Idom´ene us

[ I.dom´.e.nuce ], king of Crete. He made a vow when he left Troy, if the gods would vouchsafe him a safe voyage, to sacrifice to them the first living being that he encountered in his own kingdom. The first living object he met was his own son, and when the father fulfilled his vow, he was banished from his country as a murderer. ⁂ The reader will call to mind Jephthah’s rash vow.— Judges xi. Agamemnon vowed to Diana to offer up in sacrifice to her the most beautiful thing that came into his po e ion within the next twelve months. This was an infant daughter named Iphigeni´a; but Agamemnon deferred the offering till she was full grown. The fleet, on its way to Troy, being wind-bound at Aulis, the prophet Calchas told Agamemnon that it was because the vow had not been fulfilled; accordingly Iphigenia was laid on the altar for sacrifice, but Diana interposed, carried the victim to Tauris, and substituted a hind in her place. Iphigenia in Tauris became a prieste of Diana. ⁂ Abraham, being about to sacrifice his son to Jehovah, was stayed by a voice from heaven, and a ram was substituted for the lad Isaac.— Gen. xxii.