into the background.  We regard this ideal, which is alien to our inherent nature, with a feeling akin to contempt, for the modern ideal is male and female, but it nevertheless was of great moment in the obliteration of sex and the accentuation of the purely human.  The Platonic (and also Michelangelo’s) love of young men was in its essence pure love of humanity, love of the perfect human body and the perfect human soul, whose greatest harmony was achieved in the adolescent.  Moreover, the superior mental endowment of the boy made an intelligent conversation—­so highly appreciated by Platonists and neo-Platonists—­ possible, whereas with a girl a man could only jest.

Civilisations and individuals inclining to erotic male friendships are endowed with great plastic talent.  Artists and poets whose genius lies in the direction of the plastic arts rather than in music, frequently have homo-sexual leanings.  A musical talent, however, is as a rule accompanied by the love of woman.  I know of no great musician, or great lyrical poet, inclined to erotic friendships with men.  The simple song suggests the love of woman, the artificial metre, let us say the Greek rhythm, the love of man.  I am, however, merely pointing out this connection, without drawing any conclusions.

The poems addressed by Michelangelo to Tommaso dei Cavalieri breathe a deep longing for friendship and complete surrender, but above all things for a return of affection; all barriers between the friends must be thrown down, “for one soul is living in two bodies.”

These poems are calm and well-balanced, and differ greatly from the rest of his poetry.

If each the other love, himself foregoing,
With such delight, such savour and so well
That both to one sole end their wills combine.

(Transl. by J.A.  SYMONDS.)

Michelangelo painted “Ganymede” for Tommaso, and even at a ripe old age he addressed poems to Cechino Bracci, who died at the age of seventeen.

His contempt of woman, without which the spirit of classical Greece, too, is unthinkable, formed a parallel to his male friendships.

In the prime of his life the Platonic element was superseded by the other great element which stirred his soul so profoundly.  Exceeding the perfection of form of antique statuary, his later works throb with a spiritual and passionate life quite peculiar to him; an inward fire seems to consume his ardent figures.  They are not creatures of this earth, a breath of eternity has touched them; they are an embodiment of the Platonic heritage which accounts all earthly things as symbols of eternal beauty, fertilised and glorified by a deep mourning over human destiny and a longing for deliverance.  And when his years were already beginning to decline, Vittoria Colonna came into his life, a semblance and symbol of divine perfection.  The love which took possession of him transformed his whole life and lifted it into religion.  In his tempestuous soul this first love, coming so late in life, far exceeded human limits; it became adoration and religious ecstasy.  Michelangelo, who could not tolerate in friendship any other relationship than that of complete self-surrender and equality, threw himself into the very dust before his love and debased himself almost to self-destruction.