Florence. I there waited upon him to pay my respects, and
he and his duchess received me with the greatest kindness. At the duke's
request I undertook to make a great statue of Perseus delivering
Andromeda from the Medusa. A site was found for me to erect a house in
which I might set up my furnaces, and carry on a variety of works both
of clay and bronze, and of gold and silver separately. While making
progress with my great statue of Perseus, I executed my golden vases,
girdles, and other jewels for the Duchess of Florence, and also a
likeness of the duke larger than life.

For a time I discontinued working upon marble statues and went on with
Perseus, and eventually I triumphed over all the difficulties of casting
it in bronze, although the shop took fire at the critical moment, and
the sky poured in so much rain and wind that my furnace was cooled. I
was so highly pleased that my work had succeeded so well that I went to
Pisa to pay my respects to the duke, who received me in the most
gracious manner, while the duchess vied with him in kindness to me.

_V.--His Later Life in Florence_

About this time the war with Siena broke out, and at the request of the
duke I carried out the repair of the fortifications of two of the gates
of the city of Florence. At last my statue of Perseus was erected in the
great square, and was shown to the populace, who set up so loud a shout
of applause that I began to be comforted for the mortifications I had
undergone. Sonnets and Latin and Greek odes were hung upon the gates in
praise of my performance, but what gave me the highest satisfaction was
that statuaries and painters emulated each other in commending it. Two
days having passed, I paid a visit to the duke, who said to me with
great complaisance: "My friend Benvenuto, you have given me the highest
satisfaction imaginable, and I promise to reward you in such a manner as
to excite your surprise." I shed tears of joy, and kissing the hem of
his excellency's garment, addressed him thus: "My most noble lord,
liberal patron of the arts, I beg leave to retire for a week to return
thanks to the Supreme Being, for I know how hard I have worked, and I am
sensible that my faith has prevailed with God to grant me His
assistance." Permission was given, and I made the pilgrimage to
Vallombrosa and Camaldoli, incessantly singing psalms and saying prayers
to the honour and glory of God.

On my return there were great differences between