the Pope for many years without any
reward, and it pleased His Holiness to recompense him in that way; not
to mention that he had charge of the Belvedere and of some other
buildings belonging to the Pope.

After the Pope, therefore, had seen all the designs mentioned above, he
said, perchance to try Antonio: "These are all beautiful, but it would
not be amiss for us to see another that our Melighino has made." At
which Antonio, feeling some resentment, and believing that the Pope was
making fun of him, replied: "Holy Father, Melighino is but an architect
in jest." Which hearing, the Pope, who was seated, turned towards
Antonio, and, bowing his head almost to the ground, answered: "Antonio,
it is our wish that Melighino should be an architect in earnest, as you
may see from his salary." Having said this, he dismissed the company and
went away; and by these words he meant to show that it is very often by
Princes rather than by their own merits that men are brought to the
greatness that they desire. The cornice was afterwards executed by
Michelagnolo, who reconstructed the whole of that palace almost in
another form, as will be related in his Life.

After the death of Antonio there remained alive his brother Battista
Gobbo, a person of ability, who spent all his time on the buildings of
Antonio, although the latter did not behave very well towards him. This
Battista did not live many years after Antonio, and at his death he left
all his possessions to the Florentine Company of the Misericordia in
Rome, on the condition that the men of that Company should cause to be
printed a book of Observations on Vitruvius that he had written. That
book has never come into the light of day, but it is believed to be a
good work, for he had a very fine knowledge of the matters of his art,
and was a man of excellent judgment, and he was also upright and true.

But returning to Antonio: having died at Terni, he was taken to Rome and
carried to the grave with the greatest pomp, followed by all the
craftsmen of design and by many others; and then, at the instance of the
Wardens of S. Pietro, his body was placed in a tomb near the Chapel of
Pope Sixtus in S. Pietro, with the following epitaph:

ANTONIO SANCTI GALLI FLORENTINO, URBE MUNIENDA AC PUB. OPERIBUS,
PRAECIPUEQUE D. PETRI TEMPLO ORNAN. ARCHITECTORUM FACILE PRINCIPI,
DUM VELINI LACUS EMISSIONEM PARAT, PAULO PONT. MAX. AUCTORE,
INTERAMNAE INTEMPESTIVE EXTINCTO, ISA