o Genoa, and hire ships there for
the transport of his blocks. Then the Carraresi corrupted the captains
of these boats, and drove Michelangelo to Pisa (April 7), where he
finally made an arrangement with a certain Francesco Peri to ship the
marbles lying on the sea-shore at Carrara.

The reason of this revolt against him at Carrara may be briefly
stated. The Medici determined to begin working the old marble quarries
of Pietra Santa, on the borders of the Florentine domain, and this
naturally aroused the commercial jealousy of the folk at Carrara.
"Information," says Condivi, "was sent to Pope Leo that marbles could
be found in the high-lands above Pietra Santa, fully equal in quality
and beauty to those of Carrara. Michelangelo, having been sounded on
the subject, chose to go on quarrying at Carrara rather than to take
those belonging to the State of Florence. This he did because he was
befriended with the Marchese Alberigo, and lived on a good
understanding with him. The Pope wrote to Michelangelo, ordering him
to repair to Pietra Santa, and see whether the information he had
received from Florence was correct. He did so, and ascertained that
the marbles were very hard to work, and ill-adapted to their purpose;
even had they been of the proper kind, it would be difficult and
costly to convey them to the sea. A road of many miles would have to
be made through the mountains with pick and crowbar, and along the
plain on piles, since the ground there was marshy. Michelangelo wrote
all this to the Pope, who preferred, however, to believe the persons
who had written to him from Florence. So he ordered him to construct
the road." The road, it may parenthetically be observed, was paid for
by the wealthy Wool Corporation of Florence, who wished to revive this
branch of Florentine industry. "Michelangelo, carrying out the Pope's
commands, had the road laid down, and transported large quantities of
marbles to the sea-shore. Among these were five columns of the proper
dimensions, one of which may be seen upon the Piazza di S. Lorenzo.
The other four, forasmuch as the Pope changed his mind and turned his
thoughts elsewhere, are still lying on the sea-beach. Now the Marquis
of Carrara, deeming that Michelangelo had developed the quarries at
Pietra Santa out of Florentine patriotism, became his enemy, and would
not suffer him to return to Carrara, for certain blocks which had been
excavated there: all of which proved the source of g