[Boanerges] (i. e. Sons of Thunder), applied by Christ to the sons of Zebedee for the vehemence of their zeal.
[Boaz] and Jachin, two pillars of brass at the entrance of Solomon's Temple, signifying respectively strength and stability.
[Bob`adil, Captain], a braggadocio in Ben Jonson's "Every Man in his Humour."
[Bobèche], a French theatrical clown, under the Empire and the Restoration, son of an upholsterer of the St. Antoine faubourg, the type of the merry-andrew at country fairs.
[Boccaccio, Giovanni], the celebrated Italian raconteur, born near Florence; showed early a passion for literature; sent by his father to Naples to pursue a mercantile career; gave himself up to story-telling in prose and verse; fell in love with Maria, a beautiful woman, daughter of the king, styled by him Fiammetta, for whom he wrote several of his works, and his great work, the "Decameron"; early formed a lifelong friendship with Petrarch, along with whom he contributed to the revival and study of classic literature; lectured on Dante in Florence; Petrarch's death deeply affected him, and he died the year after (1313-1375).
[Boccherini, Luigi], a celebrated Italian musical composer, born at Lucca; was associated with Manfredi, the violinist; his works were numerous; appears to have lived in poverty and obscurity (1740-1805).
[Bochart, Samuel], a Protestant divine, born at Rouen; pastor at Caen; a geographer and an Orientalist; wrote a treatise on sacred geography; celebrated for a nine-days' discussion with the Jesuit Verin (1599-1667).
[Bode, Johann Elert], an astronomer, born at Hamburg; was professor of Astronomy and director of Observatory at Berlin; produced a number of astronomical works, one of his best, "An Introduction to the Knowledge of the Starry Heavens;" gave name to the law of the planetary distances, called Bode's Law, although it was observed by Kepler long before his day (1747-1826).
[Bodel], a celebrated troubadour of the 13th century, born at Arras.
[Bodensee], another name for the Lake of Constance, well called the filter of the Rhine.