In 1508 Michelangelo returned to Rome and resumed his labors on the mausoleum.  He had soon again to abandon them.  Bramante had persuaded the Pope that it was unlucky to have his tomb erected, but advised him to employ Michelangelo in painting the chapel built by his uncle Sixtus IV.  It was, in effect, in the beginning of this year that he commenced this gigantic decoration, which was destined to be his most splendid work.  We shall see the resistance he first opposed to Julius’ desire, and the ardor with which he undertook and the rapidity with which he accomplished the work, once he made up his mind to accept it; but first, since, at the period we have come to, most of the statues which now adorn the tomb of Julius II at San Pietro in Vinculo, and those more numerous that belonged to the original project, but which have been dispersed, were blocked out or finished, I wish to give, in order not to return to the subject, a general idea of this monument, to show what, from reduction to reduction, the original design has become, and what annoyances it occasioned its author.

The original magnificent design remained unmodified until 1513; but on Julius’ death, his testamentary executors, the Cardinals Santiquatro and Aginense and the Duke of Urbino, reduced to six the number of statues that were to form the decoration, and reduced from ten thousand to six thousand ducats the sum to be employed on it.

From 1513 to 1521 Leo X, who cared less to complete his predecessor’s monument than to endow his native city, Florence, with the works of the great artist, employed Michelangelo almost exclusively in building the facade and sacristy of San Lorenzo.  During the short, austere pontificate of Adrian VI, Michelangelo again devoted himself to the sculptures of the monument, but under Clement VII he had again to abandon them in order to execute in Florence the projects of Leo X, which the new Pope had adopted.  Toward 1531 the Duke of Urbino at last obtained permission for Michelangelo to suspend the works at San Lorenzo in order to finish the tomb so long since begun.  Nevertheless it does not appear that he was allowed much time to devote to it.  At last, on the death of Clement VII, he thought he had regained his liberty, and could, after such long involuntary delay, fulfil his engagements; but hardly was Paul III installed than he sent for him, gave him the most cordial reception, and begged him to consecrate his talents to his service.  Michelangelo replied that it was impossible; he was bound by treaty to terminate the mausoleum of Julius II Paul flew into a rage and said:  “Thirty years have I desired this, and now that I am pope I am not to be allowed to satisfy it!  I shall tear up this contract.  I mean that you shall obey me.”  The Duke of Urbino loudly complained, openly accusing Michelangelo of want of good faith.