ays cheerful and good-humored."[164]

To indicate the color of the eyes, Cagnolo uses the word "bianco," which
in the language of the people still means blue. In the folk songs of
Tuscany collected by Tigri, there is frequent mention of _occhi
bianchi_,--that is, "blue eyes." The Florentine Firenzuola, in his work
on "the perfect beauty of woman," says she must have blond hair and blue
eyes, with the pupil not quite black, although the Greeks and Italians
preferred it so. The most beautiful color for the eyes, according to
this writer, is tane.[165] The poets of Ferrara, who immediately began
to sing the dazzling power of the eyes of their beautiful duchess, did
not mention their color.

This remarkable woman charmed all beholders with her indescribable
grace, to which there was added something of mystery, and not by any
classic beauty or dignity. Vivacity, gentleness, and amiability are the
qualities which all Lucretia's contemporaries discovered in her.[166]
This animated and delicate face, with large blue eyes, and surrounded
with golden hair, suggests the ethereal beauty of Shakespeare's Imogene.

[Illustration: ARIOSTO.

From a painting by Titian.]

FOOTNOTES:

[156] Isabella Gonzaga, who watched the parade from a window of the
palace, describes this scene to the duke. Letter to her husband,
Ferrara, February 2d, in the Archivio Storico Ital. App. ii, 305. Her
report excels in some particulars the picture given by Marino Sanuo
(Diar. vol. iv, fol. 104, sq.). Ordine di le pompe e spectaculi di le
noze de mad. Lucretia Borgia. Reprinted in Rawdon Brown's Ragguaglio
sulla vita e le opere di M. Sanudo, ii, 197, sq.

[157] Letters in the archives of Modena.

[158] This is according to Isabella Gonzaga; Cagnolo's report mentioned,
instead of this woman, another Adriana, the wife of Francesco Colonna of
Palestrina.

[159] Ms. chronicle of Mario Equicola in the library of Ferrara, in the
University, formerly the Paradiso.

[160] Paolo Zerbinati, Memorie, Ms. in the library of Ferrara, p. 3.

[161] The Ms. is in the library of Ferrara: Nicolai Marii Paniciati
ferrariensis, Borgias. Ad. Excell. D. Lucretiam Borgiarm III. Alphonsi
Estensis Sponsam celeber MDII. One epigram is as follows:

Tyndaridem jactant Heroica secula cujus
Armavit varies forma superba Duces,
Haec collata tibi, merito Luoretia cedit,
Nam tuus omne Helenes lumen obumbrat honor:
Illa neces populis, diuturnaque bella paravit