In the middle of this the statue hung suspended, with a certain liberty of swaying to the shocks and lurches of the vehicle.

More than forty men were employed upon the windlasses which drew it slowly forward.

In a contemporary record we possess a full account of the transit: "On the 14th of May 1504, the marble Giant was taken from the Opera.

It came out at 24 o'clock, and they broke the wall above the gateway enough to let it pass.

That night some stones were thrown at the Colossus with intent to harm it.