Introduces the civilization of ancient Rome.

"This is the story of twelve years when war, plague, famine, and chaos made their mark on a volatile Italy, and when a young, erratic genius, Michelangelo Buonarroti, made his first great statue - the David. It was to become a symbol, not only of the independence and defiance of the city of Florence, but also of the tortured soul who created it. This is a history of the artist, his times, and one of his most magnificent works."--Jacket.

"In this exquisite and profound memoir, a medieval historian traces her lifelong obsession with Rome and the encounters with the city's past and present that became fulcrum points in her life. From the time she first felt called to its gates as a high school student fascinated by Dante and Italian thanks to a life-changing teacher, Rome has been a fixed star around which Alizah Holstein's life has rotated--despite the fact that she bears no Italian...