The evidence furnished by his own letters and poems, as well as the researches of numerous recent workers,--Parlagreco, Scheffler, J.A.Symonds, etc.,--may be said to have placed this beyond question.[62] He belonged to a family of 5 brothers, 4 of whom never married, and so far as is known left no offspring; the fifth only left 1 male heir.

His biographer describes Michelangelo as "a man of peculiar, not altogether healthy, nervous temperament." He was indifferent to women; only in one case, indeed, during his long life is there evidence even of friendship with a woman, while he was very sensitive to the beauty of men, and his friendships were very tender and enthusiastic.

At the same time there is no reason to suppose that he formed any physically passionate relationships with men, and even his enemies seldom or never made this accusation against him.

We may probably accept the estimate of his character given by Symonds:-- Michelangelo Buonarotti was one of those exceptional, but not uncommon men who are born with sensibilities abnormally deflected from the ordinary channel.

He showed no partiality for women, and a notable enthusiasm for the beauty of young men....