plague. Gotti tells how Michael Angelo held his brother in his
arms(139) while he was dying, notwithstanding the great risk to his own
life, and took care of his family after his death. There are minutes of
the expenses he incurred; the clothes were burnt to avoid infection; he
repaid the widow Bartolommea her dowry, placed his niece Francesca in a
convent until she was of an age to marry, and provided for his nephew
Lionardo, as if for a son of his own.

The citizens of Florence, fearing the anger of the Pope and his new
allies, now that their power was in the ascendant, prepared to endure a
siege. Michael Angelo was appointed general over the construction of the
walls and defences of the city in 1529. He had many difficulties with the
council; often they objected to his plan of fortifying the heights of San
Miniato. Michael Angelo went to Pisa and Arezzo to superintend the
strengthening of the works there. He was sent also to Ferrara with letters
from the Signori and the Ten to the Duke, the greatest Italian authority
upon fortification, and to their envoy, Galeotto Giugni, who wrote to
inform the Florentines that Michael Angelo refused to abandon the inn and
receive the hospitality of the Duke, who with great honour personally
conducted him over the fortresses and walls of Ferrara; no doubt at the
same time showing him his art collections. It would be interesting to know
if Michael Angelo looked upon the portrait-head of Julius II., broken from
his Bologna statue, when the bronze was turned into a cannon. Perhaps he
also saw La Giulia, the cannon herself. It may be that amongst the
engraved gems in the Duke's collection was one representing "Leda and the
Swan," and that Michael Angelo talked with the Duke as to the
possibilities of this composition for pictorial treatment. Soon after
Michael Angelo returned to Florence he received warning from a mysterious
person that there was treachery in the garrison, so he fled to Venice. He
had no idea of wasting his life uselessly when he thought certain
destruction was before the city, and so he determined to leave Italy and
accept the overtures that had been made to him from the Court of France.
The courage that fears not to undertake the greatest and most difficult
works is of a different temper from that of a soldier, a bravo, or a
Benvenuto Cellini; all the noble and virtuous qualities cannot belong to
one hero. Unfortunately, the judgment of Michael Angelo turned out t