 CHAPTER 46 I was still working in the shop of Raffaello Del Moro. This worthy man had a very beautiful young daughter, with regard to whom he had designs on me, and I, becoming partly aware of his intentions, was very willing. But while indulging such desires I made no show of them. On the contrary, I was so discreet in my behaviour that I made him wonder. It so happened that the poor girl was attacked by a disorder in her right hand, which ate into the two bones belonging to the little finger and the next. Owing to her father's carelessness she had been treated by an ignorant quack doctor, who predicted that the poor child would be crippled in the whole of her right arm, if even nothing worse should happen. When I noticed the dismay of her father I begged him not to believe all that this ignorant doctor had said. He replied that he had no acquaintance with physicians or with surgeons, and entreated me, if I knew of one, to bring him to the house. I sent at once for a certain Maestro Giacomo of Perugia, a man of great skill in surgery, who examined the poor girl. She was dreadfully frightened through having gained some inkling of the quack's predictions, whereas my intelligent doctor declared she would suffer nothing of consequence, and would be very well able to use her right hand. Also, that though the last two fingers must remain somewhat weaker than the others, this would be of no inconvenience at all to her. So he began his treatment, and after a few days, when he was going to extract a portion of the diseased bones, her father called for me, and begged me to be present at the operation. Maestro Giacomo was using some coarse steel instruments, and when I observed that he was making little way and at the same time was inflicting severe pain on the patient, I begged him to stop and wait half a quarter of an hour for me. I ran into the shop and made a little scalping iron of steel, extremely thin and curved. It cut like a razor. On my return the surgeon used it, and began to work with so gentle a hand that she felt no pain, and in a short while the operation was over. In consequence of this service and for other reasons, the worthy man conceived for me as much love, or more, as he had for two male children, and in the mean while he attended to the cure of his beautiful young daughter. I was on terms of the closest intimacy with one Messer Giovanni Gotti, who was a clerk of the camera, and a great connoisseur of the arts, although he had no practical acquaintance with any. In his household were a certain Messer Giovanni, a Greek of eminent learning, Maestro Lodovico Afano, no less distinguished as a man of Messer Antonio Allegretti, and Messer Annabelle Caro, at that time in his early manhood. Messer Bastiano of Venice, a most excellent painter, and I, were admitted to their society, and almost every day we met together in Messer Giovanni's company. Being aware of this intimacy, the worthy goldsmith Raffaello said to Messer Giovanni, Good sir, you know me, now I want to marry my daughter to Benvenuto, and can think of no better intermediary than your worship. So I am come to crave your assistance, and to beg you to name for her such dowry from my estate as you may think suitable. The light-headed man hardly let my good friend finish what he had to say, before he put in, quite at random, talk no more about it, Raffaello, you are farther from your object than January from Mulberry's. The poor man, utterly discouraged, looked about at once for another husband for his girl, while she and the mother and all the family lived on in a bad humour with me. Since I did not know the real cause of this, I imagined they were paying me with bastard coin for the many kindnesses I had shown them, I conceived the thought of opening a workshop of my own in their neighbourhood. Messer Giovanni told me nothing till the girl was married, which happened in a few months. Meanwhile, I laboured assiduously at the work I was doing for the Pope, and also in the service of the mint, where his Holiness had ordered another coin, of the value of two carlins on which his own portrait was stamped, while the reverse bore figure of Christ upon the waters, holding out his hand to St. Peter. With this inscription, Quare dubitosti. My design one such applause that a certain secretary of the Pope, a man of the greatest talent, called Il Sanga, was moved to this remark. Your Holiness can boast of having a currency superior to any of the ancients in all their glory. The Pope replied, Benvenuto, for his part, can boast of serving an emperor like me, who is able to discern his merit. I went on at my great peace and gold, showing it frequently to the Pope, who was very eager to see it, and each time expressed greater admiration. 47. My brother at this period was also in Rome, serving Duke Alessandro, on whom the Pope had recently conferred the Duchy of Pena. This prince kept in his service a multitude of soldiers, worthy fellows, brought up to Valor in the school of that famous general Giovanni de Medici, and among these was my brother, whom the Duke assumed as highly as the bravest of them. One day my brother went after dinner to the shop of a man called Baccino della Croce in the Bancie, which all those men at arms frequented. He had flung himself upon a settee and was sleeping. Just then the guard of the Bargello passed by. They were taking to prison a certain Captain Sisti, a lombard, who had also been a member of Giovanni's troop, but was not in the service of the Duke. The Captain, Cattavanzi de Gliistrosi, chanced to be in the same shop, and when Sisti caught sight of him he whispered, I was bringing you those crowns I owed, if you want them, come for them before they go with me to prison. Now Cattavanzi had a way of putting his neighbors to the push, not caring to hazard his own person. So finding there around him several young fellows of the highest airing, more eager than apt for so serious an enterprise, he bade them catch up Captain Sisti and get the money from him, and if the guard resisted overpower the men, provided they had pluck enough to do so. The young men were but four, and all four of them without a beard. The first was called Bertino Aldobrandi, another Anguilato of Luca. I cannot recall the names of the rest. Bertino had been trained like a pupil by my brother, and my brother felt the most unbounded love for him. So then offdashed the four brave lads and came up with the guard of the Bargello, upwards of fifty constables counting pikes, archbuses, and two-handed swords. After a few words they drew their weapons, and the four boys so harried the guard, that if Captain Cattavanzi had but shown his face without so much as a drawing, they would certainly have put the whole pack to flight. But delay spoiled all, for Bertino received some ugly wounds and fell. At the same time Anguilato was also hidden in the right arm, and being unable to use his sword got out of the fray as well as he was able. The others did the same. Bertino Aldobrandi was lifted from the ground seriously injured. Note. The Bargello was the chief constable or sheriff in Italian towns. I saw call him Bargello always in my translation, since any English equivalent would be misleading. He did the rough work of policing the city, and was consequently a mark for all the men of spirit who disliked being kept in order. Giovio, in his life of Cardinal Pompeo Colonna, quite gravely relates how it was the highest ambition of young Romans of spirit to murder the Bargello. He mentions in particular a certain Pietro Mariano, who had acquired great fame and popularity by killing the Bargello of his city, one Senzio, in the Campo di Fiori. This man became an outlaw, and was favourably received by Cardinal Colonna, then at war with Clement VII. 48 While these things were happening, we were all at table, for that morning we had dined more than an hour later than usual. On hearing the commotion, one of the old man's sons, the elder, rose from table to go and look at the scuffle. He was called Giovanni, and I said to him, for heaven's sake, don't go. In such matters one is always certain to lose, while there is nothing to be gained. His father spoke to like purpose. Pray, my son, don't go. But the lad, without heeding any one, ran down the stairs. Reaching the banchi, where the great scrimmage was, and seeing Bertino lifted from the ground, he ran towards home, and met my brother Cicino on the way. Who? Who asked what was the matter? Though some of the bystanders signed to Giovanni not to tell Cicino, he cried out like a madman how it was that Bertino Aldebrondi had been killed by the guard. My poor brother gave vent to a bellow which might have been heard ten miles away. Then he turned to Giovanni, ah, me, but could you tell me which of these men killed him for me? Giovanni said, yes, that it was a man who had a big two-handed sword, with a blue feather in his bonnet. My poor brother rushed ahead, and having recognized the homicide by those signs, he threw himself with all his stash and spirit into the middle of the band, and before the man could turn on guard, ran him right through the guts, and with the sword's hilt thrust him to the ground. Then he turned upon the rest with such energy and daring, that his one arm was on the point of putting the whole band to flight, had it not been that, while wheeling round to strike an archboussier, this man fired in self-defense, and hit the brave and fortunate young fellow above the knee of his right leg. While he lay stretched upon the ground, the constable scrambled off in disorder as fast as they were able, lest a pair to my brother should arrive upon the scene. Seeing that the tumult was not subsiding, I too rose from the table, and girding on my sword, for everybody wore one then, I went to the bridge of St. Angelo, where I saw a group of several men assembled. On my coming up and being recognized by some of them, they gave way before me, and showed me what I, least of all things, wished to see, albeit I made mighty haste to view the site. On the instant I did not know Cicino, since he was wearing a different suit of clothes from that in which I had lately seen him. Accordingly he recognized me first, and said, Dearest brother, do not be upset by my grave accident. It is only what might be expected in my profession. Get me removed from here at once, for I have but a few hours to live. They had acquainted me with the whole event while he was speaking, in brief words befitting such occasion. So I answered, Brother, this is the greatest sorrow and the greatest trial that could happen to me in the whole course of my life. But be of good cheer, for before you lose sight of him who did the mischief, you shall see yourself revenged by my hand. Our words on both sides were to the purport, but of the shortest. 