And he left a thousand ducats in the bank of Messer Antommaria
da Lignano to carry out the work when he departed for Rome. It is true
that before he left Michael Angelo had already modelled it in clay, but he
was doubtful as to what the statue should hold in the left hand, the right
was raised as if giving a benediction. He asked the Pope, who had come to
see the statue, if it pleased him that he should be made holding a book.
"_What! a book?_" he replied, "_a sword! As for me, I am no scholar._" And
jesting about the right hand, which was in vigorous action, he said,
smiling the while, to Michael Angelo, "_Does this statue of yours give a
blessing or a curse?_" Michael Angelo replied to him: "_It threatens this
people, Holy Father, lest they be foolish._" But, as I have said, Pope
Julius returned to Rome and Michael Angelo remained behind at Bologna, and
spent sixteen months in completing the statue and erecting it where the
Pope had directed. Afterwards, on the return of the Bentivogli to Bologna,
this statue was thrown to earth in the fury of the populace and destroyed.
Its height was more than three times that of life.
CHAPTER VI
THE VAULT OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL
XXXIII. After he had finished this work he went to Rome, where Pope Julius
wished to employ him, keeping still to his purpose of not going on with
his tomb. It was put into his head by Bramante and other rivals of Michael
Angelo that he should make him paint the vault of the chapel of Sixtus the
Fourth, in the Vatican, making him believe that he would do wonders.
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