herefore ever afterwards, both from
his connection with his uncle and from his own happy genius, wherein
he resembled that great man, he was called by everyone not Piero, but
Vinci.

Now Vinci, while occupied in this manner, had often heard various
persons speaking of the things connected with the arts to be seen in
Rome, and extolling them, as is always done by everyone; wherefore a
great desire had been kindled in him to see them, hoping to be able to
derive profit by beholding not only the works of the ancients, but
also those of Michelagnolo, and even the master himself, who was then
alive and residing in Rome. He went thither, therefore, in company
with some friends; but after seeing Rome and all that he wished, he
returned to Florence, having reflected judiciously that the things of
Rome were as yet too profound for him, and should be studied and
imitated not so early in his career, but after a greater acquaintance
with art.

At that time Tribolo had finished a model for the shaft of the
fountain in the labyrinth, in which are some Satyrs in low-relief,
four masks in half-relief, and four little boys in the round, who are
seated upon certain caulicoles. Vinci having then returned, Tribolo
gave him this shaft to do, and he executed and finished it, making in
it some delicate designs not employed by any other but himself, which
greatly pleased all who saw them. Then, having had the whole marble
tazza of that fountain finished, Tribolo thought of placing on the
edge of it four children in the round, lying down and playing with
their arms and legs in the water, in various attitudes; and these he
intended to cast in bronze. Vinci, at the commission of Tribolo, made
them of clay, and they were afterwards cast in bronze by Zanobi
Lastricati, a sculptor and a man very experienced in matters of
casting; and they were placed not long since around the fountain,
where they make a most beautiful effect.

There was in daily intercourse with Tribolo one Luca Martini, the
proveditor at that time for the building of the Mercato Nuovo, who,
praising highly the excellence in art and the fine character of Vinci,
and desiring to help him, provided him with a piece of marble
two-thirds of a braccio in height and one and a quarter in length.
Vinci, taking the marble, made with it a Christ being scourged at the
Column, in which the rules of low-relief and of design may be seen to
have been well observed; and in truth it made everyone