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It was two hours before the break of day。
My fever was quite gone。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
A strange adventure；
That could have happened to no man alive
But you； my Benvenuto。
BENVENUTO。
As my workmen said
To major…domo Ricci afterward；
When he inquired of them： 〃'T was not a man；
But an express great devil。〃
MICHAEL ANGELO。
And the statue？
BENVENUTO。
Perfect in every part； save the right foot
Of Perseus； as I had foretold the Duke。
There was just bronze enough to fill the mould；
Not a drop over； not a drop too little。
I looked upon it as a miracle
Wrought by the hand of God。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
And now I see
How you have turned your vices into virtues。
BENVENUTO。
But wherefore do I prate of this？ I came
To speak of other things。 Duke Cosimo
Through me invites you to return to Florence；
And offers you great honors； even to make you
One of the Forty…Eight； his Senators。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
His Senators！ That is enough。 Since Florence
Was changed by Clement Seventh from a Republic
Into a Dukedom； I no longer wish
To be a Florentine。 That dream is ended。
The Grand Duke Cosimo now reigns supreme；
All liberty is dead。 Ah； woe is me！
I hoped to see my country rise to heights
Of happiness and freedom yet unreached
By other nations； but the climbing wave
Pauses； lets go its hold； and slides again
Back to the common level； with a hoarse
Death rattle in its throat。 I am too old
To hope for better days。 I will stay here
And die in Rome。 The very weeds； that grow
Among the broken fragments of her ruins；
Are sweeter to me than the garden flowers
Of other cities； and the desolate ring
Of the Campagna round about her walls
Fairer than all the villas that encircle
The towns of Tuscany。
BENVENUTO。
But your old friends！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
All dead by violence。 Baccio Valori
Has been beheaded； Guicciardini poisoned；
Philippo Strozzi strangled in his prison。
Is Florence then a place for honest men
To flourish in？ What is there to prevent
My sharing the same fate？
BENVENUTO。
Why this： if all
Your friends are dead； so are your enemies。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Is Aretino dead？
BENVENUTO。
He lives in Venice；
And not in Florence。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
'T is the same to me
This wretched mountebank； whom flatterers
Call the Divine； as if to make the word
Unpleasant in the mouths of those who speak it
And in the ears of those who hear it； sends me
A letter written for the public eye；
And with such subtle and infernal malice；
I wonder at his wickedness。 'T is he
Is the express great devil； and not you。
Some years ago he told me how to paint
The scenes of the Last Judgment。
BENVENUTO。
I remember。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Well； now he writes to me that； as a Christian；
He is ashamed of the unbounded freedom
With which I represent it。
BENVENUTO。
Hypocrite！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
He says I show mankind that I am wanting
In piety and religion； in proportion
As I profess perfection in my art。
Profess perfection？ Why； 't is only men
Like Bugiardini who are satisfied
With what they do。 I never am content；
But always see the labors of my hand
Fall short of my conception。
BENVENUTO。
I perceive
The malice of this creature。 He would taint you
With heresy； and in a time like this！
'T is infamous！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
I represent the angels
Without their heavenly glory； and the saints
Without a trace of earthly modesty。
BENVENUTO。
Incredible audacity！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
The heathen
Veiled their Diana with some drapery；
And when they represented Venus naked
They made her by her modest attitude；
Appear half clothed。 But I； who am a Christian；
Do so subordinate belief to art
That I have made the very violation
Of modesty in martyrs and in virgins
A spectacle at which all men would gaze
With half…averted eyes even in a brothel。
BENVENUTO。
He is at home there； and he ought to know
What men avert their eyes from in such places；
From the Last Judgment chiefly； I imagine。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
But divine Providence will never leave
The boldness of my marvellous work unpunished；
And the more marvellous it is； the more
'T is sure to prove the ruin of my fame！
And finally； if in this composition
I had pursued the instructions that he gave me
Concerning heaven and hell and paradise；
In that same letter； known to all the world；
Nature would not be forced； as she is now；
To feel ashamed that she invested me
With such great talent； that I stand myself
A very idol in the world of art。
He taunts me also with the Mausoleum
Of Julius； still unfinished； for the reason
That men persuaded the inane old man
It was of evil augury to build
His tomb while he was living； and he speaks
Of heaps of gold this Pope bequeathed to me；
And calls it robbery；that is what he says。
What prompted such a letter？
BENVENUTO。
Vanity。
He is a clever writer； and he likes
To draw his pen； and flourish it in the face
Of every honest man； as swordsmen do
Their rapiers on occasion； but to show
How skilfully they do it。 Had you followed
The advice he gave； or even thanked him for it；
You would have seen another style of fence。
'T is but his wounded vanity； and the wish
To see his name in print。 So give it not
A moment's thought； it soon will be forgotten。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
I will not think of it； but let it pass
For a rude speech thrown at me in the street；
As boys threw stones at Dante。
BENVENUTO。
And what answer
Shall I take back to Grand Duke Cosimo？
He does not ask your labor or your service；
Only your presence in the city of Florence；
With such advice upon his work in hand
As he may ask； and you may choose to give。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
You have my answer。 Nothing he can offer
Shall tempt me to leave Rome。 My work is here；
And only here； the building of St。 Peter's。
What other things I hitherto have done
Have fallen from me； are no longer mine；
I have passed on beyond them； and have left them
As milestones on the way。 What lies before me；
That is still mine； and while it is unfinished
No one shall draw me from it； or persuade me；
By promises of ease； or wealth； or honor；
Till I behold the finished dome uprise
Complete； as now I see it in my thought。
BENVENUTO。
And will you paint no more？
MICHAEL ANGELO。
No more。
BENVENUTO。
'T is well。
Sculpture is more divine； and more like Nature；
That fashions all her works in high relief；
And that is sc