Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini | Page 9

1. The Medici here mentioned were Lorenzo the Magnificent, and
his son Pietro, who was expelled from Florence in the year 1494. He
never returned, but died in the river Garigliano in 1504.
Note 2. In the Middle Ages the burghers of Florence were divided into
industrial guilds called the Greater and the Lesser Arts. The former
took precedence of the latter, both in political importance and in social
esteem.
VI
AS I have said, my father was the devoted servant and attached friend
of the house of Medici; and when Piero was banished, he entrusted him
with many affairs of the greatest possible importance. Afterwards,
when the magnificent Piero Soderini was elected, and my father
continued in his office of musician, Soderini, perceiving his wonderful
talent, began to employ him in many matters of great importance as an
engineer. [1] So long as Soderini remained in Florence, he showed the

utmost good-will to my father; and in those days, I being still of tender
age, my father had me carried, and made me perform upon the flute; I
used to play treble in concert with the musicians of the palace before
the Signory, following my notes: and a beadle used to carry me upon
his shoulders. The Gonfalonier, that is, Soderini, whom I have already
mentioned, took much pleasure in making me chatter, and gave me
comfits, and was wont to say to my father: “Maestro Giovanni, besides
music, teach the boy those other arts which do you so much honour.”
To which my father answered: “I do not wish him to practise any art
but playing and composing; for in this profession I hope to make him
the greatest man of the world, if God prolongs his life.” To these words
one of the old counsellors made answer: “Ah! Maestro Giovanni, do
what the Gonfalonier tells you! for why should he never become
anything more than a good musician?”
Thus some time passed, until the Medici returned. [2] When they
arrived, the Cardinal, who afterwards became Pope Leo, received my
father very kindly. During their exile the scutcheons which were on the
palace of the Medici had had their balls erased, and a great red cross
painted over them, which was the bearing of the Commune. [3]
Accordingly, as soon as they returned, the red cross was scratched out,
and on the scutcheon the red balls and the golden field were painted in
again, and finished with great beauty. My father, who possessed a
simple vein of poetry, instilled in him by nature, together with a certain
touch of prophecy, which was doubtless a divine gift in him, wrote
these four verses under the said arms of the Medici, when they were
uncovered to the view:-
These arms, which have so long from sight been laid Beneath the holy
cross, that symbol meek, Now lift their glorious glad face, and seek
With Peter’s sacred cloak to be arrayed.
This epigram was read by all Florence. A few days afterwards Pope
Julius II. died. The Cardinal de’ Medici went to Rome, and was elected
Pope against the expectation of everybody. He reigned as Leo X, that
generous and great soul. My father sent him his four prophetic verses.
The Pope sent to tell him to come to Rome; for this would be to his

advantage. But he had no will to go; and so, in lieu of reward, his place
in the palace was taken from him by Jacopo Salviati, upon that man’s
election as Gonfalonier. [4] This was the reason why I commenced
goldsmith; after which I spent part of my time in learning that art, and
part in playing, much against my will.
Note 1. Piero Soderini was elected Gonfalonier of the Florentine
Republic for life in the year 1502. After nine years of government, he
was banished, and when he died, Machiavelli wrote the famous
sneering epitaph upon him. See J. A. Symonds’ 'Renaissance in Italy,'
vol. i. p. 297.
Note 2. This was in 1512, when Lorenzo’s two sons, Giuliano and
Giovanni (afterwards Pope Leo X), came back through the aid of a
Spanish army, after the great battle at Ravenna.
Note 3. The Medicean arms were “or, six pellets gules, three, two, and
one.” The Florentine Commune bore, “argent a cross gules.”
Note 4. Cellini makes a mistake here. Salviati married a daughter of
Lorenzo de’ Medici, and obtained great influence in Florence; but we
have no record of his appointment to the office of Gonfalonier.
VII
WHEN my father spoke to me in the way I have above described, I
entreated him to let me draw a certain fixed number of hours in the day;
all the rest of my time I would give to music, only with the view of
satisfying his desire. Upon