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　the　duke　wished　to　undertake　an　expedition　against　Tuscany　they　were　ready；　if　he　did　not　wish　it；　then　they　would　besiege　Sinigalia。　To　this　the　duke　replied　that　he　did　not　wish　to　enter　into　war　with　Tuscany；　and　thus　become　hostile　to　the　Florentines；　but　that　he　was　very　willing　to　proceed　against　Sinigalia。

It　happened　that　not　long　afterwards　the　town　surrendered；　but　the　fortress　would　not　yield　to　them　because　the　castellan　would　not　give　it　up　to　any　one　but　the　duke　in　person；　therefore　they　exhorted　him　to　come　there。　This　appeared　a　good　opportunity　to　the　duke；　as；　being　invited　by　them；　and　not　going　of　his　own　will；　he　would　awaken　no　suspicions。　And　the　more　to　reassure　them；　he　allowed　all　the　French　men…at…arms　who　were　with　him　in　Lombardy　to　depart；　except　the　hundred　lancers　under　Mons。　di　Candales；　his　brother…in…law。　He　left　Cesena　about　the　middle　of　December；　and　went　to　Fano；　and　with　the　utmost　cunning　and　cleverness　he　persuaded　the　Vitelli　and　Orsini　to　wait　for　him　at　Sinigalia；　pointing　out　to　them　that　any　lack　of　compliance　would　cast　a　doubt　upon　the　sincerity　and　permanency　of　the　reconciliation；　and　that　he　was　a　man　who　wished　to　make　use　of　the　arms　and　councils　of　his　friends。　But　Vitellozzo　remained　very　stubborn；　for　the　death　of　his　brother　warned　him　that　he　should　not　offend　a　prince　and　afterwards　trust　him；　nevertheless；　persuaded　by　Pagolo　Orsini；　whom　the　duke　had　corrupted　with　gifts　and　promises；　he　agreed　to　wait。

Upon　this　the　duke；　before　his　departure　from　Fano；　which　was　to　be　on　30th　December　1502；　communicated　his　designs　to　eight　of　his　most　trusted　followers；　among　whom　were　Don　Michele　and　the　Monsignor　d'Euna；　who　was　afterwards　cardinal；　and　he　ordered　that；　as　soon　as　Vitellozzo；　Pagolo　Orsini；　the　Duke　di　Gravina；　and　Oliverotto　should　arrive；　his　followers　in　pairs　should　take　them　one　by　one；　entrusting　certain　men　to　certain　pairs；　who　should　entertain　them　until　they　reached　Sinigalia；　nor　should　they　be　permitted　to　leave　until　they　came　to　the　duke's　quarters；　where　they　should　be　seized。

The　duke　afterwards　ordered　all　his　horsemen　and　infantry；　of　which　there　were　more　than　two　thousand　cavalry　and　ten　thousand　footmen；　to　assemble　by　daybreak　at　the　Metauro；　a　river　five　miles　distant　from　Fano；　and　await　him　there。　He　found　himself；　therefore；　on　the　last　day　of　December　at　the　Metauro　with　his　men；　and　having　sent　a　cavalcade　of　about　two　hundred　horsemen　before　him；　he　then　moved　forward　the　infantry；　whom　he　accompanied　with　the　rest　of　the　men…at…　arms。

Fano　and　Sinigalia　are　two　cities　of　La　Marca　situate　on　the　shore　of　the　Adriatic　Sea；　fifteen　miles　distant　from　each　other；　so　that　he　who　goes　towards　Sinigalia　has　the　mountains　on　his　right　hand；　the　bases　of　which　are　touched　by　the　sea　in　some　places。　The　city　of　Sinigalia　is　distant　from　the　foot　of　the　mountains　a　little　more　than　a　bow…shot　and　from　the　shore　about　a　mile。　On　the　side　opposite　to　the　city　runs　a　little　river　which　bathes　that　part　of　the　walls　looking　towards　Fano；　facing　the　high　road。　Thus　he　who　draws　near　to　Sinigalia　comes　for　a　good　space　by　road　along　the　mountains；　and　reaches　the　river　which　passes　by　Sinigalia。　If　he　turns　to　his　left　hand　along　the　bank　of　it；　and　goes　for　the　distance　of　a　bow…shot；　he　arrives　at　a　bridge　which　crosses　the　river；　he　is　then　almost　abreast　of　the　gate　that　leads　into　Sinigalia；　not　by　a　straight　line；　but　transversely。　Before　this　gate　there　stands　a　collection　of　houses　with　a　square　to　which　the　bank　of　the　river　forms　one　side。

