DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42863#0096
74
DEATH OF JULIUS II.
S. Federico, in which he was to paint his portrait, and
begs Your Excellency to pardon him, since, at the
present time, it is impossible for him to give his
mind to the work.”
His great patron’s life was fast ebbing away,
and that very night of the 20th of February the
Pope breathed his last. The heroic nature of the
man was never more evident than on his death-
bed. Cardinal Gonzaga, in a letter which he wrote
to Mantua that evening, owns that he and all his
brother Cardinals were moved to tears when the
dying Pope bade them farewell, and calmly gave
them his last blessing. He asked them to pray for
his soul, saying that he had been a great sinner,
and had not governed the Church well. And
with perfect composure he gave directions for the
coming Conclave, and begged them to observe his
laws against simony and keep their hands pure.
“ After we had kissed his hand and received his last
blessing, he took leave of us with the utmost forti-
tude, but not without many tears on our part. I
confess I could not help weeping when I remembered
all the benefits which Your Excellency and all our
house, but I above all, have received from him. And
I was moved to tears even more by the sight of this
strong and constant soul, which the near approach
of death could not shake, turning to God our
Saviour, and with true greatness of heart remember-
ing all those things which most people forget in their
last hours. His Holiness sees, hears, understands,
speaks, orders, and provides, as if he were in full
strength and health, and is perfectly calm and self-
possessed, although he is actually dying.' 1 A few
1 Luzio, Federico, p. 51.
DEATH OF JULIUS II.
S. Federico, in which he was to paint his portrait, and
begs Your Excellency to pardon him, since, at the
present time, it is impossible for him to give his
mind to the work.”
His great patron’s life was fast ebbing away,
and that very night of the 20th of February the
Pope breathed his last. The heroic nature of the
man was never more evident than on his death-
bed. Cardinal Gonzaga, in a letter which he wrote
to Mantua that evening, owns that he and all his
brother Cardinals were moved to tears when the
dying Pope bade them farewell, and calmly gave
them his last blessing. He asked them to pray for
his soul, saying that he had been a great sinner,
and had not governed the Church well. And
with perfect composure he gave directions for the
coming Conclave, and begged them to observe his
laws against simony and keep their hands pure.
“ After we had kissed his hand and received his last
blessing, he took leave of us with the utmost forti-
tude, but not without many tears on our part. I
confess I could not help weeping when I remembered
all the benefits which Your Excellency and all our
house, but I above all, have received from him. And
I was moved to tears even more by the sight of this
strong and constant soul, which the near approach
of death could not shake, turning to God our
Saviour, and with true greatness of heart remember-
ing all those things which most people forget in their
last hours. His Holiness sees, hears, understands,
speaks, orders, and provides, as if he were in full
strength and health, and is perfectly calm and self-
possessed, although he is actually dying.' 1 A few
1 Luzio, Federico, p. 51.