THE AMERICAN APICULTURIST. 



53 



is soldier as well as citizen. This 

 double character has led the poets 

 to compare the bee community to 

 a state, in which every member has 

 his special duty. But in this com- 

 parison the bees have the advan- 

 tage. Our systems are the imper- 

 fect development of ages, whereas 

 the bees received theirs perfect in 

 the beginning ; so that Virgil says 

 they pass their lives beneath "un- 

 changeable laws." Shakespeare 

 calls them 



Creatures tliat l)y a rule in nature teacli 

 The art of order to a peoiiletl kingdom. 



Virgil has sung of the bees in fuller 

 strains than au}^ other poet, and 

 has interwoven fact, theory, and 

 legend in a most charming manner. 

 The fourth book of the Georgics, 

 the mo^t perfect of his poems, is 

 devoted to this theme. Here oc- 

 curs the story of the shepherd 

 Aristaeus, who lost his bees and 

 complained to his goddess-mother 

 "in her chamber in the river-depth." 

 She directs him to Proteus, the 

 seer, from Avhom he learns the se- 

 cret of replenishing his hives. 



In Virgil the bees are minified 

 types of humanity, just as the gods 

 are magnified ones ; and the}' go 

 about their business therefore after 

 the manner of men : 



Some seek supply of food 

 And by agreement labor in the fields; 

 Some in their narrow homes do lay the tear 

 Of the narcissus and the gluey gum 

 From bark of tiees, to be their hive's founda- 

 tions. 



The contrast between the aged and 

 sedate bees and their more vigo- 

 rous companions is veiy curious : 



Tlie aged guard the towns, and build the 



combs. 

 And mould the curious houses; 'tis their 



charge. 

 But late at night the younger ones return 

 Wing-weary home, their iegs thick-smeared 



with thyme. 



But more curious from a scientific 

 point of view is the statement that 

 bees do not bring forth their off- 

 spring, but gather them in their 

 mouths from leaves and sweet 

 plants, and in this Avay provide the 

 " tiny freemen of their Home." 

 One observes that the Latin poet 

 does not forget in his figures to 

 bring the bee-commonwealth under 

 Roman laws and customs. In an- 

 other place he speaks of their "set- 

 ting out on their airy march and 

 pulling up the standards of the 

 camp." Indeed, the Roman bees 

 are veiy soldierl}' in their bearing, 

 though not more so, perhaps, than 

 tlieir English relatives. As, in 

 Shakespeare, some, 



like soldiers, armed in their stings, 

 Make boot upon tlie summer's velvet buds, 



SO in Virgil, 



Some stand like sentinels before the gate.s. 



At times the whole nation is 

 aroused by an unfriend!}- challenge. 

 Then it is they show themselves 

 true Romans. Their hearts "throb 

 with the spirit of war," says Vir- 

 gil. A sound is heard "that mimics 

 the fitful blasts of trumpets." The 

 excited bees " flash their wings," 

 " whet the points of their beaks," 

 throng around the chief's pavilion, 

 and — mirabile clictu ! — " Avith loud 

 shouts defy the enemy ! " Then 

 comes the conflict, in which : — 