The　Vitelli　and　Orsini　having　received　orders　to　wait　for　the　duke；　and　to　honour　him　in　person；　sent　away　their　men　to　several　castles　distant　from　Sinigalia　about　six　miles；　so　that　room　could　be　made　for　the　men　of　the　duke；　and　they　left　in　Sinigalia　only　Oliverotto　and　his　band；　which　consisted　of　one　thousand　infantry　and　one　hundred　and　fifty　horsemen；　who　were　quartered　in　the　suburb　mentioned　above。　Matters　having　been　thus　arranged；　the　Duke　Valentino　left　for　Sinigalia；　and　when　the　leaders　of　the　cavalry　reached　the　bridge　they　did　not　pass　over；　but　having　opened　it；　one　portion　wheeled　towards　the　river　and　the　other　towards　the　country；　and　a　way　was　left　in　the　middle　through　which　the　infantry　passed；　without　stopping；　into　the　town。

Vitellozzo；　Pagolo；　and　the　Duke　di　Gravina　on　mules；　accompanied　by　a　few　horsemen；　went　towards　the　duke；　Vitellozo；　unarmed　and　wearing　a　cape　lined　with　green；　appeared　very　dejected；　as　if　conscious　of　his　approaching　deatha　circumstance　which；　in　view　of　the　ability　of　the　man　and　his　former　fortune；　caused　some　amazement。　And　it　is　said　that　when　he　parted　from　his　men　before　setting　out　for　Sinigalia　to　meet　the　duke　he　acted　as　if　it　were　his　last　parting　from　them。　He　recommended　his　house　and　its　fortunes　to　his　captains；　and　advised　his　nephews　that　it　was　not　the　fortune　of　their　house；　but　the　virtues　of　their　fathers　that　should　be　kept　in　mind。　These　three；　therefore；　came　before　the　duke　and　saluted　him　respectfully；　and　were　received　by　him　with　goodwill；　they　were　at　once　placed　between　those　who　were　commissioned　to　look　after　them。

But　the　duke　noticing　that　Oliverotto；　who　had　remained　with　his　band　in　Sinigalia；　was　missingfor　Oliverotto　was　waiting　in　the　square　before　his　quarters　near　the　river；　keeping　his　men　in　order　and　drilling　themsignalled　with　his　eye　to　Don　Michelle；　to　whom　the　care　of　Oliverotto　had　been　committed；　that　he　should　take　measures　that　Oliverotto　should　not　escape。　Therefore　Don　Michele　rode　off　and　joined　Oliverotto；　telling　him　that　it　was　not　right　to　keep　his　men　out　of　their　quarters；　because　these　might　be　taken　up　by　the　men　of　the　duke；　and　he　advised　him　to　send　them　at　once　to　their　quarters　and　to　come　himself　to　meet　the　duke。　And　Oliverotto；　having　taken　this　advice；　came　before　the　duke；　who；　when　he　saw　him；　called　to　him；　and　Oliverotto；　having　made　his　obeisance；　joined　the　others。

So　the　whole　party　entered　Sinigalia；　dismounted　at　the　duke's　quarters；　and　went　with　him　into　a　secret　chamber；　where　the　duke　made　them　prisoners；　he　then　mounted　on　horseback；　and　issued　orders　that　the　men　of　Oliverotto　and　the　Orsini　should　be　stripped　of　their　arms。　Those　of　Oliverotto；　being　at　hand；　were　quickly　settled；　but　those　of　the　Orsini　and　Vitelli；　being　at　a　distance；　and　having　a　presentiment　of　the　destruction　of　their　masters；　had　time　to　prepare　themselves；　and　bearing　in　mind　the　valour　and　discipline　of　the　Orsinian　and　Vitellian　houses；　they　stood　together　against　the　hostile　forces　of　the　country　and　saved　themselves。

