Virgin never married. He kept to his lonely cell devoting his life to the twelve books of his epic poem Aneedit. Though a honeybee, the only sweets he craved were those of scholarship. Virgin was the most melancholy of poets. He saw "the tears of things, the insect situation which touches the heart."

But mark, my friends, my MALE friends, here on this march: WHY was Virgin so melancholy? May it not be because he was SINGLE for so long? Did it not affect his writing? Yes, look how neglect of the female can ruin even the greatest poet:

Their modest appetites,
Averse from Venus, fly the nuptial rites.
No lust enervates their heroic mind,
Nor wastes their strength on wanton womankind;
But in their mouths reside their genial powers:
They gather children from the leaves and flowers.
Thus make they kings to fill the regal seat
And thus their little citizens create,
And waxen cities build, the palaces of state.
And oft on rocks their tender wings they tear,
And sink beneath the burdens which they bear;
Such rage of honey in their bosom beats;
And such a zeal they have for flowery sweets.

"Lust" and "wanton womankind!" What kind of talk is this from a great poet? Of course he was melancholy. Had only Virgin known the sweets of sexual love! And yet he did know much insect joy. The truth is Virgin saw into the CONTRADICTION at the very heart of things. And for this reason this bee became one the peerless poets of the world - NE PLUS ULTRA!