Chapter Benefit-Play to Berinthia of B by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Beppo. Byron’s Beppo is the husband of Laura, a Venetian lady. He was taken captive in Troy, turned Turk, joined a band of pirates, grew rich, and after several years returned to his native land. He found his wife at a carnival ball with a cavaliero, made himself known to her, and they lived together again as man and wife. (Beppo is a contraction of Guiseppe, as Bill is of William. 1818.)

Beppo, in Fra Diavolo, an opera by Auber (1836).

Beralde, brother of Argan the malade imaginaire. He tells Argan that his doctors will confess this much, that the cure of a patient is a very minor consideration with them, “toute l’excellence de leur art consiste en un pompeux galimatias, en un spécieux babil, qui vous donne des mots pour des raisons, et des promesses pour des effets.” Again he says, “presque tous les hommes meurent de leur remèdes et non pas de leurs maladies.” He then proves that Argan’s wife is a mere hypocrite, while his daugher is a true-hearted, loving girl; and he makes the invalid join in the dancing and singing provided for his cure.—Molière: Le Malade Imaginaire (1673).

Berchta [“the white lady”], a fairy of Southern Germany, answering to Hulda (“the gracious lady”) of Northern Germany. After the introduction of Christianity, Berchta lost her first estate and lapsed into a bogie.

Berecynthian Goddess (The). Cybelê is so called from mount Ber ecyntus, in Phrygia, where she was held in especial adoration. She is represented as crowned with turrets, and holding keys in her hand.

Her helmèd head
Rose like the Berecynthian goddess crowned
With towers.
   —Southey: Roderick, etc., ii. (1814).

N.B.—Virgil gives the word both Cybele and Cybele—

Hinc mater cultrix Cybele Corybantiaque æra.
   —Æneid, III.

Occurrit comitum: Nymphæ, quas alma Cybele.
   —Æneid, x. 220.

Berecynthian Hero (The), Midas king of Phrygia, so called from mount Berecyntus , in Phrygia.

Berengaria, queen-consort of Richard Cœur de Lion, introduced in The Talisman, a novel by sir W. Scott (1825). Berengaria died 1230.

Berenger (Sir Raymond), an old Norman warrior, living at the castle of Garde Doloureuse.

The lady Eveline Berenger, sir Raymond’s daughter, betrothed to sir Hugo de Lacy. Sir Hugo cancels his own betrothal in favour of his nephew (sir Damian de Lacy), who marries the lady Eveline “the betrothed.”—Sir W. Scott: The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).

Berenice , sister-wife of Ptolemy III. She vowed to sacrifice her hair to the gods if her husband returned home the vanquisher of Asia. On his return, she suspended her hair in the temple of the war-god, but it was stolen the first night, and Conon of Samos told the king that the winds had carried it to heaven, where it still forms the seven stars near the tail of Leo, called Coma Berenices.

Pope, in his Rape of the Lock, has borrowed this fable to account for the lock of hair cut from Belinda’s head, the restoration of which the young lady insisted upon. (See Belinda, p. 105.)

Berenice , a Jewish princess, daughter of Agrippa. She married Herod king of Chalcis, then Polemon king of Cilicia, and then went to live with Agrippa II. her brother. Titus fell in love with her and would have married her, but the Romans compelled him to renounce the idea, and a separation took place. Otway (1672) made this the subject of a tragedy called Titus and Berenicê; and Jean Racine (1670), in his tragedy of Bérénice, has made her a sort of Henriette d’Orléans.