n, and after came Cesare himself, a graceful,
youthful figure, resplendent in full armour at the head of his lances.
To meet him advanced now the three Orsini and Vitellozzo Vitelli.
Macchiavelli tells us of the latter's uneasiness, of his premonitions of
evil, and the farewells (all of which Macchiavelli had afterwards heard
reported) which he had taken of his family before coming to Sinigaglia.
Probably these are no more than the stories that grow up about such men
after such an event as that which was about to happen.

The condottieri came unarmed, Vitelli mounted on a mule, wearing a cloak
with a green lining. In that group he is the only man deserving of any
respect or pity--a victim of his sense of duty to his family, driven to
his rebellion and faithlessness to Valentinois by his consuming desire
to avenge his brother's death upon the Florentines. The others were
poor creatures, incapable even of keeping faith with one another. Paolo
Orsini was actually said to be in secret concert with Valentinois since
his mission to him at Imola, and to have accepted heavy bribes from him.
Oliverotto you have seen at work, making a holocaust of his family and
friends under the base spur of his cupidity; whilst of the absent ones,
Pandolfo Petrucci alone was a man of any steadfastness and honesty.

The duke's reception of them was invested with that gracious
friendliness of which none knew the art better than did he, intent
upon showing them that the past was forgiven and their offences against
himself forgotten. As they turned and rode with him through the gates
of Sinigaglia some of the duke's gentlemen hemmed them about in the
preconcerted manner, lest even now they should be taken with alarm. But
it was all done unostentatiously and with every show of friendliness,
that no suspicions should be aroused.

From the group Cesare had missed Oliverotto, and as they now approached
the market-square, where the Tyrant of Fermo sat on his horse at the
head of his troops, Cesare made a sign with his eyes to Don Michele, the
purport of which was plain to the captain. He rode ahead to suggest to
Ohiverotto that this was no time to have his men under arms and out of
their lodgings, and to point out to him that, if they were not dismissed
they would be in danger of having their quarters snatched from them by
the duke's men, from which trouble might arise. To this he added that
the duke was expecting his lordship.

Oliverotto, persuaded