Jealousy – 'the green-eyed monster'

Jealousy has been called a lot of things. The Romans called it “the enemy of honor,” King Solomon referred to it as “rottenness of the bones,” and Shakespeare labelled it “the green sickness” or the “green eyed monster.” And it can infect the best of people.

The counselors in Florence, Italy asked Leonardo da Vinci, then Italy’s most celebrated artist, to submit sketches for the decorations of the Grand Hall in Florence. One of the counselors had heard of a young and little-known artist named Michelangelo who had done good work and asked him to submit sketches also.

The sketches of Leonardo we...