Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/399

MENELAUS familiarity with the classical and Italian poets. His epistle to Boscan and hymn to Espinosa attest at once great genius and vast classical erudition. There is but one edition of his poems (4to, Madrid, 1610). His principal his- torical work is the Ouerra contra los Idoriscos, a record of the Moorish insurrection. The author is so impartial with respect to the ene- mies of his faith and people that the book could not be published till long after his death (Valencia, 1776). His life by Antonio is con- tained in the Bibliotlieca Nova. IV. Antonio de, brother of the preceding, born in Granada about 1495, died in Lima, July 21, 1552. On April 17, 1535, he was appointed viceroy of New Spain, where he arrived in October, in- vested with full power to act in opposition to previous royal orders. His administration was distinguished by many wise reforms, espe- cially in matters concerning the Indians, whose sufferings were materially alleviated by his efforts. In 1536 he introduced into the city of Mexico the printing press, the first brought to the new world, and the first coining, in the same year, was done by his orders ; he also founded the first college there (1537). In 1551 he was transferred to the viceroyalty of Peru. He was the first of a series of 64 vice- roys in New Spain, and his administration was the longest and most illustrious of them all. MKXKLAIS, one of the Homeric heroes, king of Lacedaemon, son of Atreus and younger brother of Agamemnon, and husband of Helen. After his wife had eloped with Paris, he and Ulysses proceeded to Troy to demand her res- titution. In the war which followed the re- fusal-he repeatedly distinguished himself, slay- ing many Trojans in single combat. He also engaged Paris, and would have killed him had not Venus interfered and enabled her favorite to escape. Menelaus was one of the warriors concealed in the famous wooden horse. On recovering Helen he embarked for home ; but when he arrived off Cape Malea Jupiter sent a storm which scattered his fleet, and drove his ship as far as Egypt. With the exception of Ulysses, he was the last of the Hellenic heroes that reached Greece. He is said to have been the father of several children by Helen. MENENDEZ DE AVILES, Pedro, a Spanish ad- miral, colonizer of Florida, born at Aviles in 1519, died in Santander, Sept. 17, 1574. He cruised for many years against French cor- sairs, on his own account and under commis- sion from Charles V., with great success. Philip II. appointed him captain general of the India fleets, and his councillor. He con- veyed Philip from Corunna to England to marry Queen Mary. Returning to Spain, he engaged some pirates on the way, took com- mand of the India fleet, and, running across, returned with a valuable fleet long before he could have been expected. He next swept away the piratical vessels hovering on the coast of Spain ; then with only four vessels he carried to the Low Countries money and reen- MENENDEZ DE AVILES 387 forcements that enabled Philip to win the bat- tle of St. Quentin. He was constantly em- ployed during the war, and toward the close he crossed France in disguise, to fit out a fleet to convey Philip back to Spain. He landed the king and court with his usual celerity. He was next made general of the India fleet, and did not return to Spain till July, 1560. In 1565 he was appointed adelantado of Flor- ida, with orders to plant a colony. While preparations were on foot, tidings came that French Huguenots, under the auspices of Co- ligni, had settled in Florida. The desire of breaking up this colony led to increasing the force of Menendez. His fleet of 34 vessels carried 2,646 persons, including cultivators, mechanics, priests, and soldiers. He sailed from Cadiz June 29, 1565, and vessels for his colony sailed about the same time from other ports of Spain. On reaching Porto Eico in August, with a small part of his force, Me- nendez heard that Ribault had reenforced the French, and that a Spanish vessel had been captured. He ran into the St. John's river, and announced to the French his name and his purpose of exterminating them. He then returned to St. Augustine, which he discov- ered and named. Ribault followed and at- tempted to invest him ; but he was driven off by a storm, and Menendez resolved to proceed overland and surprise the French fort, and carried out his plans amid great difficulties. Fort Caroline was captured, and nearly all the colonists of both sexes were put to the sword ; some escaped with Laudonniere to the French ships, and about 70 were spared. Menendez garrisoned the fort, called it San Mateo, and returned to St. Augustine. Meanwhile Ribault had been wrecked on the coast, and after much suffering from hunger he and his fol- lowers surrendered on promise of mercy from Menendez. With atrocious perfidy and cruelty they were nearly all put to death. (See RI- BAULT.) Menendez then pushed on his works at St. Augustine, and established Fort Santa Lucia at Cape Carnaveral, and Santa Elena at Port Royal harbor, S. C. The next year San- cho de Arciniega brought out 1,500 more set- tlers with supplies. Menendez sent up to ex- plore the coast as far as St. Mary's, now Ches- apeake bay. He then returned to Spain to report what he had effected. During his ab- sence Dominique de Gourgues, a French ad- venturer, captured San Mateo and avenged the massacre of the French. (See GOURGUES.) In 1570 Menendez sent a vessel with a colony of Jesuits to begin a mission on the Rappa- hannock. An Indian chief, who had been in Mexico and Spain and become a Christian, was their guide, but he turned traitor, and the whole party were massacred. Menendez on his return from Spain in 1572, hearing of the destruction of the colony, at once sailed up the Potomac and avenged the massacre. He then explored the whole coast, and was devo j ting himself to the increase of his colony when