n
persons standing around her, as it were showing themselves grateful for
the benefits received from her, in that there, as has been told, letters
began to revive. And the tenth and last did the same with its
inscription that ran thus, TRIBU SCAPTIA, written upon a shield held by
a Lion; which tribe was that of Augustus, her founder, and the one in
which in ancient times Florence used to be enrolled.

But the finest ornament--besides the beautiful shields on which were the
arms of their Excellencies, both the one and the other, and of the most
illustrious Princess, and the device of the city, and besides the great
Ducal crown of gold, which Florence was in the act of presenting--was
the principal device, set over all the shields, and placed there in
allusion to the city; which was composed of two halcyons making their
nest in the sea at the beginning of winter. This was made clear by the
part of the Zodiac that was painted there, wherein the Sun was seen at
the point of entering into the Sign of Capricorn, with a motto that
said, HOC FIDUNT, signifying that even as the halcyons, by the grace of
Nature, at the time when the Sun is entering into the said Sign of
Capricorn, which renders the sea smooth and tranquil, are able to make
their nests there in security (whence such days are called "halcyon
days"), so also Florence, with Capricorn in the ascendant, which is
therefore the ancient and most honourable device of her excellent Duke,
is able in whatever season the world may bring her to flourish in the
greatest felicity and peace, as she does right well. And all this, with
all the other conceptions given above, was declared in great part by the
inscription which, addressed to the exalted bride, was written
appropriately in a most ornate and beautiful place, saying:

INGREDERE URBEM FELICISSIMO CONJUGIO FACTAM TUAM, AUGUSTISSIMA
VIRGO, FIDE, INGENIIS, ET OMNI LAUDE PRAESTANTEM; OPTATAQUE
PRAESENTIA TUA, ET EXIMIA VIRTUTE, SPERATAQUE FECUNDITATE,
OPTIMORUM PRINCIPUM PATERNAM ET AVITAM CLARITATEM, FIDELISSIMORUM
CIVIUM LAETITIAM, FLORENTIS URBIS GLORIAM ET FELICITATEM AUGE.

OF THE ENTRANCE TO BORG' OGNISSANTI.

Proceeding, then, towards Borg' Ognissanti, a street, as everyone knows,
most beautiful, spacious, and straight, there were at the entrance two
very large colossal figures, one representing Austria, as a young woman
in full armour after the antique, with a sceptre in the hand, signifyi