Florence Snippet #3

Drawing by Ashton Riley

Bischero Learns a Secret

       Inside of Leonardo’s workshop, Bischero (Bee ska row) saw such wonderful things. Crowded together on the floor stood several paintings propped up against the wall. In one corner stood a painting easel with a half-drawn picture of an angel talking to the face of a beautiful lady: “The Annunciation”. On a small bench were various sizes of paint brushes and a small flat piece of wood that had all kinds of bright colors mixed in tiny swirls. As Bischero was looking about, he found a book with funny writing. It had a strange drawing of a man with his arms stretched out over his head, and his feet were spread apart forming his body into the shape of an “X.”

       The whole body was enclosed with a perfect circle touching only the tips of the longest fingers and the bottom of the man’s feet.

      Bischero studied the picture for some time, but could not understand the picture’s meaning. Leonardo watched Bischero’s curiosity with enthusiasm, knowing he had made the right choice in selecting Bischero to guard his greatest secret. Then Leonardo walked over to Bischero and explained the significance of his drawing.

         “Do you see how I have drawn a perfect circle around the man, Bischero?” asked Leonardo. “I call him the Vitruvian Man after the great Roman architect Vitruvius.”

          “Yes,” replied Bischero, “but what does it mean?”

       “You are wiser than you know Bischero. Most people would not understand that my drawing has any significance. It is one of my scientific discoveries. First, I took many measurements of the human body. Then, when I made my drawing, I realized I was able to form a perfect circle around the body. This proves that the length of a man’s arms from the longest point of his left hand to the longest point of his right hand is equal to his height from the tip of his head to the bottom of his feet,” explained Leonardo.

         “What is this strange writing?” asked Bischero.

         “Haa!” exclaimed Leonardo. “I had to develop a secret code to write in, otherwise if someone were to read my notes they might think I was a mad man, or worse, a witch to be burned at the stake.”

         “You mean like the way Savonarola (Saw von aa roll aa) was burned at the stake in Piazza Della Signoria (Pee aught zaw Day la Sin your ree aa)?” questioned Bischero.

        “Savonarola was a monk who became involved in Florentine politics, and when his side lost the fight they burned him in the square to frighten anyone else who may have considered going against the Medici (May dee chee) family in the future. Savonarola was used as an example. Today, you will find a large brass seal located in front of Neptune’s fountain displaying the exact point where the monk was condemned at the stake. No, Bischero, I do not wish to be accused of ignorant lies, nor did I want anyone to steal my research. So, I wrote all my notes backwards so no one else could read them. If you ever need to read my notes just hold them up to a mirror. You will find that all the words will turn around in the right order so that you will be able to make sense of them. Now you know one of my secrets Bischero. What I truly need is to trust you with my most important secret. Can I believe in you and place my trust in you, Bischero?” asked Leonardo in a very serious tone of voice.

           Bischero stood really tall with his shoulders back and said, “Yes, Sir! You can count on me.”