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Sculpture is more divine； and more like Nature；
That fashions all her works in high relief；
And that is sculpture。 This vast ball； the Earth；
Was moulded out of clay； and baked in fire；
Men； women； and all animals that breathe
Are statues； and not paintings。 Even the plants；
The flowers； the fruits； the grasses； were first sculptured；
And colored later。 Painting is a lie；
A shadow merely。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Truly； as you say；
Sculpture is more than painting。 It is greater
To raise the dead to life than to create
Phantoms that seem to live。 The most majestic
Of the three sister arts is that which builds；
The eldest of them all； to whom the others
Are but the hand…maids and the servitors；
Being but imitation； not creation。
Henceforth I dedicate myself to her。
BENVENUTO。
And no more from the marble hew those forms
That fill us all with wonder？
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Many statues
Will there be room for in my work。 Their station
Already is assigned them in my mind。
But things move slowly。 There are hindrances；
Want of material； want of means； delays
And interruptions； endless interference
Of Cardinal Commissioners； and disputes
And jealousies of artists； that annoy me。
But twill persevere until the work
Is wholly finished； or till I sink down
Surprised by death； that unexpected guest；
Who waits for no man's leisure； but steps in；
Unasked and unannounced； to put a stop
To all our occupations and designs。
And then perhaps I may go back to Florence；
This is my answer to Duke Cosimo。
VI
MICHAEL ANGELO'S STUDIO
MICHAEL ANGELO and URBINO。
MICHAEL ANGELO； pausing in his work。
Urbino； thou and I are both old men。
My strength begins to fail me。
URBINO。
Eccellenza。
That is impossible。 Do I not see you
Attack the marble blocks with the same fury
As twenty years ago？
MICHAEL ANGELO。
'T is an old habit。
I must have learned it early from my nurse
At Setignano； the stone…mason's wife；
For the first sounds I heard were of the chisel
chipping away the stone。
URBINO。
At every stroke
You strike fire with your chisel。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Ay； because
The marble is too hard。
URBINO。
It is a block
That Topolino sent you from Carrara。
He is a judge of marble。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
I remember。
With it he sent me something of his making；
A Mercury； with long body and short legs；
As if by any possibility
A messenger of the gods could have short legs。
It was no more like Mercury than you are；
But rather like those little plaster figures
That peddlers hawk about the villages
As images of saints。 But luckily
For Topolino； there are many people
Who see no difference between what is best
And what is only good； or not even good；
So that poor artists stand in their esteem
On the same level with the best； or higher。
URBINO。
How Eccellenza laughed！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Poor Topolino！
All men are not born artists； nor will labor
E'er make them artists。
URBINO。
No； no more
Than Emperors； or Popes； or Cardinals。
One must be chosen for it。 I have been
Your color…grinder six and twenty years；
And am not yet an artist。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Some have eyes
That see not； but in every block of marble
I see a statue；see it as distinctly
As if it stood before me shaped and perfect
In attitude and action。 I have only
To hew away the stone walls that imprison
The lovely apparition； and reveal it
To other eyes as mine already see it。
But I grow old and weak。 What wilt thou do
When I am dead； Urbino？
URBINO。
Eccellenza；
I must then serve another master。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Never！
Bitter is servitude at best。 Already
So many years hast thou been serving me；
But rather as a friend than as a servant。
We have grown old together。 Dost thou think
So meanly of this Michael Angelo
As to imagine he would let thee serve；
When he is free from service？ Take this purse；
Two thousand crowns in gold。
URBINO。
Two thousand crowns！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Ay； it will make thee rich。 Thou shalt not die
A beggar in a hospital。
URBINO。
Oh； Master！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
I cannot have them with me on the journey
That I am undertaking。 The last garment
That men will make for me will have no pockets。
URBINO； kissing the hand of MICHAEL ANGELO。
My generous master！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Hush！
URBINO。
My Providence！
MICHAEL ANGELO。
Not a word more。 Go now to bed； old man。
Thou hast served Michael Angelo。 Remember；
Henceforward thou shalt serve no other master。
VII
THE OAKS OF MONTE LUCA
MICHAEL ANGELO； alone in the woods。
MICHAEL ANGELO。
How still it is among these ancient oaks！
Surges and undulations of the air
Uplift the leafy boughs； and let them fall
With scarce a sound。 Such sylvan quietudes
Become old age。 These huge centennial oaks；
That may have heard in infancy the trumpets
Of Barbarossa's cavalry； deride
Man's brief existence； that with all his strength
He cannot stretch beyond the hundredth year。
This little acorn； turbaned like the Turk；
Which with my foot I spurn； may be an oak
Hereafter； feeding with its bitter mast
The fierce wild boar； and tossing in its arms
The cradled nests of birds； when all the men
That now inhabit this vast universe；
They and their children； and their children's children；
Shall be but dust and mould； and nothing more。
Through openings in the trees I see below me
The valley of Clitumnus； with its farms
And snow…white oxen grazing in the shade
Of the tall poplars on the river's brink。
O Nature； gentle mother； tender nurse！
I who have never loved thee as I ought；
But wasted all my years immured in cities；
And breathed the stifling atmosphere of streets；
Now come to thee for refuge。 Here is peace。
Yonder I see the little hermitages
Dotting the mountain side with points of light；
And here St。 Julian's convent； like a nest
Of curlews； clinging to some windy cliff。
Beyond the broad； illimitable plain
Down sinks the sun； red as Apollo's quoit；
That； by the envious Zephyr blown aside；
Struck Hyacinthus dead； and stained the earth
With his young blood； that blossomed into flowers。
And now； instead of these fair deities
Dread demons haunt the earth； hermits inhabit
The leafy homes of sylvan Hamadryads；
And jovial friars； rotund and rubicund；
Replace the old Silenus with his ass。
Here underneath these venerable oaks；
Wrinkled and brown and gnarled like them with ag