Α. will, determination, esp. of the gods, Il. 1.5, etc.

2. counsel, design, βουλὰς βουλεύουσι Il. 24.652, etc.: generally, counsel, advice, opp. μάχεσθαι, Il. 1.258, cf. 2.202, etc.; κακὴ β. Hes. Op. 266; πρᾶτος . . καὶ βουλᾷ καὶ χερσὶν ἐς Ἄρεα IG 9(1).658 (Ithaca); νυκτὶ βουλὴν διδόναι Hdt. 7.12 (but ἐν νυκτὶ β. διδοὺς ἐμαυτῷ Men. Epit. 35); ἐν β. ἔχειν τὰ γενόμενα Hdt. 3.78; β. ποιεῖσθαι, = βουλεύεσθαι, Id. 6.101, etc.; β. διδόναι X. Cyr. 7.2.26; β. προτιθέναι περί τινος D. 18.192; β. ἄγειν Polyaen. 7.39; ἐν βουλῇ γενέσθαι πότερον . . D.H. 2.44; τούτοις οὐκ ἔστι κοινὴ β. they have no common ground of argument, Pl. Cri. 49d; βουλῆς ὀρθότης ἡ εὐβουλία Arist. EN 1142b16: in pl., counsels, A. Pr. 221, Th. 842 (lyr.); ἐν βουλαῖς ἄριστος, ἐν βουλαῖσι κράτιστος, Epigr.Gr. 854, IG 3.716.

3. deliberation, Arist. EN 1112a19, D. 9.46.

4. decree, β. εἰσηγεῖσθαι And. 1.61; β. ἄκυρον θεῖναι Id. 2.28.

II. Council of elders, Senate, βουλὴν ἷζε γερόντων Il. 2.53, cf. Od. 3.127, A. Ag. 884; esp. at Athens, Council or Senate of 500 created by Cleisthenes, Hdt. 9.5, Ar. V. 590, Antipho 6.40, etc.; commonly called ἡ β. (or ἡ β. οἱ πεντακόσιοι Aeschin. 3.20, to distinguish it from ἡ β. ἡ ἐν Ἀρείῳ πάγῳ ibid.; also β. ἀπὸ κυάμου Th. 8.66); in other states, as at Argos, Hdt. 7.149; at Thebes, X. HG 5.2.29; of the Roman Senate, D.H. 6.69, etc.; of local senates, POxy. 58.14 (iii A. D.), etc.; βουλῆς εἶναι to be of the Council, a member of it, Th. 3.70 (whence Sch. and Suid. made a Subst. βουλῆς, ὁ) ; ἀνὴρ βουλῆς τῆς Ῥωμαίων Paus. 5.20.8; ἄνδρα ἐκ τῆς βουλῆς Id. 7.11.1.