indecl. in s; pl. nom. acc. beón; gen. beóna; dat. beóum, beóm; f. A BEE; apis. The keeping of bees was an object of much care in the economy of the Anglo-Saxons. The great variety of expressions, taken from the flavour of honey, sufficiently account for the value they placed upon it. While the bee-masters [beó-ceorlas, v. beó-ceorl] enjoyed their own privileges, they had to pay an especial tax for the keeping of bees :-- Swá swá seó beó sceal losian as the bee shall perish, Bt. 31, 2; Fox 112, 26. Sió wílde beó sceal forweorþan, gif hió yrringa awuht stingeþ the wild bee shall perish, if she angrily sting anything, Bt. Met. Fox 18, 9; Met. 18, 5. Ða beón beraþ árlícne anleofan and ǽterne tægel the bees carry a delicious food and a poisonous tail, Frag. Kmbl. 34; Leás. 19. Be ðám ðe beón bewitaþ concerning those, who keep bees, L. R. S. 5; Th. i. 434, 35. Ymbtrymedon me swá swá beón circumdederunt me sicut apes, Ps. Spl. 117, 12 : Ps. Th. 117, 12. [Dut. bij, bije, f : Ger. biene, beie, f : M. H. Ger. bíe, f : O. H. Ger. pía, f : Dan. Swed. bi, n : O. Nrs. bý, n; generally bý-fluga, f. a bee fly.] DER. beó-breád, -ceorl, -gang, -þeóf, -wyrt. beo