Cavalier Luigi Zenobi of Ancona,

GENTLEMAN OF THE MOST SERENE

LORD DUKE OF FERRARA.

Horizontal woodcut ornamental band with scrolling foliage and floral motifs.

Large decorative woodcut initial 'Q' with floral and vine patterns.

That wise old HERO of proud spirit,
Writing, gave spirit to the Spirituals;
And to whatever spirit of mortals,
He showed that Art is spirit, innate and true.

And penetrating in spirit the beautiful path
Of Nature, more spirits equal to that,
He explained happily to the World; and such spirits
Give spirit to dead bodies, now sweet, now fierce.

You, wandering spirit, who intent and eager
To understand, read what a living spirit is,
In part without spirit, wandering and vague.

Fix your spirit here, for you will see
Stripped of honor the spirit that is born; and you will make
Marble say: For your spirit I have spirit, and I am alive.

Small decorative woodcut vignette.

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Response of Aleotti

TO CAVALIER LUIGI ZENOBI.

Horizontal woodcut ornamental band featuring a central mask between symmetrical scrollwork.

Large ornamental woodcut initial 'G' with floral decoration.

Already the wise old HERO showed that true
And innate spirit is Art to us mortals,
Giving artifice to the Spirituals,
Spirit, whence it had an Illustrious and proud name.

But if I, along the worn paths on the trail
Of such spirit, have already spread weak wings,
Charity constrained me, so that of such
Secrets the Greek alone should not go proud;

And if I was eager to reach what was found,
Desire constrained me to please the living
Idol, whom alone I am satisfied to serve:

But if of that value, which Illustrious and divine
Makes you, I shall attempt to portray the Image,
From whom will my unfruitful River have a vein?

Woodcut coat of arms featuring a coronet atop a shield containing horizontal bars.