49. The guard was now about fifty paces from us, for Mafio, their officer, had made some of them turn back to take up the corporal my brother killed. Accordingly I quickly traversed that short space, wrapped in my cape, which I had tightened around me, and came up with Mafio, whom I should most certainly have murdered, for there were plenty of people round, and I had wound my way among them. With the rapidity of lightning I had half drawn my sword from the sheaf. When Berlingheer, Berlingheere, a young man of the greatest daring and my good friend, threw himself from behind upon my arms, he had four other fellows of like kidney with him, who cried out to Mafio, away with you, for this man here alone was killing you. He asked, Who is he? and they said, own brother to the man you see there. Not waiting to hear more he made haste for Torre de Nona, and they said, Benvenudo, we prevented you against your will, but did it for your own good. Now let us go to succor him, who must die shortly. Accordingly we turned and went back to my brother, whom I had at once conveyed into a house. The doctors who were called in consultation treated him with medicaments, but could not decide to amputate the leg, which might perhaps have saved him. As soon as his wound had been dressed, Duke Alessandro appeared, and most affectionately greeted him. My brother had not as yet lost consciousness, so he said to the Duke, My Lord, this only grieves me, that your Excellency is losing a servant than whom you may per chance to find men more valiant in the profession of arms, but none more lovingly and loyally devoted to your service than I have been. The Duke bade him do all he could to keep alive, for the rest he well knew him to be a man of worth and courage. He then turned to his attendants, ordering them to see that the brave young fellow wanted for nothing. When he was gone my brother lost blood so copiously, for nothing could be done to stop it, that he went off his head, and kept raving all the following night, with the exception that once, when they wanted to give him the Communion, he said, You would have done well to confess me before. Now it is impossible that I should receive the divine sacrament in this already ruined frame. It will be enough if I partake of it by the divine virtue of the eyesight, whereby it shall be transmitted into my immortal soul, which only prays to him for mercy and forgiveness. Having spoken thus the host was elated, but he straight away relapsed into the same delirious ravings as before, pouring forth a torrent of the most terrible frenzies and horrible imprecations that the mind of man could imagine, nor did he cease once all that night until the day broke. When the sun appeared above our horizon he turned to me and said, Brother, I do not wish to stay here longer, for these fellows will end by making me do something tremendous, which may cause them to repent of the annoyance they have given me. Then he kicked out both his legs, the injured limb we had enclosed in a very heavy box, and made as though he would fling it across a horse's back. Turning his face round to me he called out thrice, Farewell, farewell, and with the last word that most valiant spirit passed away. At the proper hour, toward nightfall, I had him buried with due ceremony in the Church of the Florentines, and afterwards I erected to his memory a very handsome monument of marble, upon which I caused trophies and banners to be carved. I must not omit to mention that one of his friends had asked him who was the man that had killed him, and if he could recognize him, to which he answered that he could, and gave his description. My brother indeed attempted to prevent this coming to my ears, but I got it very well impressed upon my mind as will appear in the sequel. 50. Returning to the monument, I should relate that certain famous men of letters, who knew my brother, composed for me an epitaph, telling me that the noble young man deserved it. The inscription ran thus. He was twenty-five years of age, and since the soldiers called him Cicino del Pifero, his real name being Giovanni Freschino Salini, I wanted to engrave the former, by which he was commonly known, under the armorial bearings of our family. This name I had then cut in fine antique characters, all of which were broken saved the first and last. I was asked by the learned men who had composed that beautiful epitaph, wherefore I used these broken letters, and my answer was, because the marvellous framework of his body was spoiled and dead, and the reason why the first and last remained entire was that the first should symbolize the great gift God had given him, namely of a human soul, inflamed with his divinity, the which hath never broken, while the second represented the glorious renown of his brave actions. The thought gave satisfaction, and several persons have since availed themselves of my device. Close to the name I had the coat of us Salini carved upon the stone, altering it in some particulars. In Ravenna, which is a most ancient city, there exists Salini of our name in the quality of very honourable gentry, who bear a lion-rampant oar upon a field of azure, holding a lily-gools in his dexter paw, with a label in chief and three little lilies oar. These are the true arms of the Salini. My father showed me a shield as ours which had the paw only, together with the other bearings, but I should prefer to follow those of the Salini of Ravenna, which I have described above. Now, to return to what I caused to be engraved upon my brother's tomb, it was the lion's paw, but instead of a lily I made the lion hold an axe, with the field of the scuch in quartered, and I put the axe in solely that I might not be unmindful to revenge him. 51. I went on applying myself with the utmost diligence upon the goldwork for Pope Clement's button. He was very eager to have it, and used to send for me two or three times a week, in order to inspect it, and his delight in the work always increased. Often he would rebuke and scold me, as it were, for the great grief in which my brother's loss had plunged me, and one day, observing me more downcast and out of trim than was proper, he cried aloud, Benvenuto, oh! I did not know that you were mad. Have you only just learned that there is no remedy against death? One would think you were trying to run after him. When I left the presence I continued working at the jewel and the dyes for the mint, but I also took to watching the archboussier who shot my brother, as though he had been a girl I was in love with. The man had formerly been in the light cavalry, but afterwards had joined the archboussiers as one of the bargello's corporals, and what increased my rage was that he had used these boastful words. If it had not been for me who killed that brave young man, the least trifle of delay would have resulted in his putting us all to flight with great disaster. When I saw that the fever caused, by always seeing him bowed was depriving me of sleep and appetite, and was bringing me by degrees to sorry plight, I overcame my repugnance to so low and not quite praiseworthy in enterprise, and made up my mind one evening to rid myself of the torment. The fellow lived in a house near a place called Torre Sanguiga, next door to the lodging of one of the most fashionable courtesans in Rome, named Signora Anteia. It had just struck twenty-four, and he was standing at the house door, with his sword in hand, having risen from suffer. With great address I stole up to him, holding a large pistogen dagger, and dealt him a back-handed stroke, with which I meant to cut his head clean off, but as he turned round very suddenly the blow fell upon the point of his left shoulder and broke the bone. He sprang up, dropped his sword, half stunned with the great pain, and took to flight. I followed after, and in four steps caught him up, when I lifted my dagger above his head, which he was holding very low, and hit him in the back exactly at the juncture of the nape bone in the neck. The panyard entered this point so deep into the bone, that although I used all my strength to pull it out I was not able. For just at that moment four soldiers with drawn swords sprang out from Anteia's lodging, and obliged me to set hand to my own sword to defend my life. Leaving the panyard then I made off, and fearing I might be recognized, took refuge in the palace of Duke Alessandro, which was between Piazza Navona and the Rotunda. On my arrival I asked to see the Duke, who told me that, if I was alone, I need only keep quiet and have no further anxiety, but to go on working at the jewel which the Pope had set his heart on, and stay eight days indoors. He gave this advice the more securely, because the soldiers had now arrived who interrupted the completion of my deed. They held the dagger in their hand, and were relating how the matter happened, and the great trouble they had to pull the weapon from the neck and head bone of the man, whose name they did not know. Just then Giovanni Bendini came up and said to them, that panyard is mine, and I lent it to Ben Venuto, who was bent on revenging his brother. The soldiers were profuse in their expressions of regret at having interrupted me, although my vengeance had been amply satisfied. More than eight days elapsed, and the Pope did not send for me according to his custom. Afterwards he summoned me through his chamberlain, the Bolognese nobleman I have already mentioned, who let me in his own modest manner understand that his holiness knew all, but was very well inclined toward me, and that I only had to mind my work and keep quiet. When we reached the presence the Pope cast so menacing a glance towards me that the mere look of his eyes made me tremble. Afterwards upon examining my work his countenance cleared, and he began to praise me beyond measure, saying that I had done a vast amount in a short time. Then, looking me straight in the face, he added, Now that you are cured, Ben Venuto, take heed how you live. I, who understood his meaning, promised that I would. Immediately upon this I opened a very fine shop in the Banchi opposite Raffiello, and there I finished the jewel after the lapse of a few months. Chapter 52-56 The Pope had sent me all those precious stones, except the diamond, which was pawned to certain Genoese bankers for some pressing needs he had of money. The rest were in my custody, together with the model of the diamond. I had five excellent journeymen, and in addition to the great peace I was engaged on several jobs, so that my shop contained property of much value in jewels, gems, and gold and silver. I kept a shaggy dog, very big and handsome, which Duke Alessandro gave me. The beast was capital as a retriever, since he brought me every sort of burn and game I shot, but he also served most admirably for a watchdog. It happened, as was natural, at the age of 29, that I had taken into my service a girl of great beauty and grace, whom I used as a model in my art, and who was also complacent of her personal favours to me. Such being the case, I occupied an apartment far away from my workman's rooms, as well as from the shop, and this communicated by a little dark passage with the maid's bedroom. I used frequently to pass the night with her, and though I sleep as lightly as ever yet did man upon this earth, yet after indulgence in sexual pleasure, my slumber is sometimes very deep and heavy. So it chanced one night, for I must say that a thief under the pretext of being a goldsmith had spied on me and cast his eyes upon the precious stones and made a plan to steal them. Well then, this fellow broke into the shop where he found a quantity of little things in gold and silver. He was engaged in bursting open certain boxes to get at the jewels he had noticed when my dog jumped upon him and put him to much trouble to defend himself with his sword. The dog, unable to grapple with an armed man, ran several times through the house and rushed into the rooms of the journeyman, which had been left open because of the great heat. When he found they paid no heat to his loud barking, he dragged their bed clothes off, and when they still heard nothing, he pulled first one and then another by the arm till he roused them, and barking furiously ran before to show them where he wanted them to go. At last it became clear that they refused to follow, for the traitors crossed at being disturbed through stones and sticks at him, and this they could well do, for I had ordered them to keep all night a lamp light there. And in the end they shut their rooms tight, so the dog, abandoning all hope of aid from such rascals, set out alone again on his adventure. He ran down and not finding the thief in the shop, flew after him. When he got at him, he tore the cape off his back. It would