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Possible definitions for xenia

Aeneas
Mythical hero of Troy and Rome. He was the son of Aphrodite and Anchises, a member of Trojan royal family. According to Homer, he was second only to his cousin Hector in defending Troy during the Trojan War. Virgil's Aeneid tells of Aeneas's escape after Troy's fall, carrying his elderly father on his back, and of his journey to Italy, where his descendants became the rulers of Rome. See also Dido.


-->Ben Ali

President of Tunisia (from 1987). Trained as a soldier, he headed the defense ministry's military intelligence for 10 years (1964-74) before entering the foreign service, serving as ambassador to Poland before returning home to hold several domestic government posts, which culminated in a dual appointment as prime minister and interior minister. In 1987 he replaced Pres. H. Bourguiba, who had been declared medically unfit. He was elected and reelected in 1989 and 1994.


Bengal
Former province, NE British India. Generally corresponding to the area inhabited by speakers of the Bengali language, it is now divided between the Indian state of W. Bengal and Bangladesh. Bengal formed part of most of the early empires that controlled N India. In the 8th-12th cent. it was under a Buddhist dynasty, and from 1576 it belonged to the Mughal empire. In the 18th cent. it was dominated by the nawabs of Bengal; they came into conflict with the British, who had established themselves at Calcutta in 1690. By 1764 the British had taken possession, and from then on Bengal was the base for British expansion in India. With the end of British rule in 1947, the area was divided. W. Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa became part of India. E. Bengal went to Pakistan; in 1971 it became Bangladesh.


Benigni
Italian film comedian and director. He came to the attention of Italians in TV programs such as L'altra Domenica, where his wildly mischievous approach to such sensitive topics as God, politics, and sex earned him a wide audience. He debuted as a film actor in Berlingeur, Ti voglio bene (1977) and as director in Tu mi trubi (1983). Later films such as Down by Law (1986) and Il mostro (1994) were popular across Europe and in the U.S. He is best known for his performance in the controversial Life Is Beautiful (1998, Academy Award).


Benin
Country, W Africa. Area: 43,483 sq mi (112,621 sq km). Population (1997): 5,902,000. Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto). The Fon people and related groups constitute three-fifths of the population; minorities include the Yoruba, Fulani, and a Voltaic-speaking group. Languages: French (official), Fon. Currency: CFA franc. Religion: traditional religions (two-thirds of the population), Islam and Christianity (one-third). Extending about 420 mi (675 km) inland from the Gulf of Guinea, the republic consists of a hilly region in the northwest, where the maximum elevation is 2,150 ft (650 km). There are plains in the east and north, and a marshy region ...

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