ultimately at the
head of a considerable army, some ten thousand strong, well-equipped and
supported by good artillery.

Louis XII left Milan on November 7--one month after his triumphal
entrance--and set out to return to France, leaving Trivulzio to
represent him as ruler of the Milanese. Two days later Cesare's army
took the road, and he himself went with his horse by way of Piacenza,
whilst the foot, under the Bailie of Dijon, having obtained leave of
passage through the territories of Ferrara and Cremona, followed the Po
down to Argenta.

Thus did Cesare Borgia--personally attended by a caesarian guard,
wearing his livery--set out upon the conquest of the Romagna. Perhaps
at no period of his career is he more remarkable than at this moment. To
all trades men serve apprenticeships, and to none is the apprenticeship
more gradual and arduous than to the trade of arms. Yet Cesare
Borgia served none. Like Minerva, springing full-grown and armed into
existence, so Cesare sprang to generalship in the hour that saw him made
a soldier. This was the first army in which he had ever marched, yet he
marched at the head of it. In his twenty-four years of life he had never
so much as witnessed a battle pitched; yet here was he riding to
direct battles and to wrest victories. Boundless audacity and swiftest
intelligence welded into an amazing whole!

CHAPTER III. IMOLA AND FORLI

Between his departure from Milan and his arrival before Imola, where his
campaign was to be inaugurated, Cesare paid a flying visit to Rome and
his father, whom he had not seen for a full year. He remained three days
at the Vatican, mostly closeted with the Pope's Holiness. At the end of
that time he went north again to rejoin his army, which by now had been
swelled by the forces that had joined it from Cesena, some Pontifical
troops, and a condotta under Vitellozzo Vitelli.

The latter, who was Lord of Castello, had gone to Milan to seek justice
at the hands of Louis XII against the Florentines, who had beheaded his
brother Paolo--deservedly, for treason in the conduct of the war against
Pisa. This Vitellozzo was a valuable and experienced captain. He took
service with Cesare, spurred by the hope of ultimately finding a way
to avenge himself upon the Florentines, and in Cesare's train he now
advanced upon Imola and Forli.

The warlike Countess Caterina Sforza-Riario had earlier been granted
by her children full administration of their patr