more easily
raised."

The obstacles appeared so insuperable to the Superintendents and the
Syndics, that they delayed the execution of the cupola for several
years. In the meantime, Filippo secretly made models and designs for his
cupola, which perpetually occupied his thoughts. He boldly asserted that
the project was not only practicable, but that it could be done with
much less difficulty and at less expense than was believed. At length,
his boldness, genius, and powerful arguments, brought many of the
citizens to his opinion, though he refused to show his models, because
he knew the powerful opposition and influences he would have to
encounter, and the almost certain loss of the honor of building the
cupola, which he coveted above everything else. Vasari thus continues
his admirable history: "But one morning the fancy took him, hearing that
there was some talk of providing engineers for the construction of the
cupola, of returning to Rome, thinking that he would have more
reputation and be more sought for from abroad, than if he remained in
Florence. When Filippo had returned to Rome accordingly, the acuteness
of his genius and his readiness of resource were taken into
consideration, when it was remembered that in his discourses he had
showed a confidence and courage that had not been found in any of the
other architects, who stood confounded, together with the builders,
having lost all power of proceeding; for they were convinced that no
method of constructing the cupola would ever be found, nor any beams
that would make a scaffold strong enough to support the framework and
weight of so vast an edifice. The Superintendents were therefore
resolved to have an end of the matter, and wrote to Filippo in Rome,
entreating him to repair to Florence, when he, who desired nothing
better, returned very readily. The wardens of Santa Maria del Fiore and
the syndics of the Guild of Woolworkers, having assembled on his
arrival, set before him all the difficulties, from the greatest to the
smallest, which had been made by the masters, who were present, together
with himself, at the audience: whereupon Filippo replied in these
words--'Gentlemen Superintendents, there is no doubt that great
undertakings always present difficulties in their execution; and if none
ever did so before, this of yours does it to an extent of which you are
not perhaps even yet fully aware, for I do not know that even the
ancients ever raised so enormous a