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Book FirstPart LXXVIII
Part LXXVIII
Accordingly I girded on my sword, and went to visit Jacopo del Sansovino,
the sculptor, who had sent for Tribolo. He received me most kindly, and
invited us to dinner, and we stayed with him. In course of conversation with
Tribolo, he told him that he had no work to give him at the moment, but that
he might call again. Hearing this, I burst out laughing, and said pleasantly
to Sansovino: "Your house is too far off from his, if he must call again."
Poor Tribolo, all in dismay, exclaimed: "I have got your letter here, which
you wrote to bid me come." Sansovino rejoined that men of his sort, men of
worth and genius, were free to do that and greater things besides. Tribolo
shrugged up his shoulders and muttered: "Patience, patience," several times.
Thereupon, without regarding the copious dinner which Sansovino had given me,
I took the part of my comrade Tribolo, for he was in the right. All the while
at table Sansovino had never stopped chattering about his great achievements,
abusing Michel Agnolo and the rest of his fellow-sculptors, while he bragged
and vaunted himself to the skies. This had so annoyed me that not a single
mouthful which I ate had tasted well; but I refrained from saying more than
these two words: "Messer Jacopo, men of worth act like men of worth, and men
of genius, who produce things beautiful and excellent, shine forth far better
when other people praise them than when they boast so confidently of their own
achievements." Upon this he and I rose from table blowing off the steam of our
choler. The same day, happening to pass near the Rialto, I met Piero
Benintendi in the company of some men; and perceiving that they were going to
pick a quarrel with me, I turned into an apothecary`s shop till the storm blew
over. Afterwards I learned that the young Magalotti, to whom I showed that
courtesy, had scolded them roundly; and thus the affair ended.
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