Chapter Magricio to Mahomet of M by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Magricio to Mahomet

Magricio The champion of Isabella of Portugal, who refused to do homage to France. The brave champion vanquished the French chevalier, and thus vindicated the liberty of his country.

Maguelone or Magalo'na (the fair). Heroine of the romance called The History of the Fair Magalona, Daughter of the King of Naples, etc. Originally written in French. Cervantes alludes to it in Don Quixote. (See Peter Of Provence .)

Magus (See Simon .)

Mah-abadean Dynasty (The). The first dynasty of Persian mythological history. Mah Abad (the great Abad) and his wife were the only persons left on the earth after the great cycle, and from them the world was peopled. Azer Abad, the fourteenth and last of this dynasty, left the earth because “all flesh had corrupted itself,” and a period of anarchy ensued.

Mahabharata One of the two great epic poems of ancient India. Its story is the contests between descendants of Kuru and Pandu. (See Kuru .)

Mahadi or Hakem. The Kalif who reigned about 400 years after Mahomet. In one pilgrimage to Mecca he expended six million gold dinars.

Mahatmas Initiates who have proved their courage and purity by passing through sundry tests and trials. It is a Hindu word applied to certain Buddhists. They are also called “Masters.” According to Theosophists, man has a physical, an intellectual, and a spiritual nature, and a Mahâtma is a person who has reached perfection in each of these three natures. As his knowledge is perfect, he can produce effects which, to the less learned, appear miraculous. Thus, before the telegraph and telephone were invented it would have appeared miraculous to possess such powers; no supernatural power, however, is required, but only a more extensive knowledge.

“Mahâtma is a well-known Sanskrit word applied to men who have retired from the world, who by means of a long ascetic discipline, have subdued the passions of the flesh, and gained a reputation for sanctity and knowledge. That these men are able to perform most startling feats, and to suffer the most terrible tortures, is perfectly true.”- Max Muller: Nineteenth Century, May, 1893, p. 775.

Mahdi (The). The supreme pontiff of the Shiites (2 syl.) Only twelve of these imaums have really appeared- viz. Ali, Hassan, Hosein, and the nine lineal descendants of Hosein. Mohammed, the last Mahdi, we are told, is not really dead, but sleeps in a cavern near Bagdad, and will return to life in the fulness of time to overthrow Dejal (anti-Christ).
   The Mahdi which has of late been disturbing Egypt is hated by the Persians, who are Sunnites (2 syl.); but even the Turks and Persians are looking out for a Mahdi who will stamp out the “infidels.”

Mahmoud of Ghizni the conqueror of India in the 11th century, kept 400 greyhounds and bloodhounds, each of which wore a jewelled collar taken from the necks of captive sultanas.

Mahmut The name of the famous Turkish spy (q.v.).

Mahomet or Mohammed, according to Deutsch, means the Predicted Messiah. (Hag. ii. 7.) It is the titular name taken by Halabi, founder of Islam. (570-632.)
   Angel of. When Mahomet was transported to heaven, he says: “I saw there an angel, the most gigantic of all created beings. It had 70,000 heads, each had 70,000 faces, each face had 70,000 mouths, each mouth had 70,000 tongues, and each tongue spoke 70,000 languages; all were employed in singing God's praises.”
   This would make more than 31,000 trillion languages, and nearly five billion mouths.
   Banner of. Sanjaksherif, kept in the Eyab mosque, at Constantinople.
   Bible of. The Koran.
   Born at Mecca, A.D. 570.
   Bow. Catum (q.v.).
   Camel (Swiftest). Adha (q.v.).
   Cave. The cave in which Gabriel appeared to Mahomet was Hoiâ
   Coffin. It is said that Mahomet's coffin, in the Hadgira of Medina, is suspended in mid-air without any support. Many explanations have been given of this phenomenon, the one most generally received being that the coffin is of iron, placed