or the
nuns of S. Giorgio, and three half-length figures in the Badia of
Florence, in an arch over the doorway inside, now whitewashed over to
lighten the church. In the great hall of the podesta at Florence, he
painted a representation of the Commune, which has been appropriated
by many people. The figure represents a judge, seated with a sceptre
in his hand, over whose head are the scales, equally poised to
indicate the just measures meted out by him, while he is assisted by
four Virtues, Fortitude with the soul, Prudence with the laws,
Justice with arms, and Temperance with words; a fine painting, and an
appropriate and plausible idea.

Giotto made a second visit to Padua, where besides painting a number
of chapels and other things, he executed a famous series of pictures
in the place of the Arena, which brought him much honour and profit.
In Milan also he left a few things which are scattered about the
city, and which are considered very beautiful to this day. At length,
shortly after his return from Milan, he rendered his soul to God in
the year 1336, to the great grief of all his fellow-citizens, and of
all those who had known him or even heard his name, for he had
produced so many beautiful works in his life, and was as good a
Christian as he was an excellent painter. He was buried with honour,
as his worth deserved, for in his life he was beloved by everyone,
and especially by distinguished men of every profession. Besides
Dante, of whom we have spoken above, he and his works were highly
esteemed by Petrarch, who in his will left to Signor Francesco da
Carrara, lord of Padua, among other things which were held in the
greatest veneration, a Madonna by Giotto's hand, as a rare thing, and
the gift most worthy to be offered to him. The words of this part of
the will ran thus:--_Transeo ad dispositionem aliarum rerum; et
predicto igitur domino meo Paduano, quia et ipse per Dei gratiam nan
eget, et ego nihil aliud habeo dignum se, mitto tabulam meam sive
historiam Beatae Vlrginis Mariae, operis Jocti pictoris egregii, quae
mihi ab amico meo Michaele Vannis de Florentia missa est, in cujus
pulchritudinem ignorantes non intelligunt, magistri autem artis
stupent: hanc iconem ipsi domino lego, ut ipsa Virgo benedicta sibi
sit propitia apud filium suum Jesum Christum, &c_. It was Petrarch
also who said the following words in the fifth book of his Familiari
written to his intimate friends: _Atquc (ut a veteribus ad nova,