Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 5.djvu/279

Rh chamberlain, with five hundred crowns to pacify him, having some fear lest Michelagnolo should play him a prank, as he did before. The chamberlain excused Pope Julius moreover, declaring that these things must all be considered favours and marks of kindness; and as Michelagnolo knew the disposition of the Pontiff, and was, after all, much attached to His Holiness, he laughed at what had happened, the more readily as things of this kind always turned to his profit, and he saw well that the Pope did his utmost to retain him as his friend.

The Chapel being finished. Pope Julius, before he felt the approaches of death, commanded the Cardinals Santi Quattro and Aginense, his nephews, to see that his Tomb (when he died) should be constructed after a simpler design than that at first adopted. And now Michelagnolo set himself anew to the work of that sepulchre with all the better will, as he hoped at length to bring it to a conclusion, unimpeded by those fatiguing obstacles which had hitherto assailed him; but he was tormented, on the contrary, with unceasing vexations and turmoils in that matter, which cost him more labour and trouble than any other work of his whole life; nay, for some time it caused him to be charged with ingratitude towards that Pontiff by whom he had been so highly valued and favoured. Having returned to the chapel, Michelagnolo worked at it continually, and arranged a part of the designs for the fronts of the fabric, but envious Portune would not permit this monument to have a conclusion in harmony with the magnificence of its commencement. Pope Julius died, and on the creation of Pope Leo that work was laid aside, for this Pontiff, no less enterprising and splendid in his undertakings than Julius, was anxious to leave in his native city of Florence, of which he was the first Pope, some great memorial of himself, and of that divine artist who was his fellow citizen. At a word, he desired to complete some one of those admirable constructions which only a great prince, such as he was, can attempt; and as he therefore commissioned Michelagnolo to execute the façade of the Church of San Lorenzo in Florence, which had been built by the House of Medici, the Tomb of Pope Julius was of