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MOPSUS

Volume 14 · 334 words · 1815 Edition

in fabulous history, a celebrated prophet, son of Manto and Apollo, during the Trojan war. He was consulted by Amphimachus, king of Colophon, who wished to know what success would attend his arms in a war which he was going to undertake. He predicted the greatest calamities; but Calchas, who had been a footslayer of the Greeks during the Trojan war, promised the greatest successes. Amphimachus followed the opinion of Calchas; but the prediction of Mopsus was fully verified. This had such an effect upon Calchas, that he died soon after. His death is attributed by some to another mortification of the same nature. The two footslayers, jealous of each other's fame, came to a trial of their skill in divination. Calchas first asked his antagonist, how many figs a neighbouring tree bore? 10,000 except one, replied Mopsus, and one single vessel can contain them all. The figs were gathered, and his conjectures were true. Mopsus now, to try his adversary, asked him how many young ones a certain pregnant fow would bring forth? Calchas confessed his ignorance; and Mopsus immediately said that the fow would bring forth on the morrow ten young ones, of which only one should be a male, all black, and that the females should all be known by their white streaks. The morrow proved the veracity of his prediction; and Calchas died by the excess of grief which his defeat produced. Mopsus after death was ranked among the gods, and had an oracle at Malta, celebrated for the true and decisive answers which it gave.—Another Mopsus, son of Ampyx and Chloris, born at Titarella in Thessaly. He was the prophet and footslayer of the Argonauts, and died at his return from Colchis by the bite of a serpent in Libya. Jason erected him a monument on the sea shore, where afterwards the Africans built him a temple, where he gave oracles. He has often been confounded with the son of Manto, as their professions and their names were alike.