After Queen Berenice of Cappadocia was widowed, her brother-in-law waged war against her and killed two of her sons in battle. Consumed by grief and fury, Berenice put on armor and led an army against him. She fought with such ferocity that she killed him with her own hands.

The final foundation stone is the story of the Roman lady Cloelia. Sent with other virgins as a hostage to a foreign king, Cloelia engineered a daring escape. Reaching the River Tiber, she found a horse and, though she had never ridden before, she ferried all of her companions across the deep water one by one. The Romans erected a statue in her honor depicting a maiden on a horse. With this story, Reason announces that the foundations of the city are complete, and they will now begin to build the high enclosure walls.

Christine asks Reason if God ever blessed women with great intelligence and aptitude for learning, questioning why men claim women are slow-witted. Reason replies that if girls were sent to school and taught various subjects like boys, they would learn just as easily, as their minds are often sharper. She explains that women’s perceived lesser knowledge comes from a lack of experience, as they are confined to the household.