I. An Asiatic king of a primitive age, builder of Babylon and founder of the Babylonian kingdom, Verg. A. 1, 621; 1, 729 sq.: “priscus,” Ov. M. 4, 213 (like Βῆλος ὁ ἀρχαῖος, Aelian. V. H. 13, 3).—
II. An Indian deity, compared with Hercules of the Greeks, Cic. N. D. 3, 16, 42; cf. Robinson, Dict., under .—
III. A king of Egypt, father of Danaus and Ægyptus.—
IV. Derivv.
A. Bēlīdes , ae (for the length of the i, cf. Prisc. p. 584 P.), m., = Βηλίδης, a male descendant of Belus: “Belidae fratres,” i. e. Danaus and Ægyptus, Stat. Th. 6, 291: “surge, age, Belide, de tot modo fratribus unus,” i. e. Lynceus, son of Ægyptus, Ov. H. 14, 73: “Palamedes,” Verg. A. 2, 82 (septimo gradu a Belo originem ducens, Serv.).—
B. Bēlis , ĭdis, f., and usu. in plur., Bēlĭdĕs , um, the granddaughters of Belus, the Belides, = Danaides (v. Danaus), Ov. Tr. 3, 1, 62; id. A. A. 1, 74; id. M. 4, 463; 10, 44.—
C. Bēlĭăs , ădis, f., = Belis, Sen. Herc. Oet. 961.—
V. Beli oculus, a precious stone, cat's-eye, a species of onyx, Plin. 37, 10, 55, § 149.—
VI. A river of Galilee, on the borders of Phœnicia, now Nahr Naaman, Plin. 5, 19, 17, § 75; Tac. H. 5, 7.
