and it is
remembered of him that he tried to cure the Mantuan air of its
feverish unwholesomeness by draining the swampy environs. During his
time, Petrarch, making a sentimental journey to the birthplace of
Virgil, was splendidly entertained and greatly honored by him. For the
rest, Can Grande of Verona was by no means content with his hundred
thousand golden florins of spoil from the sack of the city, but
aspired to its seigniory, declaring that he had understood Gonzaga
to have promised him it as the condition of alliance against the
Bonacolsi. Gonzaga construed the contract differently, and had so
little idea of parting with his opinion, that he fought the Scaligero
on this point of difference till he died, which befell thirty years
after his election to the captaincy.

Him his son Guido succeeded,--a prince already old at the time of his
father's death, and of feeble spirit. He shared his dominion with his
son Ugolino, excluding the younger brothers from the dominion. These,
indignant at the partiality, one night slew their brother Ugolino at a
supper he was giving; and being thereupon admitted to a share in their
father's government, had no trouble in obtaining the pardon of the
Pope and Emperor. One of the murderers died before the father; the
other, named Ludovico, was, on the death of Guido, in 1370, elected to
the captaincy, and ruled long, wisely, and well. He loved a peaceful
life; and though the Emperor confirmed him in the honors conferred on
him by the Mantuans, and made him Vicar imperial, Ludovico declined to
take part with Ghibellines against Guelphs, remained quietly at home,
and spent himself much in good works, as if he would thus expiate his
bloody crime. He gathered artists, poets, and learned men about him,
and did much to foster all arts. In his time, Mantua had rest from
war, and grew to have twenty-eight thousand inhabitants; but it was
not in the nature of a city of the Middle Ages to be long without a
calamity of some sort, and it is a kind of relief to know that Mantua,
under this peaceful prince, was well-nigh depopulated by a pestilence.

In 1381 he died, and with his son Francesco the blood-letting began
again. Indeed, this captain spent nearly his whole life in war with
those pleasant people, the Visconti of Milan. He had married the
daughter of Barnabo Visconti, but discovering her to be unfaithful to
him, or believing her so, he caused her to be put to death, refusing
all her famil