to Baccio he
caused one hundred florins of gold and letters of recommendation to be
given, to the end that he might return to Florence and finish the work
of the giant.

While Baccio was at Bologna, Cardinal Doria, having heard that he was
about to depart, went to the pains of seeking him out, and threatened
him with many reproaches and abusive words, for the reason that he had
broken his pledge and failed in his duty by neglecting to finish the
statue of Prince Doria and leaving it only blocked out at Carrara,
after taking five hundred crowns in payment; on which account, said
the Cardinal, if Andrea could get Baccio into his hands, he would make
him pay for it at the galleys. Baccio defended himself humbly and with
soft words, saying that he had been delayed by a sufficient hindrance,
but that he had in Florence a block of marble of the same height, from
which he had intended to carve that figure, and that when he had
carved and finished it he would send it to Genoa. And so well did he
contrive to speak and to excuse himself that he succeeded in escaping
from the presence of the Cardinal. After this he returned to Florence,
and caused the base for the giant to be taken in hand; and, himself
working continuously at the figure, in the year 1534 he finished it
completely. But Duke Alessandro, on account of the hostile reports of
the citizens, did not take steps to have it set up in the Piazza.

The Pope had returned to Rome many months before this, and desired to
erect two tombs of marble in the Minerva, one for Pope Leo and one for
himself; and Baccio, seizing this occasion, went to Rome. Thereupon
the Pope resolved that Baccio should make those tombs after he had
succeeded in setting up the giant on the Piazza; and his Holiness
wrote to the Duke that he should give Baccio every convenience for
placing his Hercules in position there. Whereupon, after an enclosure
of planks had been made all round, the base was built of marble, and
at the foot of it they placed a stone with letters in memory of Pope
Clement VII, and a good number of medals with the heads of his
Holiness and of Duke Alessandro. The giant was then taken from the
Office of Works, where it had been executed; and in order to convey it
with greater ease, without damaging it, they made round it a
scaffolding of wood, with ropes passing under the legs and cords
supporting it under the arms and at every other part; and thus,
suspended in the air between the bea