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 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 daughter 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). BERCH'TA ("_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 Berecyntus, 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). BERECYN'THIAN HERO (_The_), Midas king of Phyrgia, so called from mount Berecyn'tus (4 _syl_.), in Phrygia. BERENGA'RIA, queen-consort of Richard Coeur 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_, sir Raymond's daughter, betrothed to sir Hugo de Lacy. Sir Hugo cancels his own betrothal in favor of his nephew (sir Damian de Lacy), who marries the lady Eveline, "the betrothed."--Sir W. Scott, _The Betrothed_ (time, Henry II.). BERENI'CE (4 _syl_.), 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.