DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32873#0124
56 LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI [BK. i
who was one of the Eight, aliow me to finish the word
before he said: "You gave him a violent blow and
not a buffet." When the bell had been rung and we all
had been put outside, Prinzivalle spoke to his colleagues
in my defence: "Consider, sirs, the simple-mindedness
of this poor young man, who accuses himself of having
struck a buffet only, thinking that to be a minor fault than
to give a violent blow: whereas the penalty for a buffet
administered in the Mercato Nuovo is twenty-five
whilst that for a violent blow is little or nothing. He
is a very virtuous youth, and supports his indigent
family by his very strenuous exertions; and would to
God our city had an abundance of his kind, for there is
a great need of them. There were among them some of
those twisted-hooded fellows (<2z*^<?M^2zz<2^z
who, influenced by the prayers and false witness of my
adversaries (because they were of the faction of Fra
Girolamo)/ would have had me put in prison and con-
^ Z^., "the followers of Savonarola." They formed the Demo-
cratic and anti-Medicean party in Florence, and appear to have
worn the long tails of their hoods twisted up around their heads.
CELLINI shows his affection for the Medici by the bitter way in
which he speaks of these people, and the contrast that he draws
between them and his patron Prinzivalle della Stufa.
^ The celebrated reforming friar Girolamo Savonarola was born
at Ferrara on September 21st 1452 and was burnt in Florence on
May 23rd 1498. A Dominican friar of great eloquence and rigid
austerity, he was a powerful advocate of reform in every branch of
life (political, civil, social, and religious) and a constant opponent
of Medicean rule and methods of government. His influence in
Florence—during a brief period—was immense, and his immediate
followers—amongst whom was the painter Alessandro Filipepi
(Z^ZZz'^/A)—called themselves Zzh^*zz<?zzz or in opposi-
tion to the Medicean ZWAwAz. For further information see PAS-
who was one of the Eight, aliow me to finish the word
before he said: "You gave him a violent blow and
not a buffet." When the bell had been rung and we all
had been put outside, Prinzivalle spoke to his colleagues
in my defence: "Consider, sirs, the simple-mindedness
of this poor young man, who accuses himself of having
struck a buffet only, thinking that to be a minor fault than
to give a violent blow: whereas the penalty for a buffet
administered in the Mercato Nuovo is twenty-five
whilst that for a violent blow is little or nothing. He
is a very virtuous youth, and supports his indigent
family by his very strenuous exertions; and would to
God our city had an abundance of his kind, for there is
a great need of them. There were among them some of
those twisted-hooded fellows (<2z*^<?M^2zz<2^z
who, influenced by the prayers and false witness of my
adversaries (because they were of the faction of Fra
Girolamo)/ would have had me put in prison and con-
^ Z^., "the followers of Savonarola." They formed the Demo-
cratic and anti-Medicean party in Florence, and appear to have
worn the long tails of their hoods twisted up around their heads.
CELLINI shows his affection for the Medici by the bitter way in
which he speaks of these people, and the contrast that he draws
between them and his patron Prinzivalle della Stufa.
^ The celebrated reforming friar Girolamo Savonarola was born
at Ferrara on September 21st 1452 and was burnt in Florence on
May 23rd 1498. A Dominican friar of great eloquence and rigid
austerity, he was a powerful advocate of reform in every branch of
life (political, civil, social, and religious) and a constant opponent
of Medicean rule and methods of government. His influence in
Florence—during a brief period—was immense, and his immediate
followers—amongst whom was the painter Alessandro Filipepi
(Z^ZZz'^/A)—called themselves Zzh^*zz<?zzz or in opposi-
tion to the Medicean ZWAwAz. For further information see PAS-