Bramante answered: 'Holy Father, he will
not be able to do anything of the kind. I have conversed much with
Michelangelo, and he has often told me that he would not undertake the
chapel, which you wanted to put upon him; and that, you
notwithstanding, he meant only to apply himself to sculpture, and
would have nothing to do with painting.' To this he added: 'Holy
Father, I do not think he has the courage to attempt the work, because
he has small experience in painting figures, and these will be raised
high above the line of vision, and in foreshortening (i.e., because of
the vault). That is something different from painting on the ground.'
The Pope replied: 'If he does not come, he will do me wrong; and so I
think that he is sure to return.' Upon this I up and gave the man a
sound rating in the Pope's presence, and spoke as I believe you would
have spoken for me; and for the time he was struck dumb, as though he
felt that he had made a mistake in talking as he did. I proceeded as
follows: 'Holy Father, that man never exchanged a word with
Michelangelo, and if what he has just said is the truth, I beg you to
cut my head off, for he never spoke to Michelangelo; also I feel sure
that he is certain to return, if your Holiness requires it.'"

This altercation throws doubt on the statement that Bramante
originally suggested Michelangelo as painter of the Sistine. He could
hardly have turned round against his own recommendation; and,
moreover, it is likely that he would have wished to keep so great a
work in the hands of his own set, Raffaello, Peruzzi, Sodoma, and
others.

Meanwhile, Michelangelo's friends in Rome wrote, encouraging him to
come back. They clearly thought that he was hazarding both profit and
honour if he stayed away. But Michelangelo, whether the constitutional
timidity of which I have spoken, or other reasons damped his courage,
felt that he could not trust to the Pope's mercies. What effect San
Gallo may have had upon him, supposing this architect arrived in
Florence at the middle of May, can only be conjectured. The fact
remains that he continued stubborn for a time. In the lengthy
autobiographical letter written to some prelate in 1542, Michelangelo
relates what followed: "Later on, while I was at Florence, Julius sent
three briefs to the Signory. At last the latter sent for me and said:
'We do not want to go to war with Pope Julius because of you. You must
return; and if you do so, we will write you l