the name of La Giulia. What became of the head is unknown. It is said
to have weighed 600 pounds.

So perished another of Michelangelo's masterpieces; and all we know
for certain about the statue is that Julius was seated, in full
pontificals, with the triple tiara on his head, raising the right hand
to bless, and holding the keys of S. Peter in the left.

Michelangelo reached Florence early in March. On the 18th of that
month he began again to occupy his house at Borgo Pinti, taking it
this time on hire from the Operai del Duomo. We may suppose,
therefore, that he intended to recommence work on the Twelve Apostles.
A new project seems also to have been started by his friend
Soderini--that of making him erect a colossal statue of Hercules
subduing Cacus opposite the David. The Gonfalonier was in
correspondence with the Marquis of Carrara on the 10th of May about a
block of marble for this giant; but Michelangelo at that time had
returned to Rome, and of the Cacus we shall hear more hereafter.

IV

When Julius received news that his statue had been duly cast and set
up in its place above the great door of S. Petronio, he began to be
anxious to have Michelangelo once more near his person. The date at
which the sculptor left Florence again for Rome is fixed approximately
by the fact that Lodovico Buonarroti emancipated his son from parental
control upon the 13th of March 1508. According to Florentine law,
Michelangelo was not of age, nor master over his property and person,
until this deed had been executed.

In the often-quoted letter to Fattucci he says: "The Pope was still
unwilling that I should complete the tomb, and ordered me to paint the
vault of the Sistine. We agreed for 3000 ducats. The first design I
made for this work had twelve apostles in the lunettes, the remainder
being a certain space filled in with ornamental details, according to
the usual manner. After I had begun, it seemed to me that this would
turn out rather meanly; and I told the Pope that the Apostles alone
would yield a poor effect, in my opinion. He asked me why. I answered,
'Because they too were poor.' Then he gave me commission to do what I
liked best, and promised to satisfy my claims for the work, and told
me to paint down the pictured histories upon the lower row."

There is little doubt that Michelangelo disliked beginning this new
work, and that he would have greatly preferred to continue the
sepulchral monument, for which he