The stage At the occasion of the marriage between Cosimo II and Maria Magdalena of Austria in 1608, the play Il giudizio di Paride was performed in the Uffizi Theatre of Florence. The acts of the play were enriched with intermezzi, as usual in the court theatre of the period. The scenery and, in particular, the theatrical machinery of these intermezzi were completed by the Florentine engineer Giulio Parigi. The fourth intermezzo, which the argument of the present work begins with, celebrated

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... figure and discoveries of Amerigo Vespucci in heroic manners: [...] the scene transformed into a peaceful and calm sea. Its shores appeared to be covered by trees unknown to us and, among them, one could see dwellings made of palm trees and reeds and some of earth and others were in the trees. On other sites, there were enclosures of reed and beds of mesh tied to the trees. The air was full of parrots and similar varieties of birds. Below there were naked men, as common in the West Indies. In this sea a big sail ship appeared, with a Lion at the bow. Because of the lilies on the trees and on the sails it was possible to recognize the Florentine Amerigo Vespucci, who sat at the stern, armed, dressed with a greatcoat according to the customs from his homeland, an Astrolabe in his hand. The ship's wheel had the shape of a chained dolphin and was governed by the Nautical Science, which was a woman dressed in cerulean colors, with anchors, a compass, and other maritime instruments. Hope, Daring and Fortitude, all dressed with their marking signs, were at bow among the soldiers and the sailors. When they saw land, they all shouted [...]. 1 1 »[...] la Scena si fece Mare placido, e quieto, e le sue rive apparuero vestite d'alberi incogniti à noi, e fra essi vedevansi qua, e là sparse case fatte di palme, e di canne, alcune in terra, altre su gli alberi: altrove ricinti d'incannucciate, e letti di rete le gati a gli alberi: l'aria piena di Pappagalli, e simil varietà d'uccelli, e per terra huomini nudi, come costuman nell'Indie Occidentali. In questo mare comparve à vela una nave grande, con un Leone in prua, e gigli sopra gli alberi, e nelle vele, dà tali contrassegni, si riconobbe Amerigo Vespucci Fiorentino,