not wholly corrupted in a tomb, which is
being contemplated with attention by the living Kings in diverse and
beautiful attitudes full of wonder, and it appears as if they are
reflecting with pity for their own selves that they have in a short time
to become such. In one of these Kings on horseback Andrea portrayed
Uguccione della Faggiuola of Arezzo, in a figure which is holding its
nose with one hand in order not to feel the stench of the dead and
corrupted Kings. In the middle of this scene is Death, who, flying
through the air and draped in black, is showing that she has cut off
with her scythe the lives of many, who are lying on the ground, of all
sorts and conditions, poor and rich, halt and whole, young and old, male
and female, and in short a good number of every age and sex. And because
he knew that the people of Pisa took pleasure in the invention of
Buffalmacco, who gave speech to the figures of Bruno in S. Paolo a Ripa
d'Arno, making some letters issue from their mouths, Orcagna filled this
whole work of his with such writings, whereof the greater part, being
eaten away by time, cannot be understood. To certain old men, then, he
gives these words:

DACCHE PROSPERITADE CI HA LASCIATI,
O MORTE, MEDICINA D' OGNI PENA,
DEH VIENI A DARNE OMAI L' ULTIMA CENA!

with other words that cannot be understood, and verses likewise in
ancient manner, composed, as I have discovered, by Orcagna himself, who
gave attention to poetry and to making a sonnet or two. Round these dead
bodies are some devils who are tearing their souls from their mouths,
and are carrying them to certain pits full of fire, which are on the
summit of a very high mountain. Over against these are angels who are
likewise taking the souls from the mouths of others of these dead
people, who have belonged to the good, and are flying with them to
Paradise. And in this scene there is a scroll, held by two angels,
wherein are these words:

ISCHERMO DI SAVERE E DI RICCHEZZA,
DI NOBILTADE ANCORA E DI PRODEZZA,
VALE NIENTE A I COLPI DI COSTEI;

with some other words that are difficult to understand. Next, below
this, in the border of this scene, are nine angels who are holding
legends both Italian and Latin in some suitable scrolls, put into that
place below because above they were like to spoil the scene, and not to
include them in the work seemed wrong to their author, who considered
them very beautiful; and it may be that t