Ill 



THE FOUNDATION OF THE 

 CITY 



[40] 



T ET us rather consider the proceedings 

 -■— ' of the swarm the apiarist shall have 

 gathered into his hive. And first of all 

 let us not be forgetful of the sacrifice these 

 fifty thousand virgins have made, who, as 

 Ronsard sings, — 



" In a little body bear so true a heart, — " 



and let us, yet once again, admire the 

 courage with which they begin life anew 

 in the desert whereon they have fallen. 

 They have forgotten the splendour and 

 wealth of their native city, where existence 

 had been so admirably organised and 



131 



