Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/207

Rh of wringing with her hands the luxuriant tresses of her hair whence the water comes streaming on every side.

Having brought the collected waters to the first quadrangle of thirty braccia, before described as situate beneath the labyrinth, Tribolo then commenced the great fountain, which, having eight sides, was destined to receive into its lowermost basin all the above-mentioned waters; those of the labyrinth namely, with those coming from the great aqueduct also. To each of these eight sides there ascends a step one fifth of a braccio in height, and each angle of all the eight sides has a ressault, as have likewise the steps, which, thus projecting, present at each angle a step of two-fifths of a braccio, in such sort that the central front of the steps recedes at the ressaults, the direct line being interrupted, which is a fanciful invention, and has a pleasing effect to the eye,while it is found to be very commodious in the ascent. The edge of the fountain has the form of a vase, and the body, or that part which contains the water, is in the figure of a circle. The foot or pedestal in the centre of the basin has eight sides at the lowest part, and continues in this shape, forming eight stages or seats, even to the foot of the tazza, on each of these stages is the seated figure of a boy in full relief and of the size of life; these children are in various attitudes, their arms and legs entwined together to form a kind of chain, all exceedingly beautiful, and constituting a very rich ornament. And as the edge of the tazza, which is circular, projects to the extent of six braccia, while all the water falls equally over the edges, forming a beautiful rain around it, and falling into the basin of eight sides which is below, the boys thus seated on the foot are not wetted, and even have the appearance of being assembled in sport within and beneath the lip of that tazza, for the purpose of sheltering themselves from the falling waters, exhibiting with supreme grace a sort of childlike delight in the nook within which they have crept, the simplicity and loveliness of which cannot be equalled.

Opposite to the four sides of the cross-ways that lead