have gone hard with the fellow had he not called for help to certain tailors, praying them for God's sake to save him from a mad dog, and they, believing what he said, jumped out and drove the dog off with much trouble. After sunrise, my workman went into the shop and saw that it had been broken open and all the boxes smashed. They began to scream at the top of their voices, oh, woe is me, oh, woe is me. The clamor woke me and I rushed out in a panic. Appearing thus before them, they cried out, Alas to us for we have been robbed by someone who has broken and borne everything away. These words wrought so forcibly upon my mind that I dared not go to my big chest and look if it still held the jewels of the pope. So intense was the anxiety that I seemed to lose my sight, and told them they themselves must unlock the chest and see how many of the pope's gems were missing. The fellows were all of them in their shirts, and when on opening the chest, they saw the precious stones of my work with them, and they took heart of joy and shouted, There is no harm done, your peace and all the stones are here. But the thief has left us naked to the shirt, because last night, by reason of the burning heat, we took our clothes off in the shop and left them here. Recovering my senses, I thanked God and said, Go and get yourself new suits of clothes I will pay when I hear at leisure how the whole thing happened. What caused me the most pain and made me lose my senses and take fright so contrary to my real nature was the dreadless, peradventure folk should fancy I had trumped a story of the robber up to steal the jewels. It had already been paid to Pope Clement by one of his most trusted servants and by others, that is, by Francesco del Nero, Zana de Bolotti, his accountant, the Bishop of Versona and several such men. Why, most blessed father, do you confide gems of that vast value to a young fellow who is all fire more passionate for arms than for his art and not yet thirty years of age? The Pope asked in answer if any one of them knew that I had done or two justify such suspicions, where two Francesco del Nero, his treasurer, replied, Now, most blessed father, because he has not as yet had an opportunity, where two the Pope rejoined. I regard him as a thoroughly honest man, and if I saw him with my own eyes some crime he had committed I should not believe it. This was the man who caused me the greatest torment and who suddenly came before my mind. After telling the young men to provide themselves with fresh clothes, I took my piece together with the gems, setting them as well as I could in their proper places, and went off at once with them to the Pope. Francesco del Nero had already told him something of the trouble in my shop and had put suspicions in his head. So then, taking the thing rather ill than otherwise, he shot a furious glance at me and cried haughtily, What have you come to do here? What is up? Here are all your precious stones, and not one of them is missing. At this the Pope's face cleared, and he said, So then you're welcome. I showed him the piece, and while he was inspecting it, I related to him the whole story of the thief and of my agony, and what had been my greatest trouble in the matter. During this speech he often times turned round to look me sharply in the eye, and Francesco del Nero being also in the presence, this seemed to make him half sorry that he had not guessed the truth. At last, breaking into laughter at the long tale I was telling, he sent me off with these words, Go, and take heed to be an honest man, as indeed I know that you are. I went on working assiduously at the button, and at the same time labored for the mint. When certain pieces of false money got abroad in Rome stamped with my own dyes, they were brought at once to the Pope, Who, hearing things against me, said to Jacopo Balducci, the master of the mint, Take every means in your power to find the criminal, for we are sure that Benvenuto is an honest fellow. That traitor of a master being, in fact, my enemy replied, Would God, most blessed father, that it may turn out as you say, for we have some proofs against him. Upon this the Pope turned to the governor of Rome, and made him see he found the malifactor. During those days the Pope sent for me, and leading cautiously in conversation to the topic of the coins, asked me at the fitting moment, Benvenuto, should you have the heart to coin false money? To this I replied that I thought I could do so better than all the rascals who gave their minds to such vile work, for fellows who practice lewd trades of that sort are not capable of earning money, nor are they men of much ability. I on the contrary with my poor wets could gain enough to keep me comfortably, for when I set dyes for the mint, each morning before dinner, I put at least three crowns into my pocket. This was the customary payment for the dyes, and the master of the mint bore me a grudge, because he would have liked to have them cheaper. So then, what I earned with God's grace and the world's sufficed me, and by coining false money, I should not have made so much. The Pope very well perceived my drift, and whereas he had formally given orders that they should see I did not fly from Rome, he now told them to look well about and have no heed of me, seeing he was ill-disposed to anger me, and in this way run the risk of losing me. The officials who received these orders were certain clerks of the camera, who made the proper search, as was their duty, and soon found the rogue. He was a stamper in the service of the mint, named Cisare Maceroni, and a Roman citizen. Together with this man, they detected a metal founder of the mint. On that very day, as I was passing through the Piazza Novonna, and had my fine retriever with me, just when we came opposite the gate of the bargello, my dog flew barking loudly inside the door upon a youth who had been arrested at the suit of a man called Donino, a goldsmith from Parma, and a formal pupil of Caradoso, on the charge of having robbed him. The dog strove so violently to tear the fellow to pieces that the constables were moved to pity. It so happened that he was pleading his own cause with boldness, and Donino had no evidence enough to support the accusation, and what was more, one of the corporals of the guard, a Genoese, was a friend of the young man's father. The upshot was that, what with the dog and those other circumstances, they were on the point of releasing their prisoner. When I came up, the dog had lost all fear of sword or staves, and was flying once more at the young man, so they told me if I did not call the brute off, they would kill him. I held him back as well as I was able, but just then the fellow, in the act of readjusting his cape, let fall some paper packets from the hood which Donino recognized as his property. I, too, recognized a little ring, whereupon I called out, this is the thief who broke into my shop and robbed it, and therefore my dog knows him. Then I loosed the dog, who flew again upon the robber. On this the fellow craved for mercy, promising to give back whatever he possessed of mine. When I had secured the dog, he proceeded to restore the gold and silver and the rings which he had stolen from me, and twenty-five crowns in addition. Then he cried once more to me for pity. I told him to make his peace with God, for I should do him neither good nor evil. So I returned to my business, and a few days afterwards, Cesare Materoni, the forced coiner, was hanged in the Banshee opposite the Mint. His accomplice was sent to the galleys. The Genoese thief was hanged in the Campode Fiori, while I remained in better repute as an honest man than I had enjoyed before. When I had nearly finished my peace, there happened that terrible inundation which flooded the whole of Rome. I waited to see what would happen. The day was well nice spent, for the clock struck twenty-two, and the water went on rising formidably. Now the front of my house and shop faced the Banshee, but the back was several yards higher, because it turned towards Monte Giudano. Accordingly, befinking me first of my own safety, and in the next place of my honour, I filled my pockets with the jewels, and gave the gold pieces into the custody of my workmen, and then descended barefoot from the back windows, and waited as well as I could until I reached Monte Cavallo, where I sought out Messa Giovanni Giardi, clerk of the camera, and Bastiano Vittiano, the painter. To the former I confided the precious stones to keep in safety. He had the same regard for me as though I had been his brother. A few days later, when the rage of the river was spent, I returned to my workshop and finished the piece with such good fortune through God's grace and my own great industry, that it was held to be the finest masterpiece which had been ever seen in Rome. When then I took it to the Pope, he was insatiable in praising me, and said, Were I but a wealthy emperor, I would give my benvenuto as much land as his eyes could survey. Yet, being nowadays but needy bankrupt potentates, we will at any rate give him bread enough to satisfy his modest wishes. I let the Pope run on to the end of his rotomantade, and then asked him for a macebearer's place, which happened to be vacant. He replied that he would grant me something of far greater consequence. I begged his holiness to bestow this little thing on me, meanwhile by way of earnest. He began to laugh, and said he was willing, but that he did not wish me to serve, and that I must make some arrangement with the other macebearers to be exempted. He would allow them through me a certain favour, for which they had already petitioned, namely the right of recovering their fees at law. This was accordingly done, and that macebearer's office brought me in little less than two hundred crowns a year. I continued to work for the Pope, executing now one trifle and now another, and then he commissioned me to design a chalice of exceeding richness. So I made both drawing and model for the piece. The latter was constructed of wood and wax. Instead of the usual top, I fashioned three figures of a fair size in the round. They represented faith, hope, and charity. Corresponding to these at the base of the cup were three circular histories in bus relief. One was the nativity of Christ, the second the resurrection, and the third St. Peter crucified head downwards. For thus I had received commission. While I had this work in hand, the Pope was often pleased to look at it, wherefore observing that his holiness had never thought again of giving me anything and knowing that a post in the Puyombo was vacant, I asked for this one evening. The good Pope, quite oblivious of his extravagances at the termination of the last piece, said to me, that post in Puyombo is worth more than eight hundred crowns a year, so that if I gave it to you, you would spend your time in scratching your porch, and your magnificent handicraft would be lost, and I should bear the blame. I replied at once as thus, Cats of a good breed mouse better when they are fat than starving, and likewise honest men who possess some talent exercise it too far nobler purport when they have the wherewithal to live abundantly. Wherefore, princes who provide such folk with competences, let your holiness take notice, are watering the roots of genius, for genius and talent at their birth come into this world lean and scabby, and your holiness should also know that I never asked for the place with the hopes of getting it, only too happy I too have that miserable post of mace-bearer. On the other I built but castles in the air. Your holiness will do well since you do not care to give it to me, to bestow it on a man of talent who deserves it, and not upon some fat ignoramus who will spend his time