s name written beneath him, as have also all the
others. In a circle at one corner of the lower end of the hall is the
Praetor Genutius Cippus, who having had a bird with wings in the form of
horns miraculously alight on his head, was told by the oracle that he
would become King of his country, whereupon, although already an old
man, he chose to go into exile, in order not to take away her liberty;
and Domenico therefore painted a bird upon his head. Beside him sits
Charondas, who, having returned from the country, and having gone
straightway into the Senate without disarming himself, in violation of a
law which ordained that one who entered the Senate with arms should be
put to death, killed himself on perceiving his error. In the second
circle on the other side are Damon and Phintias, whose unexampled
friendship is so well known, and with them is Dionysius, Tyrant of
Sicily; and beside these figures sits Brutus, who from love of his
country condemned his two sons to death, because they were conspiring to
bring the Tarquins back to their country.

This work, then, so truly extraordinary, made known to the people of
Siena the ability and worth of Domenico, who showed most beautiful art,
judgment, and genius in all that he did.

The first time that the Emperor Charles V came to Italy, it was expected
that he would go to Siena, for he had declared such an intention to the
Ambassadors of that Republic; and among other vast and magnificent
preparations that were made for the reception of so great an Emperor,
Domenico fashioned a horse eight braccia high and in full relief, all of
paste-board and hollow within. The weight of that horse was supported by
an armature of iron, and upon it was the statue of the Emperor, armed in
the ancient fashion, with a sword in his hand. And below it were three
large figures--vanquished by him, as it were--which also supported part
of the weight, the horse being in the act of leaping with the front legs
high in the air; which three figures represented three provinces
conquered and subdued by the Emperor. In that work Domenico showed that
he was a master no less of sculpture than of painting; to which it must
be added that he had placed the whole work upon a wooden structure four
braccia high, with a number of wheels below it, which, being set in
motion by men concealed within, caused the whole to move forward; and
the design of Domenico was that at the entry of His Majesty this horse,
having