in Fabulous History, a king of Crete, son of Jupiter and Europa. He flourished about 1432 years before the Christian era. He gave laws to his subjects, which still remained in full force in the age of the philosopher Plato, about 1000 years after the death of the legislator. His justice and moderation procured him the appellation of the favourite of the gods, the confidant of Jupiter, and the wife legislator, in every city of Greece; and, according to the poets, he was rewarded for his equity after death with the office of supreme and absolute judge in the infernal regions. In this capacity he is represented sitting in the middle of the shades, and holding a sceptre in his hand. The dead plead their different causes before him; and the impartial judge shakes the fatal urn, which is filled with the destinies of mankind. He married Ithona, by whom he had Lycastes, who was the father of Minos II.