the home and
meeting-place of rare intellects and accomplished artists, "the fine
flower of the human race," were now full of drinking-booths and
dung-hills--of rude soldiery, who defiled the place with their foul
habits and polluted the air with their savage oaths. So passes the glory
of the world.

FOOTNOTES:

[78] L. Pelissier, _op. cit._

CHAPTER XXX

Louis XII. in Milan--Hatred of the French rule--Return of Duke Lodovico
--His march to Como and triumphal entry into Milan--Trivulzio and the
French retire to Mortara--Surrender of the Castello of Milan, of Pavia
and Novara, to the Moro--His want of men and money--Arrival of La
Tremouille's army--Lodovico besieged in Novara and betrayed to the
French king by the Swiss--Rejoicings at Rome and Venice--Triumph of the
Borgias--Sufferings of the Milanese--Leonardo's letter.

1499-1500

During the next month Louis XII. remained in the Castello of Milan,
joining in hunting-parties with his guests, the Duke of Ferrara and the
Marquis of Mantua, and being royally entertained at banquets by the
Viscontis and Borromeos and Giangiacomo Trivulzio. Isabella d'Este,
eager to ingratiate herself with the French, invited Ligny to visit her,
and sent dogs and falcons, as well as trout from Garda, to the king, who
told La Tremouille that he had never tasted better fish. And when
Cardinal d'Amboise expressed his admiration for Andrea Mantegna's art
and told the marquis that in his opinion he was the first master in the
world, Isabella hastened to promise him a picture by the great Paduan's
hand.

It was a sad time for the followers of Lodovico. The faithful servants
who had followed him into exile, saw their lands and houses confiscated
and divided among the victors. The Count of Ligny's mother occupied the
Marchesino Stanga's house, and Trivulzio's triumph over his rivals was
complete when he received the Moro's palace of Vigevano and Messer
Galeazzo's fair domain of Castel Novo as his share of the spoils. But
no one suffered more keenly or shed more bitter tears than
Giangaleazzo's widow, Duchess Isabella. She had unwisely declined
Lodovico's advice to leave Milan when the war broke out, and take refuge
on her uncle Frederic's galleys at Genoa. Instead of this, she remained
in Milan and sent her son, a child of eight, whom contemporaries
describe as beautiful as a cherub, but weak in mind, like his father, to
meet Louis XII. on his arrival at the Castello. But, to her