βασιλεύς deriv. uncertain
I.a king, chief, Hom.: later it was an hereditary king, opp. to τύραννος, Hdt., attic; ἄναξ β. lord king, Aesch.: c. gen., β. νεῶν id=Aesch.; οἰωνῶν β., of the eagle, id=id=Aesch.:—Hom. has a comp. βασιλεύτερος more of a king, more kingly, Sup. βασιλεύτατος most kingly.
2.of the king's son, prince, or any one sharing in the government, Od.
3.generally, a lord, master, householder, Il., Pind.
II.at Athens, the second of the nine Archons was called βασιλεύς; he had charge of the public worship, and the conduct of criminal processes, Plat., etc.