xisted, and
the new complications that might arise from overt act, feel herself
strong enough to take the field in open war and to hazard all, it might
be, upon the chances of a single field.

Then it was that there came into the mind of Messer Simone dei Bardi,
instigated thereunto, as I verily believe, more for his own purpose than
from any pure patriotism, a scheme for sapping the strength of the
Aretines by some sudden and secret stroke. It was with this end in view
that he went up and down the city, talking with those that were young
and inflammable, and baiting his plans with many big words and sounding
phrases that were as stimulating to the ear as the clanging of the bells
on the war-wagon, so that those who heard them, flushed and troubled by
their music, were at little pains to inquire as to the wisdom that lay
behind them. When Messer Simone found that there were plenty of young
men in the city that were as headstrong and valorous as he could wish,
he began to mould his words into a closer meaning and to make plainer
what he would be at. This was, as it seemed, no other than the formation
of a kind of sacred army, such as he had professed to have read of in
the history of certain of the old Greek cities, that was to be entirely
devoted to the gain and welfare of the city, and to regard all other
purposes in life as of little or no value in comparison. He hinted,
then, at the levying of a legion of high-spirited and adventurous
gentlemen, whose object was to strike surely and suddenly at the
strength of Arezzo, being sworn beforehand never to endure defeat or to
know retreat when once they had taken their work in hand. To give their
object greater significance, he suggested that this legion should be
known as the Company of Death, thereby signifying that those who pledged
themselves thereto were only to return victorious or not at all.

You may be sure that a great many gallant youths caught eagerly at such
a chance of serving their city, all the more so, it may be, because it
offered them no direct reward in the case of success and assured them a
self-promised death in the event of failure. Now you shall see wherein
this scheme helped to serve the purpose of Messer Simone dei Bardi, for
it was his hope that Messer Dante should be tempted to enroll himself in
this same Company of Death, whereby there was every possibility of
Messer Simone being well rid of him.

XI

MESSER FOLCO'S FESTIVAL

I may