The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-03

II the character OF 6khvEhuIO Cellthf
one of history's strangest blackguards
.-Benvenuto Cellini.
Cellini was born at Florence. Italy,
in 1900. His father, maker Of mu.
steal instruments. wanted his son to
follow the same trade. Benvenuto
would not do 1t. but became a gold
worker and engraver. A a mere lad
his exquisitely chased metal orn.
aments and sword hilts won him fame.
But he could use a sword as readily as
he could engrave one. And when he
was only fifteen he took part in SO
fierce street duel that he was ban
ished from his native city.
With his sword at his side, rare ge-
MUS in his brain, and very little mon
ey in his pocket. young Cellini set out
to bring fortune from the world. He
drifted from one Italian city to anoth-
er, falling constantly into trouble, lead
ing grossly dissolute life, fighting
as he went, and incidentally turning
out miracles of artistic work.
He reached Rome at length, where
his talent as an engraver attracted
Pope Clement Wis attention. He al
so became one of the popes court mu-
sicians and executed, in spare mo-
ments, some beautiful seals and me-
dallions. When Rome was attacked by
the Imperial army, Cellini fought
bravely in the Eternal City's defense.
According to his own improved state
ment he slew, single handed, the
prince Of Orange and the constable
de Bourbon during this siege. (There
is no reason to believe this boast is
not one OF the countless like that
strew Cellini's story of his own Hfe.)
Back to Florence he went, the news
OF his Roman exploits winning him
pardon and a welcome. There, he set
tied down and devoted himself to en-
craving and sculpture. 1t was dur.
ing this period that he made his cele-
brated Hercules ATLAS Supporting
the Earth" and The Numidian Lion"
He returned to Rome, after a time,
where he promptly slew one man in a
duel and wounded another. Scarcely
had high influences secured his par
don for these offenses when Cellini
fell into fresh difficulties by killing a
goldsmith who CHANGED to offend him.
Then after a series Of political
squabbles he found it wise to leave
Italy, and journeyed to the court Of
King Francis l. of France. There he
was received into high favor, but pro-
ceeded to get into a rather unpleasant
scrape which sent him back to Italy
again. He went to Rome, and was ar
rested on a charge Of having stolen
precious Jewels from the p0pe's tiara.
CeIlfni was condemned to death and
was thrown into prison at the Castle Of
Saint Angelo. He managed to escape,
but was soon caught and put back in
his cell. The friendship of the power
full cardinal OF Ferrara won a pardon
for him. and he set forth again upon
his wanderings.
His quarreiSOme nature and the RI
valry of great men made CellinTs
next few years miserable. Every mans
hand seemed against him, though none
denied his splendid genius. In fact,
Cellini the Genius was forever saving
Cellini the Blackguard from the pun
ishment of his misdeeds.
The art-loving Italians recognized
and revered his work, even while
many of them loathed his personality.
At times he was in peril OF death; at
other times-as when he helped to
fortify Florence in that city's war with
Siena-or when one of his statues was
unveiled-he became something Of a
local hero.
He died, in his native city, December
10, 1863. Eleven years before his
death, Cellini began to write his auto
biography. This is one of the most de-
lightful books of its sort in existence;
not only for the picture 1t gives OF a
life OF struggle and the era In which
that struggle was waged, but because
OF its portrayal of CellinPs monstrous
vanity, his total lack OF truthfulness
and his absence OF conscience.
He writes with calm satisfaction
about the killing OF his victims, tells
Of his alleged power to raise demons
before him at will and assures the
reader that he himself was SO utterly
under divine protection that once or
twice he awoke in the morning to
find his head crowned by a glowing
halo.
The man died. BY the world at large
his character and his misdeeds became
half forgotten. But his work Is I'M
mortal.