E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Beelzebub.
God of flies, supposed to ward off flies from his votaries. One of the gods of the Philistines. (See ACHOR.) The Greeks had a similar deity, Zeus Apomy’ios. The Jews, by way of reproach, changed Beelzebub into Baal Zeboub (q.v.), and placed him among the dæmons. Milton says he was next in rank to Satan, and stood
