nce I had no other income. After the death
of Julius, Aginensis wanted me to go on with it, but on a larger
scale. So I brought the marbles to the Macello dei Corvi, and got that
part of the mural scheme finished which is now walled in at S. Pietro
in Vincoli, and made the figures which I have at home still.
Meanwhile, Leo, not wishing me to work at the tomb, pretended that he
wanted to complete the facade of S. Lorenzo at Florence, and begged me
of the Cardinal.

"To continue my history of the tomb of Julius, I say that when he
changed his mind about building it in his lifetime, some shiploads of
marble came to the Ripa, which I had ordered a short while before from
Carrara, and as I could not get money from the Pope to pay the
freightage, I had to borrow 150 or 200 ducats from Baldassare
Balducci--that is, from the bank of Jacopo Gallo. At the same time
workmen came from Florence, some of whom are still alive; and I
furnished the house which Julius gave me behind S. Caterina with beds
and other furniture for the men, and what was wanted for the work of
the tomb. All this being done without money, I was greatly
embarrassed. Accordingly, I urged the Pope with all my power to go
forward with the business, and he had me turned away by a groom one
morning when I came to speak upon the matter." (Here intervenes the
story of the flight to Florence, which has been worked up in the
course of Chapter IV.) "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 letters of such authority
that if he does you harm, he will be doing it to this Signory.'
Accordingly, I took the letters, and went back to the Pope, and what
followed would be long to tell!

"All the dissensions between Pope Julius and me arose from the envy of
Bramante and Raffaello da Urbino; and this was the cause of my not
finishing the tomb in his lifetime. They wanted to ruin me. Raffaello
had indeed good reason, for all he had of art, he had from me."

Twice again in October Michelangelo wrote to Luigi del Riccio about
the ratification of his contract. "I cannot live, far less paint." "I
am resolved to stop at home and finish the three figures, as I agreed
to do. This would be better for me than to drag my limbs daily to the
Vatican. Let him who likes get angry. If the Pope wants me to p