The Life of Benvenuto Cellini: A Florentine Artist, Volume 1

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Whittaker, Treacher, and Arnot, 1829
 

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Page 153 - When the magician had performed the rest of his ceremonies, he stripped off his gown, and took up a wallet full of books which he had brought with him. We all went out of the circle together, keeping as close to each other as we possibly could, especially the boy, who had placed himself in the middle, holding the necromancer by the coat and me by the cloak. As we were going to our houses, in the quarter of Banchi, the boy told...
Page 153 - The necromancer entreated me to have a good heart, and take care to burn proper perfumes ; upon which I turned to Romoli, and bid him burn all the most precious perfumes he had. At the same time I cast my eye upon Agnolino Gaddi, who was terrified to such a degree, that he could scarce distinguish objects, and seemed to be half dead. Seeing him in this condition, I said, " Agnolo, upon these occasions a man should not yield to fear, but should stir about and give his assistance ; so come directly...
Page 151 - ... began his incantations. This ceremony lasted above an hour and a half, when there appeared several legions of devils, insomuch that the amphitheatre was quite filled with them. I was busy about the perfumes, when the priest, perceiving there was a considerable number of infernal spirits, turned to me and said, ' Benvenuto, ask them something.
Page 118 - I with great address came close up to him with a long dagger, and gave him a violent back-handed stroke which I had aimed at his neck. He instantly turned round, and the blow falling directly upon his left shoulder, broke the whole bone of it; upon which he dropped his sword, quite overcome by the pain, and took to his heels. I pursued, and in four steps came up with him, when raising the dagger over his head, which he lowered down, I hit him exactly upon the nape of the neck. The weapon penetrated...
Page 152 - Vincenzio Romoli was busied in making a fire with the assistance of Agnolino, and burning a great quantity of precious perfumes. I, by the direction of the necromancer, again desired to be in the company of my Angelica. The former thereupon turning to me said, " Know, they have declared that in the space of a month you shall be in her company.
Page 151 - Romoli, who had been my companion the first time, and one Agnolino Gaddi, an intimate acquaintance, whom I likewise prevailed on to assist at the ceremony. When we came to the place appointed, the priest having made his preparations as before, with the same and even more striking ceremonies, placed us within the circle, which he had likewise drawn with a more wonderful art, and in a more solemn manner than at our former meeting.
Page 154 - ... gown, and took up a wallet full of books which he had brought with him. We all went out of the circle together, keeping as close to each other as we possibly could, especially the boy, who had placed himself in the middle, holding the necromancer by the coat, and me by the cloak. As we were going to our houses, in the quarter of Banchi, the boy told us that two of the demons whom we had seen at the amphitheatre, went on before us leaping and skipping, sometimes running upon the roofs of the houses,...
Page 153 - The boy again told us, that there remained but few devils, and these were at a great distance. When the magician had performed the rest of his ceremonies, he stripped off his gown, and took up a wallet full of books which he had brought with him.
Page 269 - Every year he had some different whim : one time he conceited himself metamorphosed into a pitcher of oil; another time he thought himself a frog, and began to leap as such ; another time again he imagined he was dead, and it was found necessary to humour his conceit by making a shew of burying him :. thus had he every year some new frenzy.
Page 172 - I thereupon clapped my hand to a sharp dagger, and having forced my way through the file of ruffians, laid hold of him by the throat so quickly, and with such presence of mind, that there was not one of his friends could defend him. I pulled him towards me, to give him a blow in front, but he turned his face about through excess...

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