scratching his porch, if I may quote your holiness's own words. Follow the example of Pope Giulio's illustrious memory who conferred an office of the same kind upon Bramante, that most admirable architect. Immediately on finishing this speech I made my bow, and went off in a fury. Then Bastiano Veziano, the painter, approached and said, Most blessed Father, may your holiness be willing to grant it to one who works assiduously in the exercise of some talent, and as your holiness knows that I am diligent in my art, I beg that I may be thought worthy of it. The pope replied, That devil Benvenuto will not brook rebuke. I was inclined to give it to him, but it is not right to be so haughty with a pope, therefore I do not well know what I am to do. The bishop of Vesona then came up and put a word in for Bastiano, saying, Most blessed Father, Benvenuto is but young, and a sword becomes him better than a friar's frock. Let your holiness give the place to this ingenious person Bastiano. Some time or other you will be able to bestow on Benvenuto a good thing, perhaps more suitable to him than this would be. Then the pope turning to Messa Bartolomeo Valori told him, When next you meet Benvenuto, let him know from me that it was he who got that office in the Piambo for Bastiano the painter, and add that he may reckon on obtaining the next considerable place that falls. Meanwhile, let him look to his behavior and finish my commissions. The following evening, two hours after sundown, I met Messa Bartolomeo Valori at the corner of the Mint. He was preceded by two torches, and was going in haste to the pope who had sent for him. On my taking off my hand he stopped and called me, and reported in the most friendly manner all the messages the pope had sent me. I replied that I should complete my work with greater diligence and application than any I had yet attempted, but without the least hope of having any reward whatever from the pope. Messa Bartolomeo were reproved me, saying this was not the way in which one ought to reply to the advances of a pope. I answered that I should be mad to reply otherwise, mad if I based my hopes on such promises, being certain to get nothing. So I departed and went off to my business. Messa Bartolomeo must have reported my audacious speeches to the pope, and more perhaps than I had really said, for his holiness waited above two months before he sent to me, and during that while nothing would have induced me to go uncalled for to the palace. Yet he was dying with impatience to see the chalice, and commissioned Messa Robert Topucci to give heed to what I was about. That right worthy fellow came daily to visit me, and always gave me some kindly word which I returned. The time was drawing nigh now for the pope to travel toward Bologna, so at last perceiving that I did not mean to come to him, he made Messa Roberto bid me bring my work that he might see how I was getting on. Accordingly I took it, and having shown as the piece itself proved that the most important part was finished, I begged him to advance me five hundred crowns, partly on account, and partly because I wanted gold to complete the chalice. The pope said, Go on, go on at work, until it is finished. I answered as I took my leave that I would finish it if he paid me the money, and so I went away. End of chapter 52 through 56 Recorded by David Lazarus Chapters 57 through 61 of the autobiography of Benvaruto Cellini, volume one. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by David Lazarus The autobiography of Benvaruto Cellini, volume one. Translated by John Addington Simmons. Chapters 57 through 61 When the pope took his journey to Bologna, he left Cardinal Salviati as legate of Rome, and gave him commission to push the work that I was doing forward, adding, Benvaruto is a fellow who esteems his own great talents but slightly, and us less. Look to it, then, that you keep him always going, so that I may find the chalice finished on my return. The beast of a Cardinal sent for me after eight days, bidding me bring the piece up. On this I went to him without the piece. No sooner had I shown my face than he called out, Where is that onion stew of yours? Have you got it ready? I answered, Oh, most reverent Monsignor, I have not got my onion stew ready, nor shall I make it ready unless you give me onions to concoct it with. At these words the Cardinal, who looked more like a donkey than a man, turned uglier by half than he was naturally, and wanting at once to cut the matter short, cried out, I'll send you to a galley, and then perhaps you'll have the grace to go on with your labor. The bestial manner of the man made me a beast too, and I retorted, Monsignor, send me to the galleys when I've done deeds worthy of them, but for my present latches I snap my fingers at your galleys, and what is more I tell you that just because of you I will not set hand further to my piece. Don't send for me again, for I won't appear. No, not if you summon me by the police. After this the good Cardinal tried several times to let me know that I ought to go on working and to brim him what I was doing to look at. I only told his messages, Say to Monsignor that he must send me onions if he wants me to get my stew ready, nor gave I ever any other answer, so that he threw up the commission in despair. The Pope came back from Bologna and sent it once for me, because the Cardinal had written the worst he could of my affairs in his dispatches. He was in the hottest rage imaginable, and bade me come upon the instant with my piece. I obeyed. Now, while the Pope was staying at Bologna, I had suffered from an attack of inflammation in the eyes, so painful that I scarce could go on living for the torment, and this was the chief reason why I had not carried out my work. The trouble was so serious that I expected for certain to be left without my eyesight, and I had reckoned up the some on which I could subsist, if I were blind for life. Upon the way to the Pope, I turned over in my mind what I should put forward to excuse myself for not having been able to advance his work. I thought that while he was inspecting the chalice, I might tell him of my personal embarrassments. However, I was unable to do so for when I arrived in the presence, he broke out coarsely at me. Come here with your work, is it finished? I displayed it, and his temporizing he exclaimed, In God's truth I tell thee, thou that makest it thy business to hold no man in regard, that were it not for decency and order I would have thee chucked together with thy work there out of the windows. Accordingly, when I perceived that the Pope had become no better than a vicious beast, my chief anxiety was how I could manage to withdraw from his presence. So while he went on bullying, I tucked the piece beneath my cape and muttered under my breath. The whole world could not compel a blind man to execute such things as these. Raising his voice still higher, the Pope shouted, Come here, what sayest thou? I stayed in two minds, whether or not to dash and force be down the staircase, then I took my decision and threw myself upon my knees, shouting as loudly as I could, for he too had not ceased from shouting. If an affirmity has blinded me, am I bound to go on working? He retorted, You saw well enough to make your way hither, and I don't believe one word of what you say. I answered, for I noticed he had dropped his voice a little. Let your holiness inquire of your physician, and you will find the truth out. He said, So whole, softly, at leisure we shall hear if what you say is so. Then perceiving that he was willing to give me hearing, I added, I'm convinced that the only cause of this great trouble which has happened to me is cardinal Salviati, for he sent to me immediately after your holiness's departure, and when I presented myself he called my work a stew of onions, and told me that he would send me to complete it in a galley, and such was the effect upon me of his naivish words, that in my passion I felt my face in flames, and so intolerable a heat attacked my eyes that I could not find my own way home. Two days afterwards cataracts fell on both my eyes. I quite lost my sight, and after your holiness's departure I have been unable to work at all, rising from my knees I left the presence without further license. It was afterwards reported to me that the pope had said, One can give commissions, but not the prudence to perform them. I did not tell the cardinal to go so brutally about his business. If it is true that he is suffering from his eyes of which I shall get information through my doctor, one ought to make allowance for him. A great gentleman, intimate with the pope and a man of very distinguished parts, happened to be present. He asked who I was using terms like these. Most blessed father, pardon if I put a question. I have seen you yield at one and the same time to the hottest anger I ever observed, and then to the warmest compassion. So I beg your holiness to tell me who the man is, for if he is a person worthy to be helped I can teach him a secret which may cure him of that infirmity. The pope replied, He is the greatest artist who was ever born in his own craft. One day when we are together I will show you some of his marvelous works, and the man himself to boot, and I shall be pleased if we can see our way toward doing something to assist him. Three days after this the pope sent for me after dinnertime, and I found that great noble in the presence. On my arrival the pope had my cape button brought, and I in the meantime drew forth my chalice. The nobleman said on looking at it that he had never seen a more stupendous piece of work. When the button came he was still more struck with wonder, and looking me straight in the face he added, The man is young, I draw to be so able in his art and still apt enough to learn much. He then asked me what my name was. I answered, My name is Benvenuto. He replied, And Benvenuto shall I be this day to you. Take flower delus, stork blossom root together, then decock them over a slack fire, and with the liquid bathe your eyes several times a day. You will most certainly be cured of that weakness, but see that you purge first and then go forward with the lotion. The pope gave me some kind of words, so I went away half satisfied. It was true indeed that I had got the sickness, but I believe I had caught it from that fine young servant girl whom I was keeping when my house was robbed. The French disease, for it was that, remained in me more than four months' dormant before it showed itself, and then it broke out over my whole body at one instance. It was not like what one commonly observes, but covered my flesh with certain blisters of the size of sixpences and rose-colored. The doctors would not call it the French disease, albeit I told them why I thought it was. I went on treating myself according to their methods, but derive no benefit. At last then I resolved on taking the wood against the advice of the first physicians in Rome, and I took it with the most scrupulous discipline and roles of abstinence that could be thought of, and after a few days I perceived a great amendment. The result was that at the end of fifty days I was cured and as sound as a fish in the water. Some time afterwards I sought to mend my shattered health, and with this view I betook myself to shooting when the winter came. That amusement, however, led me to expose myself to wind and water, and to staying out in marshlands so that after a few days I fell a hundred times more ill than I had been before. I put myself once more under doctors' orders and attended to their directions, but grew always worse. When the fever fell upon me, I resolved on having recourse again to the wood, but the doctors forbade it, saying that if I took it with the fever on