er these
things, as friends frequently do. To return to Naples, Giotto did
many works in the Castel dell' Uovo, especially in the chapel, which
greatly delighted the king, who became so fond of him that he often
came to talk with the artist while he was at work, and took delight
in seeing him at work and in listening to his conversation. Giotto,
who always had a jest ready or some sharp retort, entertained the
king with his hand in painting and with his tongue by his pleasant
discourse. Thus it once happened that the king told him it was his
intention to make him the first man in Naples, to which Giotto
replied: "No doubt that is why I am lodged at the Porta Reale to be
the first man in Naples." Another day the king said to him: "Giotto,
if I were you, this hot day, I would leave off painting for a while."
He answered: "So I should, certainly, if I were you." Being thus on
very friendly terms with the king, he painted a good number of
pictures for him in the chamber which King Alfonso I. pulled down to
make the castle, and also in the Incoronata, and among those in the
chamber were the portraits of many famous men, Giotto among the
number. One day, by some caprice, the king asked Giotto to paint his
kingdom. It is said that Giotto painted for him a saddled ass, with
another new saddle at its feet at which it was sniffing, as if he
wished for it in place of the one he had on. On each saddle were the
royal crown and the sceptre of power. When the king asked Giotto for
the meaning of this picture, he replied: "Such are your subjects and
such is the kingdom, where every day they are wanting to change their
master."

On his departure from Naples for Rome, Giotto stayed at Gaeta, where
he was constrained to paint some subjects from the New Testament in
the Nunziata, which have suffered from the ravages of time, but not
to such an extent that it is not possible to distinguish a portrait
of Giotto himself near a large crucifix of great beauty. This done,
he remained a few days at Rome, in the service of the Signor
Malatesta, whom he could not refuse this favour, and then he went on
to Rimini, of which city Malatesta was lord, and there in the church
of S. Francesco he painted a large number of pictures, which were
afterwards destroyed by Gismondo, son of Pandolfo Malatesta, who
rebuilt the whole of that church. In the cloister of the same church,
towards the church front, he painted in fresco the life of the
Blessed Michelina