saints who were praised for their martyrdom. At the close of this part, Christine makes another address to all women announcing the completion of the City of Ladies. She beseeches them to defend and protect the city and to follow their queen (the Virgin Mary). She also warns the women against the lies of slanderers, saying, "Drive back these treacherous liars who use nothing but tricks and honeyed words to steal from you that which you should keep safe above all else: your chastity and your glorious good name". Women discussed The following 37 women are discussed in Part III of the Book of the City of Ladies. The Virgin Mary The Virgin Mary's sisters and Mary Magdalene. Saint Catherine of Alexandria. Saint Margaret of Antioch. Saint Lucy. Blessed Martina. Saint Lucy (different than the Saint Lucy above) Saint Benedicta Saint Fausta Saints Cyprian and Justina Blessed Eulalia Saint Macra Saint Fida Blessed Marciana Saint Euphemia Blessed Theodosina Saint Barbara Saint Dorothy Saint Cecilia Saint Agnes of Rome Saint Agatha of Sicily Saint Christina of Bolsena Several female saints who were forced to watch their children being martyred: blessed Felicia, blessed Julitta, Saint Blandina Euphrosyne of Alexandria Blessed Anastasia Blessed Theodota Saint Natalia of Nicomedia Saint Afra Several ladies who served the Apostles: Drusiana, Susanna, Maximilla, Saint Ephigenia, Helena of Adiabene, Saint Plautilla, Saints Julian and Basilissa Boccaccio's influence Christine's main source for information was Giovanni Boccaccio's De mulieribus claris (On Famous Women), possibly in the French version, Des Cleres et Nobles Femmes. This text was a biographical treatise on ancient famous women. Christine also cited from Boccaccio's Decameron in the latter stages of The City of Ladies. The tales of Ghismonda and Lisabetta, for example, are cited from Boccaccio's Decameron. Boccaccio's influence can be seen in Christine's stance on female education. In the tale of Rhea Ilia, Boccaccio advocates for the right of young women to choose a secular or religious life. He states that it is harmful to place young girls into convents while they are "ignorant, or young, or under coercion". Boccaccio states that girls should be "well brought up from childhood in the parental home, taught honesty and praiseworthy behavior, and then, when they are grown and with their entire mind know what of their own free will" they can choose the life of monasticism. Boccaccio believes that young girls need to be taught about life