■840 M E D 
Cyaxares, having thus evened the kingdom of Media 
into a powerful empire, and (liared the new acquifitions 
with his Babylonian ally, died in the fortieth year cf his 
reign, and was fucceeded by his fon Aftyages, called in 
fcripture Ahafuerus. This prince had by Aryenis, already 
mentioned, Cyaxares II. called in Scripture Darius the 
Mede , who was fixty-two years of age when Belfhazzar 
was (lain at the capture of Babylon. In the year when 
Cyaxares was born, Aftyages gave his daughter Mandane, 
whom he had by a former wife, to Cambyfes, a Perfian, 
from which marriage fprung Cyrus, the founder of the 
Perfian monarchy, and the reftorer of the Jews to their 
country, their temple, and their former condition. Af¬ 
tyages, after a reign of thirty-five years, was fucceeded 
by his fon Cyaxares II. uncle to Cyrus, 560 B. C. 
Whilft this Cyaxares (or Darius) lived, Cyrus held the 
empire only in partnerfhip with him, though he had en¬ 
tirely acquired it hy his own valour ; but, as Cyrus was 
entrufted with the command of the army, and the whole 
management of affairs, he was regarded as the fupreme 
governor of the empire. From Jofephus we learn, that 
Cyaxares, or Darius the Mede, with his ally, Cyrus, 
deftroyed the kingdom of Babylon. After the reduction 
of Babylon, Cyaxares, in concert with Cyrus, fettled 
the affairs of the new empire, and divided it into 120 
provinces. The governors of thefe provinces were under 
the direiflion of three prefidents, of whom Daniel was 
appointed the chief. From this time Media became a 
province of Persia. See that article. 
ME'DIAL, or Median, adj. [ medium , Lat .] Interme¬ 
diate, middle, mean. Scott. 
MEDIA'NA, a town of Spain, in Arragon, twelve 
miles fouth-eaft of Saragoffa. 
MEDIA'NOS, a town of Spain in Arragon, fix miles 
fouth-fouth-eafl of Ainfa. 
MEDIA.S'TINE, or Mediastinum, f [Latin.] The 
fimbriated body about which the guts are convolved.— 
None of the membranes which inveft the infide of the 
bread but may be the feat of this difeafe, the mediafiine 
as well as the pleura. Arbuthnot on Diet. 
To ME'DIATE, v. n. [from medivs, Lat.] To in- 
terpofe as an equal friend to both parties; to aft indif¬ 
ferently between contending parties ; to intercede.—The 
corruption of manners in the world, we (hall find owing 
to fome mediating fchemes that offer to comprehend the 
different interelts of fin and religion. Rogers. —To be 
between two.*—By being crowded, they exclude all other 
bodies that before mediated between the parts of their 
body. Dig by. 
To ME'DIATE, v. a. To effeft by mediation.— 
The earl made many profeffions of his defire to interpofe, 
and mediate a good peace between the nations. Clarendon. 
—I poffefs chemifts and corpufcularians of advantages by 
the confederacy I am mediating between them. Boyle .— 
To limit by fomething in the middle.—They ftyled a 
double ftep, the fpace from the elevation of one foot to 
the fame foot fet down again, mediated by a ltep of the 
other foot, a pace, equal to five feet. Holder. 
ME'DIATE, adj. Interpofed ; intervening: 
Soon the mediate clouds fhal! be difpell’d ; 
The fun fhall foon be face to face beheld. Prior. 
Middle; between two extremes. 
Anxious we hover in a mediate ftate 
Betwixt -infinity and nothing. Prior. 
Acling as a means. Unufual. — The moft important 
care of a new king, was his marriage for mediate eliablifli- 
jnent of the royal line. IVotton. 
MED 
ME'DIATELY, adv. By a fecondary caufe ; In fuch 
a manner that fomething afls between the firft caufe and 
the la It effeft.—God worketh all things amongft us me¬ 
diately by fecondary means; the which means of our 
fafety, being (hipping and fea-forces, are to be efteemed 
as his gifts, and then only available and beneficial when 
be vouchfafeth his grace to ufe them aright. Raleigh's 
EJfays. —Peftilent contagion is propagated immediately 
by converfing with infefted perfons, and mediately by pel- 
tilential fetninaries .propagated through the air. Harvey 
jori Consumptions . ; 
ME'DIATING, f. The act of performing by media¬ 
tion. 
MEDIA'TION,/. Interpofition ; intervention ; agency 
between two parties, praftifed by a common friend.—The 
king fought unto them, tocompofe thofe troubles between 
him and his fubjefts; they accordingly interpofed their 
mediation in a round and princely manner. Bacon. 
Noble offices thou may’ft effeft 
Of mediation, after I am dead, 
Between his greatnefs and thy other brethren. Shakefpeare. 
Agency interpofed ; intervenient power.—The paffions 
have their refidence in the fenfitive appetite : for, inaf- 
much as man is a compound of flefn as well as fpirit, the 
foul, during its abode in the body, does all things by the 
mediation of thefe palfions. South's Sermons. —It is utterly 
unconceivable, that inanimate brute matter, without the 
mediation of fome immaterial being, fliould operate upon 
other matter without mutual contart. Bentley ,— Intercef- 
fion ; entreaty for another. 
ME'DIATOR, f. One that intervenes between two 
parties.—You had found by experience the trouble of all 
men’s Confluence, and for all matters to yourfelf, as a 
mediator between them and their fovereign. Bacon's Advice 
to Villiers. —An interceffor; an entreater for another; 
one who ufes his influence in favour of another.—It is 
again ft the fenfe of the law, to make faints or angels to 
be mediators between God and them. Stillingfleet. —One 
of the charafters of our bleffed Saviour.—A mediator is 
confidered two ways, by nature or by office, as the fathers 
diftinguifh. He is a mediator by nature, as partaking of 
both natures divine and human ; and mediator by office, 
as tranfafling matters between God and man. Waterland. 
Man’s friend, his mediator, his defign’d. 
Both ranfom and redeemer voluntary. . Milton. 
Mediators of Quejlions, in our old law-writers, were 
fix perfons authorifed by ftatute, who, upon any queftiois 
arifing among merchants, relating to any unmerchantable 
wool, or undue packing, &c. might, before the mayor, 
or officers of the ftaple, upon their oath, certify and fettle 
the fame; to whole order and determination therein, the 
parties concerned were to give entire credence, and fub- 
mit. 27 Ed. III. flat. 2. c. 24. 
MEDI ATO'RIAL, or Me'diatory, adj. Belonging to 
a mediator.—All other effefts of Chrilt’s mediatorial office 
are accounted for from the truth of his refurredlion. 
Fiddes's Sermons. 
MEDIA'TORSHIP, f. The office of a mediator. 
MEDIA'TRIX, f. A female mediator. Ainfworth. 
ME'DIC,/. See Medicago. 
ME'DIC VETCH', in botany. See Hedysarum. 
MED'ICABLE, adj. [from medico, Lat. to heal.] Ca¬ 
pable of being healed. 
For want of timely help, 
Thoufands have died of medicable wounds. Shakefpeare, 
INDEX 
