But this was not Caesar Borgia's idea at all: he had stayed behind to
confer with the pope, and had joined the French army with some of his
troops on the very day on which the conference had been arranged for two
days later: and a capitulation of any nature would rob him of his share
of the booty and the promise of such pleasure as would come from the
capture of a city so rich and populous as Capua. So he opened up
negotiations on his own account with a captain who was on guard at one of
the gates such negotiations, made with cunning supported by bribery,
proved as usual more prompt and efficacious than any others. At the very
moment when Fabrizio Colonna in a fortified outpost was discussing the
conditions of capitulation with the French captains, suddenly great cries
of distress were heard. These were caused by Borgia, who without a word
to anyone had entered the town with his faithful army from Romagna, and
was beginning to cut the throats of the garrison, which had naturally
somewhat relaxed their vigilance in the belief that the capitulation was
all but signed. The French, when they saw that the town was half taken,
rushed on the gates with such impetuosity that the besieged did not even
attempt to defend themselves any longer, and forced their way into Capua
by three separate sides: nothing more could be done then to stop the
issue. Butchery and pillage had begun, and the work of destruction must
needs be completed: in vain did Fabrizio Colonna, Ranuzio di Marciano,
and Don Ugo di Cardona attempt to make head against the French and
Spaniards with such men as they could get together. Fabrizia Calonna and
Don Ugo were made prisoners; Ranuzia, wounded by an arrow, fell into the
hands of the Duke of Valentinois; seven thousand inhabitants were
massacred in the streets among them the traitor who had given up the
gate; the churches were pillaged, the convents of nuns forced open; and
then might be seen the spectacle of some of these holy virgins casting
themselves into pits or into the river to escape the soldiers. Three
hundred of the noblest ladies of the town took refuge in a tower. The
Duke of Valentinois broke in the doors, chased out for himself forty of
the most beautiful, and handed over the rest to his army.

The pillage continued for three days.

Capua once taken, Frederic saw that it was useless any longer to attempt
defence. So he shut himself up in Castel Nuovo and gave permission to
Gaeta and to