But　the　duke's　soldiers；　not　being　content　with　having　pillaged　the　men　of　Oliverotto；　began　to　sack　Sinigalia；　and　if　the　duke　had　not　repressed　this　outrage　by　killing　some　of　them　they　would　have　completely　sacked　it。　Night　having　come　and　the　tumult　being　silenced；　the　duke　prepared　to　kill　Vitellozzo　and　Oliverotto；　he　led　them　into　a　room　and　caused　them　to　be　strangled。　Neither　of　them　used　words　in　keeping　with　their　past　lives：　Vitellozzo　prayed　that　he　might　ask　of　the　pope　full　pardon　for　his　sins；　Oliverotto　cringed　and　laid　the　blame　for　all　injuries　against　the　duke　on　Vitellozzo。　Pagolo　and　the　Duke　di　Gravina　Orsini　were　kept　alive　until　the　duke　heard　from　Rome　that　the　pope　had　taken　the　Cardinal　Orsino；　the　Archbishop　of　Florence；　and　Messer　Jacopo　da　Santa　Croce。　After　which　news；　on　18th　January　1502；　in　the　castle　of　Pieve；　they　also　were　strangled　in　the　same　way。





THE　LIFE　OF　CASTRUCCIO　CASTRACANI　OF　LUCCA

WRITTEN　BY　NICOLO　MACHIAVELLI

And　sent　to　his　friends　ZANOBI　BUONDELMONTI　And　LUIGI　ALAMANNI



CASTRUCCIO　CASTRACANI　1284…1328

It　appears；　dearest　Zanobi　and　Luigi；　a　wonderful　thing　to　those　who　have　considered　the　matter；　that　all　men；　or　the　larger　number　of　them；　who　have　performed　great　deeds　in　the　world；　and　excelled　all　others　in　their　day；　have　had　their　birth　and　beginning　in　baseness　and　obscurity；　or　have　been　aggrieved　by　Fortune　in　some　outrageous　way。　They　have　either　been　exposed　to　the　mercy　of　wild　beasts；　or　they　have　had　so　mean　a　parentage　that　in　shame　they　have　given　themselves　out　to　be　sons　of　Jove　or　of　some　other　deity。　It　would　be　wearisome　to　relate　who　these　persons　may　have　been　because　they　are　well　known　to　everybody；　and；　as　such　tales　would　not　be　particularly　edifying　to　those　who　read　them；　they　are　omitted。　I　believe　that　these　lowly　beginnings　of　great　men　occur　because　Fortune　is　desirous　of　showing　to　the　world　that　such　men　owe　much　to　her　and　little　to　wisdom；　because　she　begins　to　show　her　hand　when　wisdom　can　really　take　no　part　in　their　career：　thus　all　success　must　be　attributed　to　her。　Castruccio　Castracani　of　Lucca　was　one　of　those　men　who　did　great　deeds；　if　he　is　measured　by　the　times　in　which　he　lived　and　the　city　in　which　he　was　born；　but；　like　many　others；　he　was　neither　fortunate　nor　distinguished　in　his　birth；　as　the　course　of　this　history　will　show。　It　appeared　to　be　desirable　to　recall　his　memory；　because　I　have　discerned　in　him　such　indications　of　valour　and　fortune　as　should　make　him　a　great　exemplar　to　men。　I　think　also　that　I　ought　to　call　your　attention　to　his　actions；　because　you　of　all　men　I　know　delight　most　in　noble　deeds。

The　family　of　Castracani　was　formerly　numbered　among　the　noble　families　of　Lucca；　but　in　the　days　of　which　I　speak　it　had　somewhat　fallen　in　estate；　as　so　often　happens　in　this　world。　To　this　family　was　born　a　son　Antonio；　who　became　a　priest　of　the　order　of　San　Michele　of　Lucca；　and　for　this　reason　was　honoured　with　the　title　of　Messer　Antonio。　He　had　an　only　sister；　who　had　been　married　to　Buonaccorso　Cenami；　but　Buonaccorso　dying　she　became　a　widow；　and　not　wishing　to　marry　again　went　to　live　with　her　brother。　Messer　Antonio　had　a　vineyard　behind　the　house　where　he　resided；　and　as　it　was　bounded　on　all　sides　by　gardens；　any　person　could　have　access　to　it　without　difficulty。　One　morning；　shortly　after　sunrise；　Madonna　Dianora；　as　the　sister　of　Messer　Antonio　was　called；　had　occasion　to　go　into　the　vineyard　as　usual　to　gather　herbs　for　seasoning　the　dinner；　and　hearing　a　slight　rustling　among　the　leaves　of　a　vine　she　turned