me I should not have a week to live. However, I made my mind up to disobey their orders, observed the same diet as I had formally adopted, and after drinking the decoction four days was wholly rid of my fever. My health improved enormously, and while I was following this cure I went on always working at the models of the chalice. I may add that during the time of that strict abstinence I produced finer things and of more exquisite invention than at any other period of my life. After fifty days my health was re-established, and I continued with the utmost care to keep it and confirm it. When at last I ventured to relax my rigid diet, I found myself as wholly free from those infirmities as though I had been born again. Although I took pleasure in fortifying the health I so much longed for, yet I never left off working. Both the chalice and the mint had certainly as much of my intention as was due them and to myself. It happened that Cardinal Salviati, who as I have related, entertained in hostility against me, had been appointed leger to Palmer. In that city a certain millenies goldsmith named Tobiah was ticking up false coining and condemned to the gallows and the stake. Representations in his favor as being a man of great ability were made to the Cardinal, who suspended the execution of the sentence and wrote to the Pope saying the best goldsmith in the world had come into his hands, sentenced to death for coining false money, but that he was a good simple fellow who could plead in his excuse that he had taken counsel with his confessor and had received, as he said from him, permission to do this. There, too, he added, if you send for this great artist to Rome, your holiness will bring down the overweening arrogance of your favorite Benvenuto, and I am quite certain that Tobiah's work will please you far more than his. The Pope accordingly sent for him at once, and when the man arrived he made us both appear before him and commissioned each of us to furnish a design for mounting an unicorn's horn, the finest which had ever been seen, and which had been sold for 17,000 ducats of the camera. The Pope meant to give it to King Francis, but first he wished it richly set in gold and ordered us to make sketches for this purpose. When they were finished, we took them to the Pope. That of Tobiah was in the form of a candlestick, the horn being stuck in it like a candle, and at the base of the piece he had introduced four little unicorn heads of a very poor design. When I saw the thing I could not reframe from laughing gently in my sleeve, the Pope noticed this and cried, Here show me your sketch. It was a single unicorn's head proportioned in size to the horn. I had designed the finest head imaginable, for I took it partly from the horse and partly from the stag, enriching it with fantastic mane and other ornaments. Accordingly no sooner was it seen than everyone decided in my favor. There were, however, present at the competition certain Milanese gentlemen of the first consequence who said, Most blessed Father, your holiness is sending this magnificent present into France. Pleased to reflect that the French are people of no culture and will not understand the excellence of Benvenuto's work. Pixes like this one of Tobias's will suit their taste well, and these two can be finished quicker. Benvenuto will devote himself to completing your chalice, and you will get two pieces done in the same time. Moreover, this poor man who you have brought to Rome will have the chance to be employed. The Pope, who was anxious to obtain his chalice, very willingly adopted the advice of the Milanese gentlefolk. Next day, therefore, he commissioned Tobias to mount the unicorn's horn and send his master of the wardrobe to bid me finish the chalice. I replied that I desired nothing in the world more than to complete the beautiful work I had begun, and if the material had been anything but gold, I could very easily have done so myself, but it being gold, his holy mess must give me some of the metal if he wanted me to get through with my work. To this the vulgar courtier answered, Sounds, don't dust the Pope for gold unless you mean to drive him into such a fury as will ruin you. I said, Oh my good lord, will your lordship please to tell me how one can make bread without flour? Even so, without gold, this piece of mine cannot be finished. The master of the wardrobe, having an inkling that I had made a fool of him, told me he should report all I had spoken to his holiness, and this he did. The Pope flew into a base steel passion and swore he would wait to see if I was so mad as not to finish it, more than two months passed thus, and though I had declared I would not give a stroke to the chalice, I did not do so, but always went on working with the greatest interest. When he perceived I was not going to bring it, he began to display real displeasure, and protested he would punish me in one way or another. A jeweler from Milan in the papal service happened to be present when these words were spoken. He was called Pompeo and was closely related to Mesa Tarragiano, the most favorite servant of Pope Clement. The two men came upon a common understanding to him and said, if your holiness were to deprive Benvenuto of the mint, perhaps he would take it into his head to complete the chalice. To this the Pope answered, no, two evil things would happen. First, I should be ill served in the mint, which concerns me greatly, and secondly, I should certainly not get the chalice. The two Milanese observing the Pope indisposed towards me, at last so far, prevailed that he deprive me of the mint, and gave it to a young Perugian, commonly known as Fagiolo. Pompeo came to inform me that his holiness had taken my place in the mint away, and that if I did not finish the chalice he would deprive me of my other things besides. I retorted, tell his holiness that he has deprived himself and not me of the mint, and that he will be doing the same with regard to those other things of which he speaks, and that if he wants to confer the posts on me again, nothing will induce me to accept it. The graceless and unlucky fellow went off like an arrow to find the Pope and report this conversation. He added also something of his own invention. Eight days later the Pope sent the same man to tell me that he did not mean to finish the chalice, and wanted to have it back precisely at the point to which I had already brought it. I told Pompeo, this thing is not like the mint which it was in his power to take away, but five hundred crowns which I received belong to his holiness, and I am ready to return them. The peace itself is mine, and with it I shall do what I think best. Pompeo ran off to report my speech together with some biting words which in my righteous anger I had let fly at himself. After the lapse of three days on a Thursday there came to me two favorite chamberlains of his holiness. One of them is alive now, and a bishop. He was called a Messapier Giovanni, and was an officer of the wardrobe. The other could claim noble of birth, but his name has escaped me. On arriving they spoke as follows. The Pope has sent us, Benvenuto, and since you have not chosen to comply with his request on easy terms, his commands now are that either you should give us up his peace, or that we should take you to prison. Thereupon I looked them very cheerfully in the face, replying, My lords, if I were to give the work to his holiness I should be giving what is mine and not his, and at present I have no intention to make him this gift. I have brought it far forward with great labour, and do not want it to go into the hands of some ignorant beast who will destroy it with no trouble. While I spoke thus, the goldsmith Tobiah was standing by, who even presumptuously asked me for the models also of my work. What I retorted in words worthy of such a rascal need not here be repeated. Then, when those gentlemen, the chamberlains, kept urging me to do quickly what I meant to do, I told them I was ready. So I took my cape up, and before I left the shop, I turned to an image of Christ, with solemn reverence and cap in hand, praying as thus, O gracious and undying, just and holy our Lord, all the things thou doest are according to thy justice, which hath no peer on earth. Thou knowest that I have exactly reached the age of thirty, and that up to this hour I was never threatened with the prison for any of my actions. Now that it is thy will that I should go to prison, with all my heart I thank thee for this dispensation. Thereat I turned around to the two chamberlains, and addressed them with a certain lowering look I have. A man of my quality deserved no meaner catch poles than your lordships, place me between you, and take me as your prisoner where you like. Those two gentlemen were the most perfect manners burst out laughing, and put me between them, and so we went off, talking pleasantly, until they brought me to the governor of Rome, who was called Il Magillato. When I reached him, and the procurator fiscal was with him, both waiting for me. The pope's chamberlains, still laughing, said to the governor, We give up to you, this prisoner. Now see you take good care of him. We are very glad to have acted in the place of your agents, for Ben Venuto has told us that this being his first arrest, he deserved no catch poles of inferior station than we are. Immediately on leaving us, they sought the pope, and when they had minutely related the whole matter, he made it first as though he would give away to passion, but afterwards he put troll upon himself and laughed, because there were then in the present certain lords and cardinals, my friends who had warmly espoused my cause. Meanwhile the governor and the fiscals were at me, partly bullying, partly expostulating, partly giving advice, and saying it was only reason that a man who ordered work from another should be able to withdraw it at his choice, and in any way which he thought best. To this I replied that such proceedings were not warranted by justice, neither could a pope act thus, for that a pope is not of the same kind as certain petty tyrant princes who treat their folks as badly as they can without regard to law or justice, and so a vicar of Christ may not commit any of these acts of violence. There at the governor, assuming his police-court style of threatening and bullying, began to say, Benvenuto? Benvenuto, you are going about to make me treat you as you deserve. You will treat me with honor and courtesy if you wish to act as I deserve. Taking me up again, he cried, send for the work at once, and don't wait for a second order. I responded, my lords, grant me the favor of being allowed to say four more words in my defense. The fiscal, who was a far more reasonable agent of police than the governor, turned to him and said, Monsignor, suppose we let him say a hundred words if he likes so long as he gives up the work that is enough for us. I spoke. If any man you liked to name had ordered a palace or a house to be built, he could with justice tell the master mason, I do not want you to go on working at my house or palace, and after paying him his labor, he would have the right to dismiss him. Likewise, if a nobleman gave commission for a jewel of a thousand crowns value to be set, when he saw that the jeweler was not serving him according to his desire, he could say, give me back my stones, for I do not want your work. But in a case of this kind, none of those considerations apply. There is neither house nor jewel here. Nobody can command me further than that I should return the five hundred crowns which I have had. Therefore, Monsignor, do everything you can do, for you will get nothing from me beyond the five hundred crowns. Go and say this to the pope. Your threats do not frighten me at all, for