This labor was imposed upon me; I did not seek it; and if I assumed it, 'T was not for love of fame or love of gain, But for the love of God.

Perhaps old age Deceived me, or self-interest, or ambition; I may be doing harm instead of good.
Therefore, I pray your Holiness, release me; Take off from me the burden of this work; Let me go back to Florence.
JULIUS.
Never, never, While I am living.
MICHAEL ANGELO.
Doth your Holiness Remember what the Holy Scriptures say Of the inevitable time, when those Who look out of the windows shall be darkened, And the almond-tree shall flourish?
JULIUS.
That is in Ecclesiastes.
MICHAEL ANGELO.
And the grasshopper Shall be a burden, and desire shall fail, Because man goeth unto his long home.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all Is vanity.
JULIUS.
Ah, were to do a thing As easy as to dream of doing it, We should not want for artists.

But the men Who carry out in act their great designs Are few in number; ay, they may be counted Upon the fingers of this hand.

Your place Is at St.Peter's.
MICHAEL ANGELO.
I have had my dream, And cannot carry out my great conception, And put it into act.
JULIUS.
Then who can do it?
You would but leave it to some Baccio Bigio To mangle and deface.
MICHAEL ANGELO.
Rather than that I will still bear the burden on my shoulders A little longer.

If your Holiness Will keep the world in order, and will leave The building of the church to me, the work Will go on better for it.