, but to the
labours of art, without a doubt he would have produced marvellous works;
for if he achieved this in part without exerting himself much, what
would he have done if he had faced the dust and heat?

The aforesaid Emperor Charles V being in Bologna, and the most excellent
Tiziano da Cadore having come to make a portrait of his Majesty, Alfonso
likewise was seized with a desire to execute a portrait of that
Sovereign. And having no other means of contriving to do that, he
besought Tiziano, without revealing to him what he had in mind, that he
should do him the favour of introducing him, in the place of one of
those who used to carry his colours, into the presence of his Majesty.
Wherefore Tiziano, who loved him much, like the truly courteous man that
he has always been, took Alfonso with him into the apartments of the
Emperor. Alfonso, as soon as Tiziano had settled down to work, took up a
position behind him, in such a way that he could not be seen by the
other, who was wholly intent on his portrait; and, taking up a little
box in the shape of a medallion, he made therein a portrait of the
Emperor in stucco, and had it finished at the very moment when Tiziano
had likewise brought his picture to completion. The Emperor then rising,
Alfonso closed the box and had already hidden it in his sleeve, to the
end that Tiziano might not see it, when his Majesty said to him: "Show
me what you have done." He was thus forced to give his portrait humbly
into the hand of the Emperor, who, having examined it and praised it
highly, said to him: "Would you have the courage to do it in marble?"
"Yes, your sacred Majesty," answered Alfonso. "Do it, then," added the
Emperor, "and bring it to me in Genoa." How unusual this proceeding must
have seemed to Tiziano every man may imagine for himself. For my part, I
believe that it must have appeared to him that he had compromised his
credit. But what must have seemed to him most strange was this, that
when his Majesty sent a present of a thousand crowns to Tiziano, he bade
him give the half, or five hundred crowns, to Alfonso, keeping the other
five hundred for himself, at which it is likely enough that Tiziano felt
aggrieved. Alfonso, then, setting to work with the greatest zeal in his
power, brought the marble head to completion with such diligence, that
it was pronounced to be a very fine thing: which was the reason that,
when he had taken it to the Emperor, his Majesty ordered that th