Melanchrus, a tyrant of Lesbos, who died about 612 B.C.
Melane, the same as Samothrace.
Melaneus, a son of Eurytus, from whom Eretria has been called Melaneis.——A centaur. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 12.——One of Actæon’s dogs. Metamorphoses, bk. 3.——An Æthiopian, killed at the nuptials of Perseus. Metamorphoses, bk. 5.
Melanida, a surname of Venus.
Melanion, the same as Hippomenes, who married Atalanta, according to some mythologists. Apollodorus, bk. 3.
Melanippe, a daughter of Æolus, who had two children by Neptune, for which her father put out both her eyes, and confined her in a prison. Her children, who had been exposed and preserved, delivered her from confinement, and Neptune restored to her her eye-sight. She afterwards married Metapontus. Hyginus, fable 186.——A nymph who married Itonus son of Amphictyon, by whom she had Bœotus, who gave his name to Bœotia. Pausanias, bk. 9, ch. 1.
Melanippĭdes, a Greek poet about 520 years before Christ. His grandson, of the same name, flourished about 60 years after at the court of Perdiccas II. of Macedonia. Some fragments of their poetry are extant.
Melanippus, a priest of Apollo at Cyrene, killed by the tyrant Nicocrates. Polyænus, bk. 8.——A son of Astacus, one of the Theban chiefs who defended the gates of Thebes against the army of Adrastus king of Argos. He was opposed by Tydeus, whom he slightly wounded, and at last was killed by Amphiaraus, who carried his head to Tydeus. Tydeus, to take revenge of the wound he had received, bit the head with such barbarity, that he swallowed the brains, and Minerva, offended with his conduct, took away the herb which she had given him to cure his wound, and he died. Apollodorus, bk. 1, ch. 8.—Aeschylus, Seven Against Thebes.—Pausanias, bk. 9, ch. 18.——A son of Mars, who became enamoured of Cometho, a priestess of Diana Triclaria. He concealed himself in the temple, and ravished his mistress, for which violation of the sanctity of the place the two lovers soon after perished by a sudden death, and the country was visited by a pestilence, which was stopped only after the offering of a human sacrifice by the direction of the oracle. Pausanias, bk. 7, ch. 19.——A Trojan, killed by Antilochus in the Trojan war. Homer, Iliad, bk. 15.——Another, killed by Patroclus.——Another, killed by Teucer.——A son of Agrius.——Another, son of Priam.——A son of Theseus.
Melanosyri, a people of Syria.
Melanthii, rocks near the island of Samos.