d heroes of classic fable to do
honor to Lorenzo and others of that glittering era.

In 1488 Bergonzo Botta, of Tortoni, prepared a festal play for the
marriage of Galeazzo Sforza and Isabella of Arragon. Arteaga[31] quotes
from Tristan Chalco, a Milanese historiographer, an account of this
production. The entertainment took place in a great hall, which had a
gallery holding many instrumental players. In the center of the hall
was a bare table. As soon as the prince and princess had entered the
spectacle began with the return of Jason and his companions who
deposited the golden fleece on the table as a present. Mercury then
appeared and related some of his adventures in Thessaly with Apollo.
Next came Diana with her nymphs dragging a handsome stag. She gave the
stag to the bridal pair and told a pretty story about his being the one
into which she had changed the incautious Acteon. After Diana had
retired the orchestra became silent and the tones of a lyre were heard.
Then entered Orpheus who began his tale with the words, "I bewailed on
the spires of the Apennines the untimely death of my Euridice." But, as
he explained, his song had changed as his heart had changed, and since
Euridice was no more, he wished now to lay his homage at the feet of the
most amiable Princess in the world. Orpheus was interrupted by the
entrance of Atalanta and Theseus and a party of hunters, who brought the
first part to an end in an animated dance.

[Footnote 31: "Le Rivoluzioni del Teatro Musicale Italiano della
sua Origine fino al Presente," by Stefano Arteaga. Venice, 1785.]

The second part introduced Iris, Hebe, Pomona, Vertumnus, and choruses
of Arcadians and others. This part concluded with a dance by gods of the
sea and the Lombardian rivers. The third part began with the appearance
of Orpheus leading Hymen, to whom he sang praises, accompanying himself
on the lyre. Behind him were the Graces, in the midst of whom came
"Marital Fidelity" and presented herself to the princess. After some
other minor incidents of the same kind the spectacle came to an end with
a ballet in which Bacchus, Silenus, Pan and a chorus of satyrs were
principal figures. This lively and comic dance, says Chalco, "brought to
an end the most splendid and astonishing spectacle that Italy had
witnessed."

In 1487 Nicolo de Corregio Visconti produced at Ferrara his fable
"Cephale et l'Aurore." In this there were choruses of nymphs, vows to
Diana, dialog