in Mythology, the name of one of the deities of the northern nations, answering to the Arimanius among the Persians, whom they represent as at enmity both with gods and men, and the author of all the evils which delocate the universe. Loke is described in the Edda as producing the great serpent which encircles the world; which seems to have been intended as an emblem of corruption or sin: he also gives birth to Hela or death, the queen of the infernal regions; and also to the wolf Fenris, that monster who is to encounter the gods and destroy the world.

LOKMAN the WISE, an eminent philosopher among the Easterns. The Arabians say he was the son of Baura, the son or grandson of a sister or aunt of Job. He was an Ethiopian, and a slave for some time. It is related that he was born in the time of David, and lived till the age of the prophet Jonas. Some suppose him to have been the same with Æsop the mythologist: and indeed we find in the parables or apologues of Lokman in Arabic, many particulars that are seen in Æsop's fables; so that it is not easy to determine whether the Greek or the Arabian are the originals. He is said to have been deformed in his person; but that this defect was sufficiently made up by the perfections of his mind. Some pieces of his are extant; and he was looked upon as so excellent a person, that Mahomet has inserted a chapter of the Koran, called after his name, in which he introduces God as saying, "We heretofore bestowed wisdom on Lokman."—It is related that he got his liberty on the following occasion. His master having given him a bitter melon to eat, he ate it all. His master, surprised at his exact obedience, asked, How it was possible for him to eat such a nauseous fruit? He answered, "I have received so many favours from you, that it is no wonder I should once in my life eat a bitter melon from your hand." This generous answer of the slave struck the master to such a degree, that he immediately gave him his liberty. M. Galland translated all the fables of Lokman, and Bidpai or Pil-pay, a bramin philosopher, which were published at Paris in 1724.