ke, and
some of his best friends, like Cardinal Carpi, joined in them.
Michelangelo heard from Francesco Bandini that the cardinal said
everywhere that the work on St. Peter's could not be worse managed. Much
hurt, he wrote to him at once that, "although he felt sure that the work
was going on well, he feared that possibly his own enthusiasm and his
age had blinded him and were, without his knowing it, a source of harm
and danger to the building." In consequence he begged that they "would
be so kind as to relieve him of the load which he had carried without
pay for seventeen years under the orders of the popes." He offered his
resignation. "A greater favour than its acceptance," he said, "could not
be accorded him."[92]

His resignation was not accepted, and Pius IV in a pontifical letter
gave him full powers and forbade that his plans should be set aside.

But Nanni di Baccio Bigio, indefatigable in his hate, moved heaven and
earth to drive him away. In 1562 Nanni appealed to Cosmo de' Medici for
his aid in securing the appointment of architect of St. Peter's. Cosmo
answered that he would do nothing about it while Michelangelo lived.

In 1563 the struggle became a tragic one. The head of the work at St.
Peter's, Cesare de Casteldurante, was stabbed, and Pier Luigi Gaeta,
Michelangelo's friend and one of his best aids, was thrown into prison
on a false accusation of theft. Michelangelo responded to this by
appointing Gaeta in Cesare's place. The committee of administration
dismissed Gaeta and put Nanni in his place, and Michelangelo, beside
himself with rage, no longer went to St. Peter's. His enemies did not
lose this chance to spread the report that he was no longer willing to
take charge of the building, and Michelangelo denied this in vain. The
committee nominated a successor, and this successor was of course Nanni.
Nanni cut loose at once from his master and began to give orders, for he
thought that the old man of eighty-eight, weary at last of the struggle,
would be forced either to submit or to resign. He did not know his
antagonist. Michelangelo went at once to the pope and told him that if
justice was not done he would leave Rome and go to Florence. The pope
called the committee together and the members accused Michelangelo of
having committed errors which endangered the whole building.
Michelangelo asked for an investigation and summoned Nanni to show the
mistakes of which he accused him. Nanni could show no