e Scotch Bodach Glay or "grey spectre" is a
similar spirit. Same as _Banshee_ (which see).

How oft has the Benshee cried!
How oft has death untied
Bright links that glory wove,
Sweet bonds entwined by love!

T. Moore, _Irish Melodies_, ii.

BENVO'LIO, nephew to Montague, and Romeo's friend. A testy, litigious
fellow, who would quarrel about goat's wool or pigeon's milk. Mercutio
says to him, "Thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the
street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the
sun" (act iii. sc. 1),--Shakespeare, _Romeo and Juliet_ (1598).

BEOWULF, the name of an Anglo-Saxon epic poem of the sixth century. It
received its name from Beowulf, who delivered Hrothgar king of Denmark
from the monster Grrendel. This Grendel was half monster and half man,
and night after night stole into the king's palace called Heorot, and
slew sometimes as many as thirty of the sleepers at a time. Beowulf
put himself at the head of a mixed band of warriors, went against the
monster and slew it. This epic is very Ossianic in style, is full of
beauties, and is most interesting.--_Kemble's Translation._

(A.D. Wackerbarth published in 1849 a metrical translation of this
Anglo-Saxon poem, of considerable merit.)

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 Joe is of _Joseph_, 1820.)

_Beppo_, in _Fra Diavolo_, an opera by Auber (1836).

BERALDE (2 _syl._), 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 specieux 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
remedes et non pas de leurs maladies_." He then proves that Argan's
wife is a mere hypocrite, while his daughter is a true-hearted,
loving girl; and he makes the invalid join in the dancing and singing
provided for his cure.--Moliere, _Le Malade Imaginaire_ (1673).
BERCH'TA ("_the white lady_"), a fairy of southern Germany, answering