Mīlētus

, a son of Apollo, who fled from Crete to avoid the wrath of Minos, whom he meditated to dethrone. He came to Caria, where he built a city which he called by his own name. Some suppose that he only conquered a city there called An actor i a, which a umed his name. They further say, that he put the inhabitants to the sword, and divided the women among his soldiers. Cyanea, a daughter of the Mæander, fell to his share. Strabo , bk. 14 .— Ovid , Metamorphoses , bk. 9 , li. 446 .— Pausanias , bk. 7 , ch. 2 .— Apollo dor us , bk. 3 , ch. 1 .――A celebrated town of Asia Minor, the capital of all Ionia, situate about 10 stadia south of the mouth of the river Mæander, near the sea coast on the confines of Ionia and Caria. It was founded by a Cretan colony under Miletus, or, according to others, by Neleus the son of Codrus, or by Sarpedon, Jupiter’s son. It has succe ively been called Lelegeis , Pithy us a , and An actor i a . The inhabitants, called Miles i i , were very powerful, and long maintained an obstinate war against the kings of Lydia. They early applied themselves to navigation, and planted no le than 80 colonies, or, according to Seneca, 380, in different parts of the world. Miletus gave birth to Thales, Anaximenes, Anaximander, Hecatæus, Timotheus the musician, Pittacus, one of the seven wise men, . Miletus was also famous for a temple and an oracle of Apollo Didymæus, and for its excellent wool, with which were made stuffs and garments, held in the highest reputation, both for softne , elegance, and beauty. The words Milesiæ fabulæ , or Milesiaca , were used to expre wanton and ludicrous plays. Ovid , Tristia , bk. 2 , li. 413 .— Capitol in us , Life of Albinus , ch. 11 .— Virgil , Georgics , bk. 3 , li. 306 .— Strabo , bk. 15 .— Pausanias , bk. 7 , ch. 2 .— Mela , bk. 1 , ch. 17 .— Pliny , bk. 5 , ch. 29 .— Hero dot us , bk. 1 , . — Seneca , de Consol at i one ad Helviam .