g to acquire under Michelagnolo, besides
boundless profits, immortal renown and everlasting fame.

Stupefied by this misfortune and robbed of all his spirit, and being
also ill, Tribolo was living in utter despair, seeming not to be able
either in Florence or abroad to hit upon anything that might be to his
advantage; but Giorgio Vasari, who was always his friend and loved him
from his heart, and helped him all that he could, consoled him, saying
that he should not lose heart, because he would so contrive that Duke
Alessandro would give him something to do, by means of the favour of
the Magnificent Ottaviano de' Medici, into whose service Giorgio had
introduced him on terms of no little intimacy. Wherefore Tribolo,
having regained a little courage, occupied himself, while measures
were being taken to assist him, with copying in clay all the figures
of marble in the Sacristy of S. Lorenzo which Michelagnolo had
executed--namely, Dawn, Twilight, Day, and Night. And he succeeded in
doing them so well, that M. Giovan Battista Figiovanni, the Prior of
S. Lorenzo, to whom he presented the Night in return for having the
sacristy opened for him, judging it to be a rare work, presented it to
Duke Alessandro, who afterwards gave it to Giorgio Vasari, who was
living with his Excellency, knowing that Giorgio gave his attention to
such studies; which figure is now in his house at Arezzo, with other
works of art. Having afterwards copied, likewise in clay, the Madonna
made by Michelagnolo for the same sacristy, Tribolo presented it to
the above-named M. Ottaviano de' Medici, who had a most beautiful
ornament in squared work made for it by Battista del Cinque, with
columns, cornices, brackets, and other carvings very well executed.

Meanwhile, by the favour of him who was Treasurer to his Excellency,
and at the commission of Bertoldo Corsini, the proveditor for the
fortress which was being built at that time, out of three escutcheons
that were to be made by order of the Duke for placing on the bastions,
one on each, one four braccia in height was given to Tribolo to
execute, with two nude figures representing Victories; which
escutcheon, finished by him with great diligence and promptitude, with
the addition of three great masks that support the escutcheon and the
figures, so pleased the Duke, that he conceived a very great love for
Tribolo. Now shortly afterwards the Duke went to Naples to defend
himself before the Emperor Charles V