I am an honest man and stand in no fear of my sins. The governor and fiscal rose and said they were going to the pope, and should return with the orders which I should soon learn to my cost. So I remained there under guard. I walked up and down a large hall, and they were about three hours away before they came back from the pope. In that while the flower of our nation among the merchants came to visit me, imploring me not to persist in contending with the pope, for this might be the ruin of me. I answered them that I had made my mind up quite well what I wished to do. THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BEN VENUTO CELINI VOLUME I TRANSLATED BY JOHN ADDINGTON SIMMONS CHAPTERS 62 THROUGH 65 62 No sooner had the governor returned, together with the procurator from the palace, than he sent for me, and spoke to this effect. Ben Venuto, I am certainly sorry to come back from the pope with such commands as I have received. You must either produce the chalice on the instant, or look to your affairs. Then I replied that, in as much as I had never to that hour believed a holy bicker of Christ could commit an unjust act, so I should like to see it before I did believe it. Therefore do the utmost that you can. THE GOVERNOR REJOINED I have to report a couple of words more from the pope to you, and then I will execute the orders given me. He says that you must bring your work to me here, and that after I have seen it put into a box and sealed, I must take it to him. He engages his word not to break the seal, and to return the peace to you untouched. But this much he wants to have done, in order to preserve his own honour in the affair. In return to this speech I answered laughing, that I would very willingly give up my work, in the way he mentioned, because I should be glad to know for certain what a pope's word was really worth. Accordingly I sent for my peace, and having had it sealed, as described, gave it up to him. The governor repaired again to the pope, who took the box, according to what the governor himself told me, and turned it several times about. Then he asked the governor if he had seen the work, and he replied that he had, and that it had been sealed up in his presence, and added that it had struck him as a very admirable peace. Thereupon the pope said, you shall tell Ben Venuto that popes have authority to bind and lose things of far greater consequence than this, and while thus speaking he opened the box with some show of anger, taking off the string and seals with which it was done up. Afterwards he paid it for long detention, and as I subsequently heard, showed it to Tobias the goldsmith, who bestowed much praise upon it. Then the pope asked him if he felt equal to producing a peace in that style. On his saying, yes, the pope told him to follow it out exactly, then turned to the governor and said, see whether Ben Venuto will give it up, for if he does he shall be paid the value fixed on it by men of knowledge in this art. But if he is really bent on finishing it himself, let him name a certain time, and if you are convinced that he means to do it, let him have all the reasonable accommodations he may ask for. The governor replied, most blessed father, I know the violent temper of this young man, so let me have authority to give him a sound rating after my own fashion. The pope told him to do what he liked with words, though he was sure he would make matters worse, and if at last he could do nothing else, he must order me to take the five hundred crowns to his jeweller Pompeo. The governor returned, sent for me into his cabinet, and casting one of his catchpoll's glances began to speak as follows. Popes have authority to lose and bind the whole world, and what they do is immediately ratified in heaven. Behold your box, then, which has been opened and inspected by his holiness. I lifted up my voice at once and said, I thank God that now I have learned and can report what the faith of popes is made of. Then the governor launched out into brutal bullying words and gestures, but perceiving that they came to nothing, he gave up his attempt as desperate, and spoke in somewhat milder tones after this wise. Benvenuto, I am very sorry that you are so blind to your own interest, but since it is so, go and take the five hundred crowns when you think fit to Pompeo. I took my piece up, went away, and carried the crowns to Pompeo on the instant. It is most likely that the pope had counted on some want of money or other opportunity preventing me from bringing so considerable a sum at once, and was anxious in this way to replace the broken thread of my obedience. When then he saw Pompeo coming to him with a smile upon his lips, and the money in his hand, he soundly rated him, and lamented that the affair had turned out so. Then he said, go find Benvenuto in his shop, and treat him with all the courtesies of which your ignorant and brutal nature is capable, and tell him that if he is willing to finish that piece for a reliquary to hold the Corpus Domini when I walk in procession, I will allow him the conveniences he wants in order to complete it, providing only that he goes on working. Pompeo came to me, called me out of his shop, and heaped on me the most mortgish caresses of a donkey. Reporting everything the pope had ordered. I lost no time in answering that the greatest treasure I could wish for in the world was to regain the favour of so great a pope which had been lost to me, not indeed by my fault, but by the fault of my overwhelming illness, and the wickedness of those envious men who take pleasure in making mischief. And since the pope has plenty of servants, do not let him send you round again if you value your life. Nay, look well to your safety. I shall not fail by night or day to think and do everything I can in the pope's service, and bear this well in mind, that when you have reported these words to his holiness, you never in any way whatever meddle with the least of my affairs, for I will make you recognise your errors by the punishment they merit. The fellow related everything to the pope, but in far more brutal terms than I had used, and thus the matter rested for a time while I again attended to my shop and business. 63. Taubier the Goldsmith, meanwhile, worked at the setting and the decoration of the unicorn's horn. The pope, moreover, commissioned him to begin the chalice upon the model he had seen in mine. But when Taubier came to show him what he had done, he was very discontented, and greatly regretted that he had broken with me, blaming all the other man's works and the people who had introduced them to him, and several times Bertino de la Croce came from him to tell me that I must not neglect the well-equery. I answered that I begged his holiness to let me breathe a little after the great illness I had suffered, and from which I was not as yet wholly free, adding that I would make it clear to him that all the hours in which I could work should be spent in his service. I had indeed begun to make his portrait, and was executing a medal in secret. I fashioned the steel dyes for stamping this medal in my own house, whilst I kept a partner in my workshop, who had been my apprentice, and was called Felice. At that time, as is the want of young men, I had fallen in love with a Sicilian girl who was exceedingly beautiful. On it becoming clear that she returned my affection, her mother perceived how the matter stood and grew suspicious of what might happen. The truth is that I had arranged to elope with the girl for a year to Florence, unknown to her mother, but she, getting wind of this, left Rome secretly one night, and went off in the direction of Naples. She gave out that she was gone by the Chivita Vettia, but she really went by Ostia. I followed them to Chivita Vettia, and did a multitude of mad things to discover her. It would be too long to narrate them all in detail, enough that I was on the point of losing my weights or dying. After two months she wrote to me that she was in Sicily, extremely unhappy. I, meanwhile, was indulging myself in all the pleasures man can think of, and had engaged in another love affair, merely to drown the memory of my real passion. 64. It happened through a variety of singular accidents that I became intimate with a Sicilian priest, who was a man of very elevated genius, and well instructed in both Latin and Greek letters. In the course of conversation one day we were led to talk about the art of necromancy, a proposal of which I said, throughout my whole life I have had the most intense desire to see or learn something of this art. There, too, the priest replied, As stout soul and a steadfast master man have who sets himself to such an enterprise, I answered that of strength and steadfastness of soul I should have enough and to spare, providing I found the opportunity. Then the priest said, If you have the heart to dare it I will amply satisfy your curiosity. Accordingly we agreed upon attempting the adventure. The priest one evening made his preparations, and made me find a comrade, or not more than two. I invited Vincenzo Romoli, a very dear friend of mine, and the priest took with him a native of Pistocia, who also cultivated the black art. We went together to the Coliseum, and there the priest, having arrayed himself in necromancer's robes, began to describe circles on the earth with the finest ceremonies that can be imagined. I must say that he had made us bring precious perfumes on fire, and also drugs of fetid odour. When the preliminaries were completed he made the entrance into the circle, and taking us by the hand introduced us one by one inside it. Then he assigned our several functions. To the necromancer, his comrade, he gave the pentacle to hold. The other two of us had to look after the fire and the perfumes, and then he began his incantations. This lasted more than an hour and a half, when several legions appeared, and the Coliseum was all full of devils. I was occupied with the precious perfumes, and when the priest perceived in what numbers they were present, he turned to me and said, Ben Venuto, ask them something. I called on them to reunite me with my Sicilian angelica. That night we obtained no answer, but I enjoyed the greatest satisfaction of my curiosity in such matters. The necromancer said that we should have to go a second time, and that I should obtain the full accomplishment of my request, but he wished me to bring with me a little boy of pure virginity. I chose one of my shop lads, who was about twelve years old, and invited Vincenzo Romali again, and we also took a certain agnolino Gaddi, who was a very intimate friend of both. When we came once more to the place appointed, the necromancer made just the same preparations, attended by the same and even more impressive details. Then he introduced us into the circle, which he had reconstructed with art more admirable and yet more wondrous ceremonies. Afterwards he appointed my friend Vincenzo to the ordering of the perfumes and the fire, and with him agnolino Gaddi. He next placed in my hand the pentacle, which he bid me turn towards the points he indicated, and under the pentacle I held the little boy, my workman. Now the necromancer began to utter those awful invocations, calling by name on multitudes of demons who are captains of their legions, and these he summoned by the virtue and potency of God, the uncreated, living and eternal, in phrases of the Hebrew, and also of the Greek and Latin tongues, in so much that in a short space of time the whole colosseum was full of a hundredfold as many as had appeared upon the first occasion. Vincenzo Romali, together with agnolino, tended the fire and heaped on quantities of precious perfumes. At the advice of the necromancer I again demanded to be reunited with