DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32873#0127
CH. in] LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI 59
selves on their knees upon the ground, and with a loud
voice and in no measured terms ' begged for mercy. And
when I saw that they offered no defence to me, and that
he lay extended upon the ground as one dead, it seemed
to me too vile a thing to touch them; but I ran madly
down the stairs; and when I reached the street, I found
all the rest of the tribe, who were more than twelve in
number. One of them had an iron shovel, another a
big piece of iron piping, some hammers and anvils, and
others sticks. When I came among them like a mad-
dened bull,' I threw four or five of them to the ground,
and I fell with them, always plying my poniard now
on this one, now on that. Those who had kept their
feet joined in as far as they were able, showering blows
upon me with both hands, with hammers, sticks and
anvils. But because God sometimes mercifully inter-
venes they did me not the least injury in the world, nor
I them. My cap only was left, which my adversaries
secured, and though they kept themselves at a distance
from it, every one of them struck at it with his weapon.
Then looking round among themselves for the dead
and wounded there was no one who had received any
hurt. I departed towards Santa Maria Novella/ and
immediately met Brother Alesso Strozi/ with whom I
was unacquainted. To this good friar I commended my-
^ A A^*<772C2F, lit. " in buckets, or tubs, full," an expression
used for torrents of rain, etc. A.^., " without measure."
^ Lit. %
3 The Church of Sta Maria Novella is one of the finest and
most celebrated buildings in Florence. Its facade was built by
Leon Battista Alberti at the expense of Giovanni Rucellai.
^ This friar is alluded to by VARCHI in his AfAh?7y (Book XII,
p. 3S6, LE MONNIER).
selves on their knees upon the ground, and with a loud
voice and in no measured terms ' begged for mercy. And
when I saw that they offered no defence to me, and that
he lay extended upon the ground as one dead, it seemed
to me too vile a thing to touch them; but I ran madly
down the stairs; and when I reached the street, I found
all the rest of the tribe, who were more than twelve in
number. One of them had an iron shovel, another a
big piece of iron piping, some hammers and anvils, and
others sticks. When I came among them like a mad-
dened bull,' I threw four or five of them to the ground,
and I fell with them, always plying my poniard now
on this one, now on that. Those who had kept their
feet joined in as far as they were able, showering blows
upon me with both hands, with hammers, sticks and
anvils. But because God sometimes mercifully inter-
venes they did me not the least injury in the world, nor
I them. My cap only was left, which my adversaries
secured, and though they kept themselves at a distance
from it, every one of them struck at it with his weapon.
Then looking round among themselves for the dead
and wounded there was no one who had received any
hurt. I departed towards Santa Maria Novella/ and
immediately met Brother Alesso Strozi/ with whom I
was unacquainted. To this good friar I commended my-
^ A A^*<772C2F, lit. " in buckets, or tubs, full," an expression
used for torrents of rain, etc. A.^., " without measure."
^ Lit. %
3 The Church of Sta Maria Novella is one of the finest and
most celebrated buildings in Florence. Its facade was built by
Leon Battista Alberti at the expense of Giovanni Rucellai.
^ This friar is alluded to by VARCHI in his AfAh?7y (Book XII,
p. 3S6, LE MONNIER).