The modern city is thus described by Dr. Robinson {Researches, iii, 437 sq.): "Beirut is situated on the north-west coast of the promontory of the same name, about an hour distant from the cape, directly upon the sea-shore. There was once a little port, now filled up, so that vessels can anchor onlj' in the open road. The town is surrounded on the land side by a wall of no great strength, with towers. The houses are high, and solidly built of stone. The sheets are narrow and gloomy, badly paved, or rather laid with large stones, with a deep channel in the middle for animals, in which water often runs. The aspect of the city is quite substantial. I went twice into the town, and
therein drew upon himself many persecutions from the Jesuit party. He died in Paris January 25, 1763. His writings were very numerous; among them are IJistoire dal'abbaye d?' Port Iioyal (Cologne, 1756, 8 vols. 12mo), including also lives of Arnaud, Nicole, and other Jansenists ; Concord des epitres de St. Paul ct des epitres Canoniques (Paris, 1747, 12mo) ; Principes de la perfection Chretienne (Paris, 1748, 12mo); Principes de la Penitence et de la Conversion (Paris, 1762, 12mo). — Hoefer, Now. Biog. Generale, v, 800.
Besold, Christopher, was born in Tubingen 1577, and educated for the law, but combined theolog- ical with legal studies. In 1610 he became professor of law at Tubingen, and lectured with great accep- tance. When, after the battle of NGrdlingen, 1634, Protestantism in Wurtemberg seemed likely to be overthrown, he went over to Rome publicly. It is said, however, that he had privately joined the Roman Church four years before. He became professor at Ingolstadt 1637, and died there Sept. 15, 1638, cryin:-, "Death is a bitter herb." — Mosheim, Ck. Hist. c. xvii. § 2, pt. i, ch. i ; Herzog, Reed-EncyMop. ii, 111.
Besom (X-X^"C, maiate, a sweeper), occurs only in the phrase "besom of destruction," i. e. desolating broom, with which Babylonia is threatened (Isa. xiv, 23); a metaphor frequent still in the East for utter ruin (Roberts, Orient. Jlluslr. in loc).
Be'sor (Heb. only with the art., kab-Besor', TiU33il, the cool; Sept. Borron ; Josephus, JiamXog, Ant. Vi, 14, 6), a torrent-bed (5PI3, "brook") or ra-
saw the only remains of antiquity which are now point- ! vine in the extreme south-west of Judah or Simeon, edout, viz., the numerous ancient columns lying as a i where two hundred of David's men staid behind, be- foundation beneath the quay, and the ancient road cut | ing faint, while the other four hundred pursued the C c c
BESSARION
T70
BETAH
Amalekites, who bad burnt the town of Ziklag, not far distant 1 1 Sam. xxx. 9, 10, 21). Sanutus derives its source from the interior Carmel, nc;ir Hebron, and Btates thai it enters the sea near Gaza (JLiber Secreto-
rinn, p. 252). For other slight ancient notices, see Reland, Potest, p. 288. It is, without doubt, the same that Richardson crossed on approaching Gaza from the south, and which he calls " Oa di Gaza" ( Wady Gaza).
The bed was thirty yards wide, and its stream was, early in April, already exhausted, although some stag- nant water remained. The upper part of this is called Wady Sfo riah, and is doubtless the brook Besor, being the principal one in this vicinity (Van de Yelde, Me- moir, p. 293 ; Schwarz, Palest, p. 52, 78).
Bessarion, Johannes, patriarch of Constantino- ple, and cardinal, was born at Trebizond in 1389 (or, according to Bandini, in 1305). He studied under Gemislius Pletho, who was one of the first to introduce the study of Plato in the West. He took the habit of St. Basil, and spent twenty-one years in a monastery in the Peloponnesus, occupied with his literary and theological studies, becoming one of the most eminent scholars of the age. "When the emperor John Palaeo- logus resolved to attend the Council of Ferrara (q. v.), he withdrew Bessarion from his retreat, made him archbishop of Nicxa, and took him to Italy, with Mar- cus Eugenius, archbishop of Ephesus, and others. At the Council of Ferrara, and also at its adjourned ses- sion at Florence, the two most distinguished speakers present were Marcus and Bessarion — the former firm and resolute against any union with Rome on the terms proposed ; the latter, at first vacillating, at last declared for the Latins. He was immediately employed by the pope to corrupt others; and by rewards, persuasions, threats, and promises, eighteen of the Eastern bishops were induced to sign the decree made in the tenth ses- sion, declaring that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son ; that the Sacrament is validly consecrated in unleavened ..s well as in leavened bread; that there is a purgatory; and that the Roman pon- tiff is primate and head of the whole church. The pa- triarch of Constantinople (who died at the council), Mark of Ephesus, the patriarch of Heraclea, and Atha- nasius, remained uncorrupted. The Greek deputies returned to Constantinople, and were received there witli a burst of indignation. The Greek Church in- dignantly rejected all that had been done, and in a council at ( 'onstantinople, held, according to their own account, a year and a half after the termination of that of Florence, all the Florentine proceedings were de- clared null ami void, and the synod was condemned. Bessarion was branded as an apostate, and found his native home so uncomfortable that he returned to Ita- ly, where Eugenius IV created him cardinal; Nicolas V made him archbishop of Siponto and cardinal-bishop of Sabina; and in 1463, Pius II conferred upon him the rank of titular patriarch of Constantinople. He was even thought of as the successor of Nicolas, and would have been elevated to the papal throne but for tie' intrigues of cardinal Allan, lie was again within a little of being elected upon the death of Pius, lie died at Ravenna, November 19, 1472, and his body was transported to Pome. His writings are very numer- ous, and, for the most part, remain unpublished. A catalogue <•{' them i< given by Fabricius, Bibliolkeca