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Introductory Note（第1页）

一秒记住【xiaoyanwenxue.com】精彩无弹窗免费！“TheAutobiographyofBenvenutoCellini（.shg.tw）”！

IntroductoryNote

AMONGthevastnumberofmenwhohavethoughtfittowritedownthehistoryoftheirownlives，threeorfourhaveachievedmasterpieceswhichstandoutpreeminently:SaintAugustineinhis“Confessions，”SamuelPepysinhis“Diary，”Rousseauinhis“Confessions.”Itisamongtheseextraordinarydocuments，andunsurpassedbyanyofthem，thattheautobiographyofBenvenutoCellinitakesitsplace.

The“Life”ofhimselfwhichCelliniwrotewasduetoothermotivesthanthosewhichproduceditschiefpetitorsforfirstplaceinitsclass.St.Augustinesaimwasreligiousanddidactic，Pepysnoteddowninhisdiarythedailyeventsofhislifeforhissolesatisfactionandwithnointentionthatanyoneshouldreadthecipherinwhichtheywererecorded.ButCelliniwrotethattheworldmightknow，afterhewasdead，whatafellowhehadbeen;whatgreatthingshehadattempted，andagainstwhatoddshehadcarriedthemthrough.“Allmen，”heheld，“whateverbetheircondition，whohavedoneanythingofmerit，orwhichverilyhasasemblanceofmerit，ifsobetheyaremenoftruthandgoodrepute，shouldwritethetaleoftheirlifewiththeirownhand.”Thathehaddonemanythingsofmerit，hehadnomannerofdoubt.Hisreputewasgreatinhisday，andperhapsgoodinthesenseinwhichhemeantgoodness;astowhetherhewasamanoftruth，thereisstilldisputeamongscholars.Ofsomemisrepresentations，somesuppressionsofdamagingfacts，thereseemstobeevidenceonlytoogood-amanwithCellinispassionforprovinghimselfintherightcouldhardlyhaveavoidedbeingguiltyofsuch-;butofthegeneraltrustworthinessofhisrecord，ofthekindofmanhewasandthekindoflifeheled，thereisnoreasonabledoubt.

TheperiodcoveredbytheautobiographyisfromCellinisbirthin1500to1562;thesceneismainlyinItalyandFrance.Ofthegreateventsofthetime，thetimeoftheReformationandtheCounter-Reformation，ofthestrifeofPopeandEmperorandKing，wegetonlyglimpses.Theleadersintheseeventsappearintheforegroundofthepictureonlywhentheyeintopersonalrelationswiththehero;andthennotmainlyasstatesmenorwarriors，butasconnoisseursandpatronsofart.SuchaneventastheSackofRomeisdescribedbecauseBenvenutohimselffoughtinit.

Muchmorepleteistheviewhegivesoftheartisticlifeofthetime.ItwastheageofMichelangelo，andinthethrongofgreatartistswhichthenfilledtheItaliancities，Celliniwasnoinconsiderablefigure.Michelangelohimselfheknewandadored.NowherecanwegainabetterideathaninthisbookofthepassionateenthusiasmforthecreationofbeautywhichhasbestowedupontheItalyoftheRenaissanceitsgreatestglory.

Veryvivid，too，istheimpressionwereceiveofthesociallifeofthesixteenthcentury;ofitsviolenceandlicentiousness，ofitszealforfinecraftsmanship，ofitsaboundingvitality，itsversatilityanditsidealisForCellinihimselfisanepitomeofthatcentury.Thismanwhotellsherethestoryofhislifewasamurdererandabraggart，insolent，sensual，inordinatelyproudandpassionate;buthewasalsoaworkeringoldandsilver，rejoicingindelicatechasingandsubtlemodellingofprecioussurfaces;asculptorandamusician;and，asallwhoreadhisbookmusttestify，agreatmasterofnarrative.KeenaswasBenvenutosinterestinhimself，andmuchashelovedtodwellonthesplendorofhisexploitsandachievements，hehadlittleideathatcenturiesafterhisdeathhewouldliveagain，lessbyhis“Perseus”andhisgoldsmithsworkthanbythebookwhichhedictatedcasuallytoaladoffourteen，whilehewentabouthiswork.

Theautobiographywasposedbetween1558and1566，butitbringstherecorddownonlyto1562.TheremainderofCellinislifeseemstohavebeensomewhatmorepeaceful.In1565hemarriedPieradeSalvadoreParigi，aservantwhohadnursedhimwhenhewassick;andinthecareofhischildren，asearlierofhissisterandnieces，heshowedmoretendernessthanmighthavebeenexpectedfromamanofhisboisterousnature.HediedatFlorence，May13，1571，andwasburiedinTheChurchoftheAnnunziatainthatcity.

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