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pay you the obedience due to a father. On the other, as you see, I have already started and am beyond the borders of the State, and Signor Fabrizio Colonna and Madonna Agnesina, my honoured sister-in-law, have engaged a house and made all the necessary arrangements for me. And since I have promised to be at Marino in four days, and Signor Fabrizio is on his way to meet me, I do not see how I can give up the journey with honour to my lord and myself, more especially since everything has been considered and arranged beforehand by my good lord. Neither will Your Excellency have any fear for my safety when you hear that I go to Marino first, and on with Madonna Agnesina incognito to Rome, there to visit the churches chosen for this Holy Jubilee, without making myself known or speaking to any one. In Rome, we shall be lodged in the house of Cardinal Savelli, which is conveniently situated in the midst of the Colonna quarter, but I intend to return to Marino as soon as possible and spend most of my time there. So Your Highness need have no doubts or fears for my safety, although I confess that, if I had not already started, I would have given up my intention, not from any fear of danger or disturbance, but in order to satisfy Your Excellency. But since I have already got as far as this on my journey, I am sure this letter will satisfy you, and I beg and pray you to write to me in Rome so that I may know that you are satisfied and may keep the Jubilee with greater content and peace of mind. Otherwise I shall be in continual distress and anxiety. I commend myself heartily to your good graces, and remain your younger sister, ELISABETTA.'

1 F. Gregorovius, op. cit., p. 134.

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182 DEATH OF EMILIA PIA'S HUSBAND

The next day Elisabetta continued her journey, and after spending Holy Week in Rome and visiting St. Peter's and the Tombs of the Apostles, in strictest incognito, she returned with her sister-in-law to the Colonnas' castle of Marino in the Alban hills, and enjoyed the company of Madonna Agnesina and her seven-year-old daughter, the little Vittoria, who was already betrothed to the young Marquis of Pescara. A fresh sorrow awaited her at Urbino in the death of her husband's half-brother, Antonio, a valiant soldier who had fought at Fornovo with Francesco, and whose wife, Emilia Pia, was her devoted friend and companion. The Duchess's tender heart was full of sympathy for the heart-broken widow, and she wrote to Isabella saying that both she and the Duke were doing their best to comfort poor Madonna Emilia, whose grief was enough to move the stones to pity. Isabella herself wrote in the most affectionate terms to Emilia Pia, begging her to take comfort, “since this is a journey on which we all must go," and telling her that, as she had proved herself the best of wives in the past, it was now her duty to try and conform herself to the divine will, in order that her prayers for her husband's soul might be the more acceptable in the sight of God.1 Before long Emilia dried her tears and recovered her old gaiety, but in spite of her charms and popularity, she never consented to marry again, and remained faithful to the memory of her lamented husband.

Early in the following year Isabella visited Ferrara and spent some time at her father's court, where several Latin comedies were acted, including the "Mercadanti," the "Asinaria," and the "Eunucho." 1 Luzio e Renier, Mantova e Urbino, p. 107.

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COMEDIES AT FERRARA

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"These plays," she remarks in a letter to Mantua, “are certainly full of vain words, and are not without doubtful passages to which some persons might take objection. All the same, they are very amusing, and excite much laughter, chiefly owing to the frequent changes of voice and excellent performance of these actors." At her urgent entreaty the Duke agreed to return with her to Mantua, where the Marquis made great preparations for some dramatic representations to be given in his honour. But, at the last moment, the arrival of papal envoys with important proposals from the Borgias detained Ercole at Ferrara, and the carnival fêtes at Mantua took place without him. One of his favourite courtiers, however, Sigismondo Cantelmo, the husband of Isabella's intimate friend, Margherita Maroscello, accompanied the Marchesa home, and sent the Duke full accounts of the performances in the magnificent theatre prepared for the occasion in the Castello. His elaborate descriptions of this building and allusions to the Triumphs of Mantegna, with which the stage was decorated, lend especial interest to the following letter:

"Most excellent Prince, my dear Lord,-The arrangements made by this illustrious Lord Marquis have been most splendid, and deserve to be studied by all who wish to erect appropriate theatres for the performance of ancient and modern plays. I do not doubt that Your Excellency has already heard of the representations which have been given. None the less, I should fail in my duty if I did not write to tell you what, indeed, requires a better scribe than I amall the magnificence, grandeur, and excellence of the said representations, the beauty of which I will try to describe as briefly as possible. The stage itself

184

THEATRE AT MANTUA

is quadrangular in form, but somewhat extended in length. Each side has eight arcades, with columns well proportioned to the size and height of the arches. The base and capitals of each pillar are richly painted with the finest colours and adorned with foliage, and the arches, with their reliefs of flowers, offer an admirable perspective, each being about four braccia wide and proportionately high, the whole representing an ancient and eternal temple of rare beauty. The back of the stage was hung with cloth of gold and foliage, as required for the recitations, and the sides were adorned by six paintings of the Triumphs of Cæsar by the famous Mantegna. On the two other and smaller sides of the stage there were similar arcades, but only six in number. Two sides of the stage were given up to the actors and reciters; on the two others were steps occupied on the one hand by women, on the other by strangers, trumpeters, and musicians. At one angle were four very lofty columns with rounded bases, and between them a grotto designed with great art, but in the most natural manner. The roof overhead blazed with hundreds of lights like shining stars, with an artificial circle, showing the signs of the zodiac, and in the centre, the sun and moon moving in their accustomed orbits. Within the recess was a Wheel of Fortune inscribed with the words, Regno, regnam, regnabo, and in the midst, the golden goddess, seated on her throne, bearing a sceptre adorned with a dolphin. The lowest tier of the stage was hung with the Triumphs of Petrarch, also painted by Mantegna, and large golden candelabra hung from the centre of the roof, each holding three double rows of torches and a shield with the arms of His

DESCRIBED BY CANTELMO

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Cæsarean Majesty, the black eagle with the royal and imperial diadem. At the sides of the stage were two large banners with the arms of His Holiness the Pope and the Emperor, and smaller ensigns with those of the Most Christian King and illustrious Signory of Venice. Between the arches were banners with the arms of Your Excellency and of the German prince Duke Albert of Bavaria, and the devices of this Signor Marchese and the Signora Marchesana. Higher up on the walls were busts and statues of gold, silver, and other metals, which added greatly to the decorative effect of the whole. Last of all the roof was hung with sky-blue cloth to imitate the blue vault of heaven, studded over with the constellations of our hemisphere.

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"The recitations were exceedingly fine and enjoyable. On Friday Philonico' was given, on Saturday 'Il Penulo' of Plautus, on Sunday the 'Ippolita' of Seneca, on Monday the Adelphi ' of Terence. All of these were admirably recited by skilled actors, and received the greatest applause from the spectators. As Monsignore Louis d'Ars, the son of the illustrious M. de Ligny, is now here, and had not seen the first play, I hear the Philonico will probably be given again. If I have forgotten anything, I hope soon to supply the omission by word of mouth, when I see Your Excellency, to whose good graces I commend myself. Your Excellency's servant and slave, SIGISMONDO CANTELMO." From Mantua, Feb. 13, 1501.

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This minute description, obscure as it is in some places, at least enables us to form some idea of the

1 Campori, Lettere artistiche, 1866, and D'Ancona, Origini del Teatro, vol. ii.