Angelica. The sorcerer turned to me and said, Here you what they have replied, that in the space of one month you will be where she is. Then once more he prayed me to stand firm by him, because the legions were a thousandfold more than he had summoned, and were the most dangerous of all the denizens of hell. And now that they had settled what I asked, it behoved us to be civil to them and dismiss them gently. On the other side, the boy who was beneath the pentacle, shrieked out in terror that a million of the fiercest men were swarming round and threatening us. He said, moreover, that four huge giants had appeared who were striving to force their way inside the circle. Meanwhile the necromancer, trembling with fear, kept doing his best with mild and soft persuasions to dismiss them. Vincenzo Romali, who quaked like an aspen leaf, looked after the perfumes, though I was quite as frightened as the rest of them. I tried to show it less, and inspired them all with marvellous courage. But the truth is that I had given myself up for dead when I saw the terror of the necromancer. The boy had stuck his head between his knees, exclaiming, This is how I will meet death, for we are certainly dead men. Again I said to him, These creatures are all inferior to us, and what you see is only smoke and shadow, so then raise your eyes. When he had raised them he cried out, The whole Colosseum is in flames, and the fire is advancing on us. Then covering his face with his hands, he groaned again that he was dead, and that he could not endure the sight longer. The necromancer appealed for my support, entreating me to stand firm by him, and to have Asa Fetida thung upon the coals. So I turned to Vincenzo Romali, and told him to make the fumigation at once. While uttering these words I looked at Agnolino Gaddi, whose eyes were staring from their sockets in his terror, and who was more than half-dead, and said to him, Agnolo, in a time and place like this we must not yield to fright, but do the utmost to bestow ourselves, therefore up at once and fling a handful of that Asa Fetida upon the fire. Agnolo at that moment when he moved to do this, let fly such a volley from his breach, that it was far more effectual than the Asa Fetida. The boy, roused by that great stench and noise, lifted his face little, and hearing me laugh he plucked up courage, and said the devils were taking to flight tempestuously. So we abode this until the matting-bells began to sound. Then the boy told us again that but few remained, and those were at a distance. When the necromancer had concluded his ceremonies, he put off his wizard's robe, and packed up a great bundle of books, which he had brought with him, then altogether we issued with him from the circle, huddling as close as we could to one another, especially the boy, who had got into the middle, and taken the necromancer by his gown and me by the cloak. All the while that we were going toward our houses in the banshee, he kept saying that two of the devils he had seen in the Colosseum were gambling in front of us, skipping now along the roofs, and now upon the ground. The necromancer assured me that, often as he had entered magic circles, he had never met with such a serious affair as this. He also tried to persuade me to assist him in consecrating a book, by means of which we should extract immeasurable wealth, since we could call up fiends to show us where treasures were, whereof the earth is full, and after this wise we should become the richest of mankind. Love affairs like mine were nothing but vanities and follies without consequence. I replied that if I were a Latin scholar I should be very willing to do what he suggested. He continued to persuade me by arguing that Latin scholarship was of no importance, and that if he wanted he could have found plenty of good Latinists, but that he had never met with a man of soul so firm as mine, and that I ought to follow his council. Engaged in this conversation, we reached our homes, and each one of us dreamed all that night of devils. 65. As we were in the habit of meeting daily, the necromancer kept urging me to join in his adventure. Accordingly I asked him how long it would take, and where we should have to go. To this he answered that we might get through with it in less than a month, and that the most suitable locality for the purpose was the hill country of Norkia. A master of his in the art had indeed consecrated such a book quite close to Rome at a place called the Badia de Farfa, but he had met with some difficulties there, which would not occur in the mountains of Norkia. The peasants also of that district are people to be trusted, and have some practice in these matters, so that at a pinch they are able to render valuable assistance. This priestly sorcerer moved me so by his persuasion that I was well disposed to comply with his request, but I said I wanted first to finish the medals I was making for the pope. I had confided what I was doing about them to him alone, begging him to keep my secret. At the same time I never stopped asking him if he believed that I should be reunited to my Sicilian angelica at the time appointed, for the date was drawing near, and I thought it seemed that I heard nothing about her. The necromancer told me that it was quite certain I should find myself where she was, since the devils never break their word when they promise, as they did on that occasion. But he bade me keep my eyes open, and be on the lookout against some accident which might happen to me in that connection, and put restraint upon myself to endure somewhat against my inclination, for he could discern a great and imminent danger in it. What would it be for me if I went with him to consecrate the book, since this would avert the peril that menaced me, and would make us both most fortunate? I was beginning to hanker after the adventure more than he did, but I said that a certain maestro Giovanni of Castor Bolognese had just come to Rome, very ingenious in the art of making medals of the sort I made in steel, and that I thirsted for nothing more than to compete with him, and take the world by storm with some great masterpiece, which I hoped would annihilate all those enemies of mine by the force of genius, and not the sword. The sorcerer on his side went on urging, Ne Frithi Benvenuto, come with me and shone a great disaster which I see impending over you. However, I had made my mind up, come what would, to finish my medal, and we were now approaching the end of the month. I was so absorbed and enamoured of by my work that I thought no more about Angelica or anything of that kind, but gave my whole self up to it. Chapter 66 It happened one day, close on the hours of Vespers, that I had to go at an unusual time for me, from my house to my workshop, for I ought to say that the latter was in the banquay, while I lived behind the banquay, and went rarely to the shop. All my business there I left in the hands of my partner Felice. Having stayed a short while in the workshop, I remembered that I had to say something to Alessandro del Bene, so I arose, and when I reached the banquay I met a man called Ser Benedetto, who was a great friend of mine. He was a notary, born in Florence, son of a blind man who said prayers about the streets for alms, and a Sienese by race. This Ser Benedetto had been very many years at Naples. Afterwards he had settled in Rome, where he transacted business for some Sienese merchants of the Kigi. My partner had over and over again asked him for some monies, which were due for certain little rings confided to Ser Benedetto. That very day, meeting him in the banquay, he demanded his money, rather roughly as his want was. Benedetto was walking with his masters, and they, annoyed by the interruption, scolded him sharply, saying they would be served by somebody else, in order not to have to listen to such barking. Ser Benedetto did the best he could to excuse himself, swore that he had paid the goldsmith, and said he had no power to curb the rage of madmen. The Sienese took his words ill, and dismissed him on the spot. Leaving them he ran like an arrow to my shop, probably to take revenge upon Felice. It chanced that just in the middle of the street we met. I, who had heard nothing of the matter, greeted him most kindly, according to my custom, to which courtesy he replied with insults. Then what the sorcerer had said flashed all at once upon my mind, and bridling myself as well as I was able in the way he bade me, I answered, Good brother Benedetto, don't fly into a rage with me, for I have done you no harm, nor do I know anything about these affairs of yours. Please go and finish what you have to do with Felice. He is quite capable of giving you a proper answer, but in as much as I know nothing about it you are wrong to abuse me in this way, especially as you are well aware that I am not the man to put up with insults. He retorted that I knew everything, and that he was the man to make me bear a heavier load than that, and that Felice and I were two great rascals. By this time a crowd had gathered round to hear the choral. Provoked by his ugly words I stooped, and took up a lump of mud, for it had rained, and hurled it with a quick and unpremeditated movement at his face. He ducked his head, so that the mud hit him in the middle of the skull. There was a stone in it with several sharp angles, one of which striking him he felt stunned like a dead man, whereupon all the bystanders, seeing the great quantity of blood, judged that he was really dead. While he was lying on the ground and people were preparing to carry him away, Pompeo, the jeweler, passed by. The pope had sent for him to give orders about some jewels. Seeing the fellow in such a miserable plight he asked who had struck him, on which they told him, Benvenuto did it, but the stupid creature brought it down upon himself. No sooner had Pompeo reached the pope than he began to speak. Most blessed father Benvenuto has this very moment murdered Tobias. I saw it with my own eyes. On this the pope in a fury ordered the governor, who was in the presence, to take and hang me at once in the place where the homicide had been committed, adding that he must do all he could to catch me, and not appear again before him until he had hanged me. When I saw the unfortunate Benvenuto stretched upon the ground I thought at once of the peril I was in, considering the power of my enemies, and what might ensue from this disaster. Making off I took refuge in the house of Messer Giovanni Gavi, clerk of the camera, with the intention of preparing as soon as possible to escape from Rome. He, however, advised me not to be in such a hurry, for it might turn out perhaps that the evil was not so great as I imagined, and, calling Messir Annibalcaro, who lived with him, bade him go for information. While these arrangements were being made, a Roman gentleman appeared, who belonged to the household of Cardinal de Medici, and had been sent by him. Taking Messir Giovanni and me apart, he told us that the Cardinal had reported to him what the Pope said, and that there was no way of helping me out of the scrape. It would be best for me to shun the first fury of the storm by flight, and not to risk myself in any house in Rome. Upon this gentleman's departure, Messir Giovanni looked me in the face as though he were about to cry, and said, Ah, me, Ah, woe is me! There is nothing I can do to aid you. I replied, By God's means I shall aid myself alone. Only I request that you put one of your horses at my disposition. They had already saddled a black, Turkish horse, the finest and the best in Rome. I mounted with an archibus upon the saddle-bowl, wound up in readiness to fire, if need were. When I reached Pontesisto, I found the whole of the Bargellos' guard there, both