IT happened on one feast-day that I went to the palace after dinner, and
when I reached the clockroom, I saw the door of the wardrobe standing
open. As I drew nigh it, the Duke called me, and after a friendly
greeting said: “You are welcome! Look at that box which has been sent me
by my lord Stefano of Palestrina. [1] Open it, and let us see what it
contains.” When I had opened the box, I cried to the Duke: “My lord,
this is a statue in Greek marble, and it is a miracle of beauty. I must
say that I have never seen a boy’s figure so excellently wrought and in
so fine a style among all the antiques I have inspected. If your
Excellency permits, I should like to restore it--head and arms and feet.
I will add an eagle, in order that we may christen the lad Ganymede. It
is certainly not my business to patch up statues, that being the trade
of botchers, who do it in all conscience villainously ill; yet the art
displayed by this great master of antiquity cries out to me to help
him.” The Duke was highly delighted to find the statue so beautiful, and
put me a multitude of questions, saying: “Tell me, Benvenuto, minutely,
in what consists the skill of this old master, which so excites your
admiration.” I then attempted, as well as I was able, to explain the
beauty of workmanship, the consummate science, and the rare manner
displayed by the fragment. I spoke long upon these topics, and with the
greater pleasure because I saw that his Excellency was deeply interested.
Note 1. Stefano Colonna, of the princely house of Palestrina. He was a
general of considerable repute in the Spanish, French, and Florentine
services successively.