"The subject was to be Hercules wrenching the lion's mouth.

While I was working at this piece, Michel Agnolo Buonarroti came oftentimes to see it.

I had spent infinite pains upon the design, so that the attitude of the figure and the fierce passion of the beast were executed in quite a different style from that of any craftsman who had hitherto attempted such groups.

This, together with the fact that the special branch of art was totally unknown to Michel Agnolo, made the divine master give such praises to my work that I felt incredibly inspired for further effort.
"Just then I met with Federigo Ginori, a young man of very lofty spirit.

He had lived some years in Naples and being endowed with great charms of person and presence, had been the lover of a Neapolitan princess.