSEUS, a Cretan king
MELPOMENE, one of the Muses
MEMNON, the beautiful son of t.i.thonus and Eos (Aurora), and king of the Ethiopians, slain in Trojan War
MEMPHIS, Egyptian city
MENELAUS, son of King of Sparta, husband of Helen
MENOECEUS, son of Creon, voluntary victim in war to gain success for his father
MENTOR, son of Alcimus and a faithful friend of Ulysses
MERCURY (See HERMES)
MERLIN, enchanter
MEROPE, daughter of King of Chios, beloved by Orion
MESMERISM, likened to curative oracle of Aesculapius at Epidaurus
METABUS, father of Camilla
METAMORPHOSES, Ovid"s poetical legends of mythical transformations, a large source of our knowledge of cla.s.sic mythology
METANIRA, a mother, kind to Ceres seeking Proserpine
METEMPSYCHOSIS, transmigration of souls--rebirth of dying men and women in forms of animals or human beings
METIS, Prudence, a spouse of Jupiter
MEZENTIUS, a brave but cruel soldier, opposing Aeneas in Italy
MIDAS
MIDGARD, the middle world of the Nors.e.m.e.n
MIDGARD SERPENT, a sea monster, child of Loki
MILKY WAY, starred path across the sky, believed to be road to palace of the G.o.ds
MILO, a great athlete
MLON, father of Orlando
MILTON, John, great English poet, whose History of England is here largely used
MIME, one of the chief dwarfs of ancient German mythology
MINERVA (Athene), daughter of Jupiter, patroness of health, learning, and wisdom
MINOS, King of Crete
MINO TAUR, monster killed by Theseus
MISTLETOE, fatal to Baldur
MNEMOSYNE, one of the Muses