Berenice, Bernice

[Lat. Berenice, Bernice; Maced on i an Gr. Βερενίκη (Berenike), Βερνίκη (Bernikē); Cla . Gr. Φερενίκη (Phe renike ); from φερένικος ( pherenikos ) = carrying off victory, victorious; φέρω (phero) = to bear or carry, νίκη ( nike ) = victory.] A. Of the form Berenice: The name of various Egyptian queens of the Maced on i an dynasty of the Lagidæ. B. Of the form Bernice: The eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I., and the sister of Agrippa II. (Acts xxv. 13, 23; xxvi. 30.) Berenice's Hair. [Called after Berenice (the third of the name), wife, about B.С. 248 of Ptolemy Euergetes, king of Egypt. Whilst her husband was fighting in Asia she vowed her hair to Venus, in whose temple it was consequently placed. It was stolen, or else the priests flung it away, and then Conon of Samos at once allayed the annoyance of the king at its disappearance, and made religious capital for the temple, by proclaiming that it had been taken up to the sky and placed among the seven stars in the tail of Leo.] Astron. The English rendering of the words Coma Berenices , one of the nine constellations introduced by Hevelius. It is in the northern hemisphere, and consists of indistinct stars between Bootes and the tail of Leo.