o make a copy in wax, in the round and two-thirds (of a
braccio) in height, of the Moses of Michelagnolo that is on the tomb
of Pope Julius II in S. Pietro in Vincula, than which there is no more
beautiful work to be seen; and so, having made the Moses of wax, he
sent it as a present to Luca Martini.

At the time when Vinci was living in Rome and executing the works
mentioned above, Luca Martini was made by the Duke of Florence
proveditor of Pisa, and in his office he did not forget his friend,
and therefore wrote to him that he was preparing a room for him and
was providing a block of marble of three braccia, so that he might
return from Rome at his pleasure, seeing that while with him he should
want for nothing. Vinci, attracted by this prospect and by the love
that he bore to Luca, resolved to depart from Rome and to take up his
abode for some time in Pisa, where he looked to find opportunities of
practising his hand and making trial of his ability. Having therefore
gone to Pisa, he found that the marble was already in his room,
prepared according to the orders of Luca; but, on proceeding to begin
to carve from it an upright figure, he perceived that the marble had
in it a crack that diminished it by a braccio. Wherefore, having
resolved to change it into a recumbent figure, he made a young River
God holding a vase that is pouring out water, the vase being upheld by
three children, who are assisting the River God to pour the water
forth; and beneath his feet runs a copious stream of water, in which
may be seen fishes darting about and water-fowl flying in various
parts. This River God finished, Vinci made a present of it to Luca,
who presented it to the Duchess, to whom it was very dear; and then,
her brother Don Garzia di Toledo being at that time in Pisa, whither
he had gone by galley, she gave it to that brother, who accepted it
with much pleasure for the fountains of his garden in the Chiaia at
Naples.

In those days Luca Martini was writing some observations on the
Commedia of Dante, and he pointed out to Vinci the cruelty described
by Dante, which the Pisans and Archbishop Ruggieri showed towards
Count Ugolino della Gherardesca, causing him to die of hunger with his
four sons in the tower that is therefore called the Tower of Hunger;
whereby he offered to Vinci the occasion for a new work and the idea
of a new design. Wherefore, while he was still working at the River
God described above, he set his hand to m