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and keys of the city； which they then delivered to the Duke； while saints and angels held forth in his praise。 A chariot drawn by concealed horses now advanced； bearing an empty throne； behind which stood a figure of Justice attended by a genius。 At the corners of the chariot sat four grey…headed lawgivers； encircled by angels with banners； by its side rode standard…bearers in complete armor。 It need hardly be added that the goddess and the genius did not suffer the Duke to pass by without an address。 A second car； drawn by a unicorn； bore a Caritas with a burning torch； between the two came the classical spectacle of a car in the form of a ship； moved by men concealed within it。 The whole procession now advanced before the Duke。 In front of the church of St。 Pietro； a halt was again made。 The saint； attended by two angels； descended in an aureole from the facade； placed a wreath of laurel on the head of the Duke； and then floated back to his former position。 The clergy provided another allegory of a purely religious kind。 Idolatry and Faith stood on two lofty pillars； and after Faith； represented by a beautiful girl； had uttered her welcome； the other column fell to pieces with the lay figure upon it。 Further on； Borso was met by a Caesar with seven beautiful women； who were presented to him as the Virtues which he was exhorted to pursue。 At last the Cathedral was reached； but after the service the Duke again took his seat on a lofty golden throne； and a second time received the homage of some of the masks already mentioned。 To conclude all； three angels flew down from an adjacent building； and； amid songs of joy； delivered to him palm branches； as symbols of peace。
Let us now give a glance at those festivals the chief feature of which was the procession itself。
There is no doubt that from an early period of the Middle Ages the religious processions gave rise to the use of masks。 Little angels accompanied the sacrament or the sacred pictures and relics on their way through the streets； or characters in the Passionsuch as Christ with the cross； the thieves and the soldiers； or the faithful women were represented for public edification。 But the great feasts of the Church were from an early time accompanied by a civic procession； and the _naivete _of the Middle Ages found nothing unfitting in the many secular elements which it contained。 We may mention especially the naval car _（carrus navalis）； _which had been inherited from pagan times； and which； as an instance already quoted shows； was admissible at festivals of very various kinds； and is associated with one of them in particular the Carnival。 Such ships； decorated with all possible splendor； delighted the eyes of spectators long after the original meaning of them was forgotten。 When Isabella of England met her bridegroom； the Emperor Frederick II； at Cologne； she was met by a number of such chariots； drawn by invisible horses； and filled with a crowd of priests who welcomed her with music and singing。
But the religious processions were not only mingled with secular accessories of all kinds； but were often replaced by processions of clerical masks。 Their origin is perhaps to be found in the parties of actors who wound their way through the streets of the city to the place where they were about to act the mystery； but it is possible that at an early per；od the clerical procession may have constituted itself as a distinct species。 Dante described the 'Trionfo' of Beatrice； with the twenty…four Elders of the Apocalypse； with the four mystical Beasts； with the three Christian and four Cardinal Virtues； and with Saint Luke； Saint Paul； and other Apostles； in a way which almost forces us to conclude that such processions actually occurred before his time。 We are chiefly led to this conclusion by the chariot in which Beatrice drives； and which in the miraculous forest of the vision would have been unnecessary or rather out of place。 It is possible； on the other hand； that Dante looked on the chariot as a symbol of victory and triumph； and that his poem rather served to give rise to these processions； the form of which was borrowed from the triumph of the Roman Emperors。 However this may be； poetry and theology continued to make free use of the symbol。 Savonarola in his 'Triumph of the Cross' represents Christ on a Chariot of Victory； above his head the shining sphere of the Trinity； in his left hand the Cross； in his right the Old and New Testaments； below him the Virgin Mary； on both sides the Martyrs and Doctors of the Church with open books； behind him all the multitude of the saved； and in the distance the countless host of his enemiesemperors； princes； philosophers； hereticsall vanquished； their idols broken； and their books burned。 A great picture of Titian； which is known only as a woodcut； has a good deal in common with this description。 The ninth and tenth of Sabellico's thirteen Elegies on the Mother of God contain a minute account of her triumph； richly adorned with allegories； and especially interesting from that matter…of…fact air which also characterizes the realistic painting of the fifteenth century。
Nevertheless； the secular 'Trionfi' were far more frequent than the religious。 They were modelled on the procession of the Roman Imperator； as it was known from the old reliefs and the writings of ancient authors。 The historical conceptions then prevalent in Italy； with which these shows were closely connected； have already been discussed。
We now and then read of the actual triumphal entrance of a victorious general； which was organized as far as possible on the ancient pattern； even against the will of the hero himself。 Francesco Sforza had the courage （1450） to refuse the triumphal chariot which had been prepared for his return to Milan； on the ground that such things were monarchial superstitions。 Alfonso the Great； on his entrance into Naples （1443）； declined the wreath of laurel； which Napoleon did not disdain to wear at his coronation in Notre…Dame。 For the rest； Alfonso's procession； which passed by a breach in the wall through the city to the cathedral； was a strange mixture of antique； allegorical； and purely comic elements。 The car； drawn by four white horses； on which he sat enthroned； was lofty and covered with gilding； twenty patricians carried the poles of the canopy of cloth of gold which shaded his head。 The part of the procession which the Florentines then present in Naples had undertaken was composed of elegant young cavaliers； skillfully brandishing their lances； of a chariot with the figure of Fortune； and of seven Virtues on horseback。 The goddess herself； in accordance with the inexorable logic of allegory to which even the painters at that time conformed； wore hair only on the front part of her head； while the back part was bald； and the genius who sat on the lower steps of the car； and who symbolized the fugitive character of fortune； had his feet immersed in a basin of water Then followed； equipped by the same Florentines； a troop of horsemen in the costumes of various nations； dressed as foreign princes and nobles； and then； crowned with laurel and standing above a revolving globe； a Julius Caesar； who explained to the king in Italian verse the meaning of the allegories； and then took his place in the procession。 Sixty Florentines； all in purple and scarlet； closed this splendid display of what their home could achieve。 Then a band of Catalans advanced on foot； with lay figures of horses fastened on to them before and behind； and engaged in a mock combat with a body of Turks； as though in derision of the Florentine sentimentalism。 Last of all came a gigantic tower； the door guarded by an angel with a drawn sword； on it stood four Virtues； who each addressed the king with a song。 The rest of the show had nothing specially characteristic about it。
At the entrance of Louis XII into Milan in the year 1507 we find； besides the inevitable chariot with Virtues； a living group representing Jupiter； Mars； and a figure of Italy caught in a net。 After which came a car laden with trophies； and so forth。
And when there were in reality no triumphs to celebrate； the poets found a compensation for themselves and their patrons。 Petrarch and Boccaccio had described the representation of every sort of fame as attendants each of an allegorical figure； the celebrities of past ages were now made attendants of the prince。 The poetess Cleofe Gabrielli of Gubbio paid this honour to Borso of Ferrara。 She gave him seven queens… …the seven liberal artsas his handmaids； with whom he mounted a chariot； further； a crowd of heroes； distinguished by names written on their foreheads； then followed all the famous poets； and after them the gods driving in their chariots。 There is； in fact； at this time simply no end to the mythological and allegorical charioteering； and the most important work of art of Borso's timethe frescoes in the Palazzo Schifanoiashows us a whole frieze filled with these motives。 Raphael； when he had to paint the Camera della Segnatura； found this mode of artistic thought completely vulgarized and worn out。 The new and fina