Bello´na, goddess of war, was daughter of Phorcys and Ceto; called by the Greeks Enyo, and is often confounded with Minerva. She prepared the chariot of Mars when he was going to war, and appeared in battles armed with a whip to animate the combatants, and holding a torch.
Be´lus, one of the most ancient kings of Babylon, about 1800 years before the age of Semiramis, was made a god after death, and was worshiped by the Assyrians and Babylonians. He was supposed to be the son of the Osiris of the Egyptians. The temple of Belus was the most ancient and magnificent in the world, and was said to have been originally the tower of Babel.
Bereni´ce. A daughter of Philadelphus, who married Antiochus, king of Syria, after he had divorced his former wife Laodice.
Bereni´ce. The mother of Agrippa, whose name occurs in the history of the Jews as daughter-in-law of Herod the Great. A number of others of minor celebrity were known by the same name.
Bi´on. A philosopher of Scythia who rendered himself famous for his knowledge of poetry, music, and philosophy. Another of the same name was a Greek poet of Smyrna who wrote pastorals. He was a friend of Moschus, who says that he died by poison about 300 years B.C.
Boadice´a. A famous British queen who rebelled against the Romans and was defeated, on which she poisoned herself. Her cruel treatment by the Romans is the subject of an ode by Cowper.
Bo´reas. The name of the north wind blowing from the Hyperborean mountains. According to the poets, he was son of Astræus and Aurora. He was passionately fond of Hyacinthus.
Bren´nus. A general of the Galli Senones, who entered Italy, defeated the Romans, and marched into the city. The Romans fled into the Capitol, and left the city in possession of the enemy. The Gauls climbed the Tarpeian rock in the night, and would have taken the Capitol had not the Romans been awakened by the cackling of some geese, on which they roused themselves and repelled the enemy.
Bri´a´reus. A famous giant, son of Cœlus and Terra. He had a hundred hands and fifty heads, and was called by men by the name of Ægeon.
Bru´tus L. Junius. Son of M. Junius and Tarquinia. When Lucretia killed herself, B.C. 509, in consequence of the brutality of Tarquin, Brutus snatched the dagger from the wound and swore upon the reeking blade immortal hatred to the royal family, and made the people swear they would submit no longer to the kingly authority. His sons conspired to restore the Tarquins, and were tried and condemned before their father, who himself attended their execution. Mr. John Howard Payne, the American dramatist, has written a tragedy, of which Brutus is the hero.