Medals
a medal in its modern signification, is independent of the coin and sculptured medallion, being a piece of metal, resembling a coin in form and size, stamped with images and inscriptions to honor a person or commemorate an event. The Greeks and Romans made profuse use of them, as a record of events in their respective histories, and the art development in the United States and there are portrait medals of all the American presidents. Chief among the engravers of medals in modern times have been Vittorio Pisani of Italy, Jacques Wiener of Belgium, and Roty and Chaplain in France. Midway between sculpture and painting, as Vasari held it to be, and working in the miniature, the art has been shown capable of great expression and beauty. Such works as the "Study" of Roty or his "Medal Wedding" rival the larger arts in their depth and wealth of detail. See SERVICE MEDALS AND DECORATIONS.
MEDEA (mē-dē'ä), a celebrated magi cian of classic fable, daughter of Æetes, King of Colchis, and the niece of Circe.
When Jason came to Colchis in quest of the golden fleece, Medea became enamored of him, and it was to her arts that the Argonauts owed their preservation. Medea had an interview with her lover in the temple of Hecate, where they bound themselves by the most solemn oaths and promised eternal fidelity. No sooner had Jason overcome all the diffi- MEDELLIN culties which Æetes had placed in his way than Medea embarked with the conquerors for Greece. To stop the pursuit of her father, she tore to pieces her and left his mangled limbs in the pass through which Æetes was to travel. Her conduct to the daugh- , and her refusal to bring Pelias to life after they boiled his flesh in a caldron , greatly irritated the people of Iolchos, and Medea, with her husband, fled to Corinth.
Here they lived for 10 years; but the love of Jason for Glauce, the king's daughter, soon interrupted their mutual harmony, and Medea was divorced.
Medea revenged the infidelity of Jason by causing the death of Glauce and the destruction of her family. This act was followed by another more atrokilled two of her children in their father's presence, and when he attempted to punish fled through the air upon a chariot attempted to punish the barbarity, she nish the barbarity, she drawn by winged dragons. From Corinth Medea went to Athens, where she married King Ægeus.
MEDELLIN (mā-del-yen'), (1) a town of Spain, on the Guadiana, 66 miles E.
Spain, on the Guadiana, 66 miles E. of Badajoz; the birthplace of Cortes. (2) The second city of Colombia, capidepartment of Antioquia, in a lovely mountain valley, 4,850 feet above the sea, and 150 miles N. W. of Bogota; is a handsome town, having a cathedral, college, seminary, technical school, and manufactures of pottery, porcelain ware, has a consider able trade, exporting gold and silver; pop. about 71,000.