horse and foot. So making a virtue of necessity, I put my horse boldly to a sharp trot, and, with God's grace, being somehow unperceived by them, passed freely through. Then, with all the speed I could, I took the road to Palombara, a thief of my Lord Giovanni Battista Savello, whence I sent the horseback to Messir Giovanni, without, however, thinking it well to inform him where I was. Lord Giovanni Battista, after very kindly entertaining me two days, advised me to remove and go toward Naples till the storm blew over. So, providing me with company, he set me on the way to Naples. While traveling, I met a sculptor of my acquaintance who was going to San Germano to finish the tomb of Piero de' Medici at Monte Cassino. His name was Solos Meo, and he gave me the news that on the very evening of the fray, Pope Clement sent one of his chamberlains to inquire how Tobias was getting on. Finding him at work unharmed and without even knowing anything about the matter, the messenger went back and told the Pope, who turned round to Pompeo, and said, You are a good-for-nothing rascal, but I promise you well that you have stirred a snake up which will sting you and serve you right. Then he addressed himself to Cardinal de' Medici, and commissioned him to look after me, adding that he should be very sorry to let me slip through his fingers. And so Solos Meo and I went on our way, singing towards Monte Cassino, intending to pursue our journey dense in company towards Naples. Chapter 68 When Solos Meo had inspected his affairs at Monte Cassino, we resumed our journey, and having come within a mile of Naples we were met by an innkeeper who invited us to his house, and said he had been at Florence many years with Carlo Genore, adding that if we put up at his inn he would treat us most kindly for the reason that we both were Florentines. We told him frequently that we did not want to go to him. However he kept passing, sometimes in front and sometimes behind, perpetually repeating that he would have a stop at his hostelry. When this began to bore me I asked if he could tell me anything about a certain Sicilian woman called Beatrice, who had a beautiful daughter named Angelica, and both were courtesans. Taking it into his head that I was jeering him, he cried out, God send mischief to all courtesans and such as favor them. Then he set spurs to his horse, and made off as though he was resolved to leave us. I felt some pleasure in having rid myself in so fair a manner of that ass of an innkeeper, and yet I was rather the loser than the gainer, for the great love I bore Angelica had come back to my mind, and while I was conversing not without some lover's sighs upon this subject with solace male, we saw the man returning to us at a gallop. When he drew up he said, two or perhaps three days ago a woman and a girl came back to a house in my neighborhood. They had the names you mentioned, but whether they are Sicilians I cannot say. I answered, such power over me has that name of Angelica that I am now determined to put up at your inn. We rode on altogether with mine host, into the town of Naples, and descended at his house. Minutes seemed years to me till I had put my things in order, which I did in the twinkling of an eye. Then I went to the house which was not far from our inn, and found there my Angelica, who greeted me with infinite demonstrations of the most unbounded passion. I stayed with her from even fall until the following morning, and enjoyed such pleasure as I never had before or since. But while drinking deep of this delight, it occurred to my mind how exactly on that day the month expired, which had been prophesied within the necromantic circle by the devils. So then, let every man who enters into relation with those spirits weigh well the inestimable perils I have passed through. I happened to have in my purse a diamond which I showed about among the goldsmiths, and though I was but young my reputation as an able artist was so well known, even at Naples, that they welcomed me most warmly. Among others I made acquaintance with a most excellent companion, a jeweler, Messère Domenico Fontana by name. This worthy man left his shop for the three days that I spent in Naples, nor even quitted my company, but showed me many admirable monuments of antiquity in the city and its neighborhood. Moreover, he took me to pay my respects to the viceroy of Naples, who had let him know that he should like to see me. When I presented myself to his Excellency, he received me with much honor, and while we were exchanging compliments the diamond which I have mentioned caught his eye. He made me show it him and prayed me if I parted with it to give him the refusal. Having taken back the stone, I offered it again to his Excellency, adding that the diamond and I were at his service. Then he said that the diamond pleased him well, but that he should be much better pleased if I were to stay with him. He would make such terms with me as would cause me to feel satisfied. We spoke many words of courtesy on both sides, and then, coming to the merits of the diamond, his Excellency bade me without hesitation, name the price at which I valued it. Accordingly, I said that it was worth exactly two hundred crowns. He rejoined that in his opinion I had not overvalued it, but that since I had said it, and he knew me for the first artist in the world, it would not make the same effect when mounted by another hand. To this I said that I had not set the stone, and that it was not well set. Its brilliancy was due to its own excellence, and that if I were to mount it afresh, I could make it show far better than it did. Then I put my thumbnail to the angles of its facets, took it from the ring, cleaned it up a little, and handed it to the Viceroy. Delighted and astonished, he wrote me out a check for the two hundred crowns I had demanded. When I returned to my lodging, I found letters from the Cardinal de Medici, in which he told me to come back post-hace to Rome, and to dismount without delay at the palace of his most reverend lordship. I read the letter to my Angelica, who begged me, with tears of affection, either to remain in Naples or to take her with me. I replied that if she was disposed to come with me, I would give up to her keeping the two hundred ducats I had received from the Viceroy. Her mother, perceiving us in this close conversation, drew nigh, and said, Benvenuto, if you want to take my daughter to Rome, leave me a sum of fifteen ducats, to pay for my lying in, and then I will travel after you. I told the old Herodon that I would very gladly return her thirty, if she would give me my Angelica. We made the bargain, and Angelica entreated me to buy her a gown of black velvet, because the stuff was cheap at Naples. I consented to everything, sent for the velvet, settled its price, and paid for it. Then the old woman, who thought me overhead and ears in love, begged for a gown of fine cloth for herself, as well as other outlays for her sons, and a good bit more money than I had offered. I turned to her with a pleasant air, and said, My dear Beatrice, are you satisfied with what I offered? She answered that she was not. Thereupon I said that what was not enough for her would be quite enough for me, and having kissed Angelica we parted, she with tears and I with laughter, and off at once I said for Rome. I left Naples by night with my money in my pocket, and this I did to prevent being set upon or murdered as is the way there. But when I came to sell ciata I had to defend myself with great address and bodily prowess from several horsemen who came out to assassinate me. During the following days, after leaving Solosmeo at his work at Monte Cassino, I came one morning to breakfast at the inn of Adagnani, and when I was near the house I shot some birds with my archibus. An iron spike which was in the lock of my musket tore my right hand. Though the wound was not of any consequence, it seemed to be so, because it bled abundantly. Going into the inn I put my horse up and ascended to a large gallery, for I found a party of Neapolitan gentlemen just upon the point of sitting down to table. They had with them a young woman of quality, the loveliest I ever saw. At the moment when I entered the room I was followed by a very brave young serving man of mine holding a big partisan in his hand. The sight of us, our arms and the blood, inspired those poor gentlemen with such terror, particularly as the place was known to be a nest of murderers, that they rose from table and called on God in a panic to protect them. I began to laugh and said that God had protected them already, for that I was a man to defend them against whoever tried to do them harm. Then I asked them for something to bind up my wounded hand, and the charming lady took out a handkerchief richly embroidered with gold, wishing to make a bandage with it. I refused, but she tore the piece in half and in the gentlest manner wrapped my hand up with her fingers. The company, thus having regained confidence, we dined together very gaily, and when the meal was over we all mounted and went off together. The gentlemen, however, were not as yet quite at their ease, so they left me in their cunning to entertain the lady while they kept at a short distance behind. I rode at her side upon a pretty little horse of mine, making signs to my servant that he should keep somewhat apart, which gave us the opportunity of discussing things that are not sold by the apothecary. In this way I journeyed to Rome with the greatest enjoyment I have ever had. When I got to Rome I dismounted at the palace of Cardinal de Medici, and having obtained an audience of his most reverent lordship, paid my respects and thanked him warmly for my recall. I then entreated him to secure me from imprisonment and even from a fine if that were possible. The Cardinal was very glad to see me, told me to stand in no fear, then turned to one of his gentlemen, called Monsieur Pierre Antonio Pecci of Siena, ordering him to tell the Bargello not to touch me. He then asked him how the man was going on whose head I had broken with a stone. Monsieur Pierre Antonio replied that he was very ill and that he would probably be even worse, for when he heard that I was coming back to Rome he swore he would die to serve me an ill turn. When the Cardinal heard that he burst into a fit of laughter and cried, the fellow could not have taken a better way than this to make us know that he was born a Sienese. After that he turned to me and said, for our reputation and your own, refrain these four or five days from going about in the banquets. After that go where you like and let fools die at their own pleasure. I went home and set myself to finishing the medal which I had begun, with the head of Pope Clement and a figure of peace on the reverse. The figure was a slender woman dressed in very thin drapery, gathered at the waist with a little torch in her hand, which was burning a heap of arms bound together like a trophy. In the background I had shown part of a temple, where it was discord chained with a load of fetters. Round about it ran a legend in these words, Claudin Turbelli Portaille. During the time I was finishing this medal, the man whom I had wounded recovered and the Pope kept incessantly asking for me. I however avoided visiting Cardinal de Medici for whenever I showed my face before him his lordship gave me some commission of importance which hindered me from working at my medal to the end. Consequently, Monsieur Pierre Carnasecchi, who was a great favorite of the Popes, undertook to keep me in sight and let me adroitly understand how much the Pope desired my services. I told him that in a few days I would prove to his holiness that his service had never been neglected by me. End of chapters 66 through 70