ness, wishing at all costs to finish the Hall of
Kings, after the many contentions that had taken place between Daniello
and Salviati, as has been related, gave orders to the Bishop of Forli as
to all that he wished him to do in the matter. Wherefore the Bishop
wrote to Vasari (on the 3rd of September in the year 1561), that the
Pope, wishing to finish the work of the Hall of Kings, had given him
the charge of finding men who might once and for all take it off his
hands, and that therefore, moved by their ancient friendship and by
other reasons, he besought Giorgio to consent to go to Rome in order to
execute that work, with the good pleasure and leave of his master the
Duke, for the reason that, while giving satisfaction to his Holiness, he
would win much honour and profit for himself; praying him to answer as
soon as possible. Replying to which letter, Vasari said that, finding
himself very well placed in the service of the Duke, and remunerated for
his labours with rewards different from those that he had received from
other Pontiffs in Rome, he intended to remain in the service of his
Excellency, for whom he was at that very time to set his hand to a hall
much greater than the Hall of Kings; and that there was no want in Rome
of men who might be employed in that work. The above-named Bishop having
received that answer from Vasari, and having conferred with his Holiness
of the whole matter, Cardinal Emulio, immediately after receiving from
the Pontiff the charge of having that Hall finished, divided the work,
as has been related, among many young men, some of whom were already in
Rome, and others were summoned from other places. To Giuseppe Porta of
Castelnuovo della Garfagnana, a disciple of Salviati, were given two of
the largest scenes in the Hall; to Girolamo Siciolante of Sermoneta, one
of the large scenes and one of the small; to Orazio Sammacchini of
Bologna one of the small scenes, to Livio da Forli a similar one, and to
Giovan Battista Fiorini of Bologna yet another of the small scenes.
Which hearing, Taddeo perceived that he had been excluded because it had
been said to the above-named Cardinal Emulio that he was a person who
gave more attention to gain than to glory and working well; and he did
his utmost with Cardinal Farnese to obtain a part of that work. But the
Cardinal, not wishing to move in the matter, answered him that his
labours at Caprarola should content him, and that it did not seem to him
right