line over the great niche
between the two columns, as has been described in the other facade; and
on the other side another great statue like it, but very active, with
the arms bare and with the head crowned with flowers, representing the
Active Life; in which statues were comprised very fittingly all the
qualities that appertain to the Christian Religion. In the frieze
between the one cornice and the other, which corresponded to that of the
other part, and which was likewise divided into three compartments,
there were seen in the largest, which was in the centre, three men in
Roman dress presenting twelve little children to some old and venerable
Tuscans, to the end that these, being instructed by them in their
religion, might demonstrate in what repute the Tuscan religion was held
in ancient times among the Romans and all other nations: with a motto to
explain this, taken from that perfect law of Cicero, which said: ETRURIA
PRINCIPES DISCIPLINAM DOCETO. Beneath which was the inscription, similar
and corresponding to that already given from the other facade, which
said:

FRUGIBUS INVENTIS DOCTAE CELEBRANTUR ATHENAE,
ROMA FEROX ARMIS IMPERIOQUE POTENS.
AT NOSTRA HAEC MITIS PROVINCIA ETRURIA RITU
DIVINO ET CULTU NOBILIORE DEI,
UNAM QUAM PERHIBENT ARTES TENUISSE PIANDI
NUMINIS, ET RITUS EDOCUISSE SACROS;
NUNC EADEM SEDES VERAE EST PIETATIS, ET ILLI
HOS NUMQUAM TITULOS AUFERET ULLA DIES.

In one of the two smaller pictures, that which came on the right hand,
since it is thought that the ancient religion of the Gentiles (which not
without reason was placed on the west) is divided into two parts, and
consists, above all, of augury and sacrifice, there was seen painted
according to that use an ancient priest who with marvellous solicitude
was standing all intent on considering the entrails of the animals
sacrificed, which were placed before him in a great basin by the
ministers of the sacrifice; and in the other picture an augur like him
with the crooked lituus in the hand, drawing in the sky the regions
proper for taking auguries from certain birds that were shown flying
above.

Now, descending lower, and coming to the niches; in that, I say, which
was on the right hand, was seen S. Romualdo, who in this our country, a
land set apart, as it were, by Nature for religion and sanctity, founded
on the wild Apennine mountains the holy Hermitage of Camaldoli, whence
that Order had its origin