Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 2.djvu/192

184 used instead of the Nuvole here described. Of the latter I have, by the hand of Cecca, in my Book of Drawings some specimens, which are certainly very ingenious and well contrived, displaying much varied invention. It was after the plans of the same master that those figures of Saints were made which accompanied or were carried in those processions; some dead, others suffering torments of different kinds, many appearing to be transpierced by a spear or sword, others with a dagger in the throat, or with various weapons in different parts of their persons; respecting all which, as it is now known to every one, that these appearances are produced with the sword, spear, or dagger broken, the pieces of which were held firm on each side, and kept opposite each other by means of an iron ring, taking away the part which has to seem fixed in the person of the sufferer, I will say no more of that matter, save only that they were for the most part invented by Cecca. There were also giants walking in those processions, and they were contrived after the following manner:—persons well accustomed to walk on stilts, provided themselves with such as were five or six braccia from the ground, and having prepared great masks, vestments, and imitations of weapons, to represent the heads, hands, limbs, armour, &c. of giants, they mounted the stilts, and, moving dexterously along, appeared really to be giants. There was, however, a man before them who carried a pike, or pole, on which the giant supported himself with one hand, but this was so managed that it seemed to be his weapon, whether axe, lance, or enormous sword, such as that, for example, which, according to the romance of the poet, was borne by Morgante. And as they had giants, so also had they giantesses, which was certainly a pleasing and wonderful spectacle. Different from these, again, were the phantoms, or disembodied spirits; for these, having no other than their own proper form, being nevertheless mounted on stilts five or six braccia high, moved along in such a manner that they appeared to be really phantoms. They also had a man before them with a pole to give them aid, but it is affirmed that some were able to walk perfectly well, even at that height, without supporting themselves by any assistance whatever; and he who knows what the Florentines are, will have no difficulty in believing it. I say nothing of the