Minos (mī´nos).—(i) Son of Jupiter and Europa, brother of Rhadamanthus, king and lawgiver in Crete, and after death one of the three judges of the shades in the infernal regions (the other two being Rhadamanthus and Æacus). (ii) Grandson of the former, likewise king of Crete, the husband of Pasiphaë and the father of Ariadne and other children. His son [Androgeos] (q.v.) having been shamefully treated by the Athenians, he made war against the latter and compelled them to send every year to Crete, as tribute, seven young men and seven maidens to be devoured by the Minotaur. This Minotaur was a terrible monster, with the head of a bull and the body of a man, the offspring of Pasiphaë and a bull. It was kept in a labyrinth constructed by Dædalus, but was slain by [Theseus] (q.v.), with the help of Ariadne, the daughter of Minos.
Minotaur (mī´no-tawr)—i.e. the bull of Minos (Lat.).—See “[Minos].”
Minyæ (min´i-ē).—The Minyans, an ancient Greek race dwelling in Thessaly. The Argonauts, being mainly Minyans, are called Minyæ.
Mithras (mith´ras).—The sun-god of the Persians.
Mjolnir.—From mythology of northern lands. The name of Thor’s celebrated hammer—a type of the thunderbolt—which, however far it might be cast, was never lost, as it always returned to his hand; and which, whenever he wished, became so small that he could put it in his pocket.
Mnemosyne (nē-mos´i-nē)—i. e. memory (Gr.).—The mother of the Muses.
Moakkibat.—A class of angels, according to the Mohammedan mythology. Two angels of this class attend every child of Adam from the cradle to the grave. At sunset they fly up with the record of the deeds done since sunrise. Every good deed is entered ten times by the recording angel on the credit or right side of his ledger, but when an evil deed is reported the angel waits seven hours, “if happily in that time the evil-doer may repent.”
Moloch.—A god of the Phœnicians to whom human victims, principally children, were sacrificed. Moloch is figurative of the influence which impels us to sacrifice that which we ought to cherish most dearly.
Momus (mō´mus).—The god of mockery and censure.