diede.
Imeneo ecc.
Lauri or dunque, olive e palme
E corone e scettri e regni
Per le due si felici alme,
Flora, in te sol si disegni;
Tutti i vili atti ed indegni
Lungi stien; sol pace vera
E diletto e primavera
Abbia in te perpetua sede.

And all the rich vestments and all the other things, which one might
think it impossible to make, were executed by the ingenious craftsmen
with such dexterity, loveliness and grace, and made to appear so
natural, real, and true, that it seemed that without a doubt the real
action could surpass the counterfeited spectacle by but a little.

OF THE TRIUMPH OF DREAMS AND OTHER FESTIVITIES.

Now after this, although every square and every street, as has been
told, resounded with music and song, merriment and festivity, our
magnanimous Lords, distributing everything most prudently, to the end
that excessive abundance might not produce excessive satiety, had
ordained that one of the principal festivals should be performed on each
Sunday, and for this reason, and for the greater convenience of the
spectators, they had caused the sides of the most beautiful squares of
S. Croce and S. Maria Novella to be furnished after the likeness of a
theatre, with very strong and very capacious tribunes. And since within
these there were held games, in which the young noblemen played a
greater part by their exercises than did our craftsmen by attiring them,
I shall treat of them briefly, saying that on one occasion there was
presented therein by our most liberal Lords, with six companies of most
elegant cavaliers, eight to a company, the play of the canes and the
carousel, so celebrated among the Spaniards, each of the companies,
which were all resplendent in cloth of gold and silver, being
distinguished from the rest, one in the ancient habit of the Castilians,
another in the Portuguese, another in the Moorish, a fourth in the
Hungarian, a fifth in the Greek, and the last in the Tartar; and
finally, after a perilous combat, partly with assegais and horses
likewise in the Spanish manner, and partly with men on foot and dogs,
some most ferocious bulls were killed. Another time, renewing the
ancient pomp of the Roman chase, there was seen a beautifully ordered
spectacle of certain elegant huntsmen and a good quantity of various
dogs, chasing forth from a little counterfeited wood and slaying an
innumerable multitude of animals, which came out i