able hostage. So they shut her up
in the Castle of Todi, together with her children and the women who had
been with her when she was taken.

As in the case of Dorotea Caracciolo, the rumour is instantly put about
that it was Cesare who had seized her, that he had taken her to his
camp, and that this poor woman had fallen a prey to that lustful
monster. So--and in some such words--ran the story, and such a hold did
it take upon folks' credulity that we see Piero di Bibieno before the
Council of Ten, laying a more or less formal charge against the duke in
rather broader terms than are here set down. So much, few of those
who have repeated his story omit to tell you. But for some reason, not
obviously apparent, they do not think it worth while to add that the
Doge himself--better informed, it is clear, for he speaks with finality
in the matter--reproved him by denying the rumour and definitely stating
that it was not true, as you may read in the Diary of Marino Sanuto.
That same diary shows you the husband--a person of great consequence in
Venice--before the Council, clamouring for the enlargement of his lady;
yet never once does he mention the name of Valentinois. The Council of
Ten sends an envoy to wait upon the Pope; and the Pope expresses his
profound regret and his esteem for Alviano, and informs the envoy that
he is writing to Valentinois to demand her instant release--in fact,
shows the envoy the letter.

To that same letter the duke replied on January 29 that he had known
nothing of the matter until this communication reached him; that he has
since ascertained that the lady was indeed captured and that she has
since been detained in the Castle of Todi with all the consideration
due to her rank; and that, immediately upon ascertaining this he had
commanded that she should be set at liberty, which was done.

And so the Lady Panthasilea returned unharmed to her husband.

In Assisi Cesare received the Florentine ambassador Salviati, who came
to congratulate the duke upon the affair of Sinigaglia and to replace
Macchiavelli--the latter having been ordered home again. Congratulations
indeed were addressed to him by all those Powers that had received his
official intimation of the event. Amongst these were the felicitations
of the beautiful and accomplished Isabella d'Este, Marchioness of
Gonzaga--whose relations with him were ever of the friendliest, even
when Faenza by its bravery evoked her pity--and with these she