Basilius is strong and active, pitches the bar admirably, wrestles with amazing dexterity, and is an excellent cricketer.  He runs like a buck, leaps like a wild goat, and plays at skittles like a wizard.  Then he has a fine voice for singing, he touches the guitar so as to make it speak, and handles a foil as well as any fencer in Spain.—­Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. ii. 4 (1615).

BASRIG or BAGSECG, a Scandinavian king, who with Halden or Halfdene (2 syl.) king of Denmark, in 871, made a descent on Wessex.  In this year Ethelred fought nine pitched battles with the Danes.  The first was the battle of Englefield, in Berkshire, lost by the Danes; the next was the battle of Beading, won by the Danes; the third was the famous battle of AEscesdun or Ashdune (now Ashton), lost by the Danes, and in which king Bagsecg was slain.

  And Ethelred with them [the Danes] nine sundry fields that fought ... 
  Then Reading ye regained, led by that valiant lord,
  Where Basrig ye outbraved, and Halden sword to sword.

  Drayton, Polyolbion, xii. (1613).

Next year (871) the Danes for the first time entered Wessex....  The first place they came to was Reading....  Nine great battles, besides smaller skirmishes, were fought this year, in some of which the English won, and in others the Danes.  First, alderman AEthelwulf fought the Danes at Englefield, and beat them.  Four days after that there was another battle at Reading ... where the Danes had the better of it, and AEthelwulf was killed.  Four days afterwards there was another more famous battle at AEscesdun ... and king AEthelred fought against the two kings, and slew Bagsecg with his own hand.—­E.  A. Freeman, Old English History (1869); see Asser, Life of Alfred (ninth century).

BASSA’NIO, the lover of Portia, successful in his choice of the three caskets, which awarded her to him as wife.  It was for Bassanio that his friend Antonio borrowed 3000 ducats of the Jew Shylock, on the strange condition that if he returned the loan within three months no interest should be required, but if not, the Jew might claim a pound of Antonio’s flesh for forfeiture.—­Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice (1598).

BAS’SET (Count), a swindler and forger, who assumes the title of “count” to further his dishonest practices.—­C.  Cibber, The Provoked Husband (1728).

BASSIA’NUS, brother of Satur’nius emperor of Rome, in love with Lavin’ia daughter of Titus Andron’icus (properly Andronicus).  He is stabbed by Deme’trius and Chiron, sons of Tam’ora queen of the Goths.—­(?) Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus (1593).

BASSI’NO (Count), the “perjured husband of Aurelia” slain by Alonzo.—­Mrs. Centlivre, The Perjured Husband (1700).