Then, having marshalled themselves, a shrill harp; and with tender voice sang they fought a battle on the banks of gracefully to the chord; while they, beatthe river, and wounded one another with ing the ground in unison with dancing their brazen spears. Among them min- and shouts, followed, skipping with their gled Discord and Tumult, and destruc- feet. tive Fate, holding one alive recently wounded, another unwounded, but a third, slain, she drew by the feet through the battle; and had the garment around her shoulders crimsoned with the gore of men. But they turned about, like living mortals, and fought, and drew away the slaughtered bodies of each

other.

"In it he also wrought a herd of oxen with horns erect. But the kine were made of gold and of tin, and rushed out with a lowing from the stall to the pasture, beside a murmuring stream, along the breeze-waving reeds. Four golden herdsmen accompanied the oxen, and nine dogs, swift of foot, followed. But two terrible lions detained the bull, roar

was dragged away, loudly bellowing, and the dogs and youths followed for a rescue. They indeed, having torn off the skin of the great ox, lapped up his entrails and black blood; and the shepherds vainly pressed upon them, urging on their fleet dogs. These however refused to bite the lions, but, standing very near, barked, and shunned them.

"On it he also placed a soft fallowing among the foremost oxen, and he field, rich glebe, wide, thrice-ploughed; and in it many ploughmen drove hither and thither, turning round their teams. But when, returning, they reached the end of the field, then a man, advancing, gave into their hands a cup of very sweet wine; but they turned themselves in series, eager to reach the other end of the deep fallow. But it was all black behind, similar to ploughed land, which indeed was a marvel beyond all others.

"On it illustrious Vulcan also formed a pasture in a beautiful grove full of white sheep, and folds, and covered huts and cottages.

"Illustrious Vulcan likewise adorned it with a dance, like unto that which, in wide Gnossus, Dædalus contrived for fair-haired Ariadne. There danced youths and alluring virgins, holding each other's hands at the wrist. These wore fine linen robes, but those were dressed in well-woven tunics, shining as with oil; these also had beautiful garlands, and those wore golden swords, hanging from silver belts. Sometimes, with skil

"On it likewise he placed a field of deep corn, where reapers were cutting, having sharp sickles in their hands. Some handfuls fell one after the other upon the ground along the furrow, and the binders of sheaves tied others with bands. Three binders followed the reapers, while behind them boys gathering the handfuls, and bearing them in their arms, continually supplied them; and among them the master stood by the swath in silence, holding a sceptre, delighted in heart. But apart, beneath an oak, servants were preparing a ban-ful feet, they nimbly bounded round; quet, and, sacrificing a huge ox, they ministered; while women sprinkled much white barley on the meat, as a supper for the reapers.

"On it likewise he placed a vineyard, heavily laden with grapes, beautiful, golden; but the clusters throughout were black; and it was supported throughout by silver poles. Round it he drew an azure trench, and about it a hedge of tin; but there was only one path to it, by which the gatherers went when they collected the vintage. Young virgins and youths, of tender minds, bore the luscious fruit in woven baskets, in the midst of whom a boy played sweetly on

as when a potter, sitting, shall make trial of a wheel fitted to his hands, whether it will run and at other times again they ran back to their places through one another. But a great crowd surrounded the pleasing dance, amusing themselves; and among them two tumblers, beginning their songs, spun round through the midst.

"But in it he also formed the vast strength of the river Oceanus, near the last border of the well-formed shield."

See also Virgil's description of the Shield of Æneas, Eneid, VIII., and of the representations on the walls of the Temple of Juno at Carthage, Æneid, I,

from pain, and put it into glory. And thereupon the angel spoke to St. Gregory, and told him never to make such a prayer again, and God laid upon him as a penance either to be two days in Purgatory, or to be always ill with fever and side-ache. St. Gregory as the lesser punishment chose the fever and side-ache (male di fianco)."

75. Gregory's "great victory" was saving the soul of Trajan by prayer.

124. Jeremy Taylor says: "As the silk-worm eateth itself out of a seed to become a little worm; and there feeding on the leaves of mulberries, it grows till its coat be off, and then works itself into a house of silk; then, casting its pearly seeds for the young to breed, it leaveth its silk for man, and dieth all white and winged in the shape of a flying creature: so is the progress of souls.'

127. Gower, Confes. Amant., i. :— "The proude vice of veingloire Remembreth nought of purgatoire,"

to omit nothing relative to art that may be worthy of commemoration—a certain Oderigi of Agobbio, an excellent miniature-painter of those times, with whom Giotto lived on terms of close friendship; and who was therefore invited by the Pope to illuminate many books for the library of the palace: but these books have in great part perished in the lapse of time. In my book of ancient drawings I have some few remains from the hand of this artist, who was certainly a clever man, although much surpassed by Franco of Bologna, who executed many admirable works in the same manner, for the same Pontiff (and which were also destined for the library of the palace), at the same time with those of Oderigi. From the hand of Franco also, I have designs, both in painting and illuminating, which may be seen in my book above cited; among others are an eagle, perfectly well done, and a lion tearing up a tree, which is most beautiful."

