ng cut off the head
of Goliath, he is raising one foot and placing it on him, holding a
sword in his right hand. This figure is so natural in its vivacity and
its softness, that it is almost impossible for craftsmen to believe that
it was not moulded on the living form. This statue once stood in the
courtyard of the house of the Medici, but it was transported to the said
place on the exile of Cosimo. In our own day Duke Cosimo, having made a
fountain on the spot occupied by this statue, had it removed, and it is
being kept for a very large courtyard that he intends to make at the
back of the palace, that is, where the lions formerly stood. In the hall
where there is the clock of Lorenzo della Volpaia, on the left, there is
a very beautiful David in marble; between his legs, under his feet, he
has the head of the dead Goliath, and in his hand he holds the sling
wherewith he slew him. In the first courtyard of the house of the Medici
there are eight medallions of marble, wherein there are copies of
ancient cameos and of the reverse sides of medals, with certain scenes,
all made by him and very beautiful, which are built into the frieze
between the windows and the architrave above the arches of the loggie.
In like manner he restored an ancient statue of Marsyas in white marble,
which was placed at the entrance of the garden; and a great number of
ancient heads, which were placed over the doors, were restored and
embellished by him with wings and diamonds (the emblem of Cosimo),
wrought very well in stucco. He made a very lovely vessel of granite,
which poured forth water, and he wrought a similar one, which also pours
forth water, for the garden of the Pazzi in Florence. In the said Palace
of the Medici there are Madonnas of marble and bronze made in
low-relief, besides some scenes in marble with most beautiful figures,
marvellous in their flat-relief. So great was the love that Cosimo bore
to the talent of Donato that he kept him continually at work, and
Donato, on the other hand, bore so great love to Cosimo that he could
divine his patron's every wish from the slightest sign, and obeyed him
in all things.

It is said that a Genoese merchant caused Donato to make a lifesize
head of bronze, which was very beautiful and also very light, because it
had to be carried to a great distance; and that the commission for this
work came to him through the recommendation of Cosimo. Now, when the
head was finished and the merchant ca