81. The art of illuminating manu

And Shakespeare, King Henry the scripts, which was called in Paris alluEighth, III. 2.:

3. The angels, the first creation or effects of the divine power.

6. Wisdom of Solomon, vii, 25: "For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty." In the Vulgate: Vapor est enim virtutis Dei.

45. See Inf. XII. Note 2.

minare, was in Italy called miniare. Hence Oderigi is called by Vasari a miniatore, or miniature-painter.

"

83. Franco Bolognese was a pupil of Oderigi, who perhaps alludes to this fact in claiming a part of the honour paid to the younger artist.

94. Of Cimabue, Vasari, Lives of the Painters, Mrs. Foster's Tr., I. 35, says:

"The overwhelming flood of evils by which unhappy Italy has been submerged and devastated had not only destroyed whatever could properly be called buildings, but, a still more deplorable consequence, had totally exterminated the artists themselves, when, by the will of God, in the year 1240, Giovanni Cimabue, of the noble family of that name, was born, in the city of Florence, to give the first light to the art of painting. This youth, as he grew up, being considered by his father and others to give proof of an acute judgment and a clear understanding, was sent to Santa Maria Novella to study letters under a relation, who was then master in grammar to the novices of that convent. But Cimabue, instead 79. Vasari, Lives of the Painters, Mrs. of devoting himself to letters, consumed Foster's Tr., I. 103, says:— the whole day in drawing men, horses, At this time there lived in Rome--houses, and other various fancies, on his

58. Or Italian. The speaker is Omberto Aldobrandeschi, Count of Santafiore, in the Maremma of Siena. The Counts of Santafiore were, and are, and almost always will be at war with the Sienese," says the Ottimo. In one of these wars Omberto was slain, at the village of Campagnatico. "The author means, continues the same commentator, "that he who cannot carry his head high should bow it down like a Bulrush,

And still it might, and yet it may again,
If thou wouldst not entomb thyself alive,
And case thy reputation in thy tent."
Cimabue died in 1300.

His epitaph is

-

books and different papers, an occupation to which he felt himself impelled by nature; and this natural inclination was favoured by fortune, for the governors of the city had invited certain Greek painters "Credidit ut Cimabos picturæ castra tenere, to Florence, for the purpose of restoring Sic tenuit vivens, nunc tenet astra poli." the art of painting, which had not merely degenerated, but was altogether lost. Vasari, Lives of the Painters, I. 93 :— These artists, among other works, began "The gratitude which the masters in to paint the Chapel of the Gondi, sit- painting owe to Nature,-who is ever uate next the principal chapel, in Santa the truest model of him who, possessing Maria Novella, the roof and walls of the power to select the brightest parts which are now almost entirely destroyed from her best and loveliest features, by time, and Cimabue, often escaping employs himself unweariedly in the from the school, and having already reproduction of these beauties, this made a commencement in the art he gratitude, I say, is due, in my judgment, was so fond of, would stand watching to the Florentine painter Giotto, seeing those masters at their work, the day that he alone,-although born amidst through. Judging from these circum- incapable artists, and at a time when all stances, his father, as well as the artists good methods in art had long been enthemselves, concluded him to be well tombed beneath the ruins of war,—yet, endowed for painting, and thought that by the favour of Heaven, he, I say, alone much might be hoped from his future succeeded in resuscitating Art, and reefforts, if he were devoted to that art. storing her to a path that may be called Giovanni was accordingly, to his no the true one. And it was in truth a small satisfaction, placed with those great marvel, that from so rude and masters. From this time he laboured inapt an age Giotto should have had incessantly, and was so far aided by his strength to elicit so much, that the art of natural powers that he soon greatly sur- design, of which the men of those days passed his teachers both in design and had little, if any knowledge, was by his colouring. For these masters, caring means effectually recalled into life. The little for the progress of art, had exe- birth of this great man took place in the cuted their works as we now see them, hamlet of Vespignano, fourteen miles not in the excellent manner of the ancient from the city of Florence, in the year Greeks, but in the rude modern style 1276. His father's name was Bondone, of their own day. Wherefore, though a simple husbandman, who reared the Cimabue imitated his Greek instructors, child, to whom he had given the name much improved the art, relieving of Giotto, with such decency as his conit greatly from their uncouth manner, dition permitted. The boy was early and doing honour to his country by the remarked for extreme vivacity in all his name he acquired, and by the works he childish proceedings, and for extraordiperformed. Of this we have evidence in nary promptitude of intelligence; so that Florence from the pictures which he he became endeared, not only to his painted there; as, for example, the front father, but to all who knew him in the of the altar of Santa Cecilia, and a pic- village and around it. When he was ture of the Virgin, in Santa Croce, about ten years old, Bondone gave him which was, and is still, attached to one a few sheep to watch, and with these he of the pilasters on the right of the choir." wandered about the vicinity,-now here 95. Shakespeare, Troil. and Cres., and now there. But, induced by Nature III. 3:herself to the arts of design, he was perpetually drawing on the stones, the earth, or the sand, some natural object that came before him, or some fantasy that presented itself to his thoughts. chanced one day that the affairs of Cimabue took aim from Florence to Ves

he very

The present eye praises the present object :
Then marvel not, thou great and complete

inan,

That all the Greeks begin to worship Ajax ;
Since things in motion sooner catch the eye
Than what not stirs, The cry went once of
thee;

It

pignano, when he perceived the young pose of the Pope, and the manner in Giotto, who, while his sheep fed around which that Pontiff desired to avail himhim, was occupied in drawing one of self of his assistance; and, finally, rethem from the life, with a stone slightly quested to have a drawing, that he might pointed, upon a smooth, clean piece of send it to his Holiness. Giotto, who rock, and that without any teaching was very courteous, took a sheet of paper whatever but such as Nature herself had and a pencil dipped in a red colour, then, imparted. Halting in astonishment, resting his elbow on his side, to form a Cimabue inquired of the boy if he would sort of compass, with one turn of the accompany him to his home, and the hand he drew a circle, so perfect and child replied, he would go willingly, if exact that it was a marvel to behold. his father were content to permit it. This done, he turned smiling to the Cimabue therefore requesting the con- courtier, saying, 'Here is your drawing.' sent of Bondone, the latter granted it 'Am I to have nothing more than this?' readily, and suffered the artist to conduct inquired the latter, conceiving himself to his son to Florence, where, in a short be jested with. 'That is enough and to time, instructed by Cimabue and aided spare,' returned Giotto; 'send it with by Nature, the boy not only equalled his the rest, and you will see if it will be master in his own manner, but became recognised.' The messenger, unable to so good an imitator of Nature that he obtain anything more, went away very totally banished the rude Greek manner, ill satisfied, and fearing that he had been restoring art to the better path adhered fooled. Nevertheless, having despatched to in modern times, and introducing the the other drawings to the Pope, with the custom of accurately drawing living per- names of those who had done them, he sons from nature, which had not been sent that of Giotto also, relating the used for more than two hundred years. mode in which he had made his circle, Or, if some had attempted it, as said without moving his arm and without above, it was not by any means with the compasses; from which the Pope, and success of Giotto. Among the portraits such of the courtiers as were well versed by this artist, and which still remain, is in the subject, perceived how far Giotto one of his contemporary and intimate surpassed all the other painters of his friend, Dante Alighieri, who was no less time. This incident, becoming known, famous as a poet than Giotto as a painter, gave rise to the proverb, still used in and whom Messer Giovanni Boccaccio relation to people of dull wits,-Tu sei has lauded so highly in the introduction più tondo che l'O di Giotto; the signifito his story of Messer Forese da Rabat-cance of which consists in the double ta, and of Giotto the painter himself. This portrait is in the chapel of the palace of the Podestà in Florence; and in the same chapel are the portraits of Ser Brunetto Latini, master of Dante, and of Messer Corso Donati, an illustrious citizen of that day."

Pope Benedict the Ninth, hearing of Giotto's fame, sent one of his courtiers to Tuscany, to propose to him certain paintings for the Church of St. Peter. "The messenger," continues Vasari, "when on his way to visit Giotto, and to inquire what other good masters there were in Florence, spoke first with many artists in Siena,-then, having received designs from them, he proceeded to Florence, and repaired one morning to the workshop where Giotto was occupied with his labours, He declared the pur

meaning of the word 'tondo,' which is used in the Tuscan for slowness of intellect and heaviness of comprehension, as well as for an exact circle. The proverb has besides an interest from the circumstance which gave it birth.

"It is said that Giotto, when he was still a boy, and studying with Cimabue, once painted a fly on the nose of a figure on which Cimabue himself was employed, and this so naturally, that, when the master returned to continue his work. he believed it to be real, and lifted his hand more than once to drive it away before he should go on with the painting.'

Boccaccio, Decameron, VI. 5, tells this tale of Giotto :

"As it often happens that fortune hides under the meanest trades in life the