r Lucretia's first transports had passed she may well have blessed
her good fortune, for to what danger would she have been exposed if she
now, instead of being Alfonso's wife, was still forced to share the
destiny of the Borgias! She was soon able to convince herself that her
position in Ferrara was unshaken. She owed this to her own personality
and to the permanent advantages which she had brought to the house of
Este. She saw, however, that the lives of her kinsmen in Rome were in
danger; there were her sick brother, her child Rodrigo, and Giovanni,
Duke of Nepi; while the Orsini, burning with a desire to wipe out old
scores, were hastening thither to avenge themselves for the blood of
their kinsmen.

She besought her father-in-law to help Caesar and to preserve his estates
for him. Ercole thought that it would be more to his own advantage for
Caesar to hold the Romagna than to have it fall into the hands of Venice.
He, therefore, sent Pandolfo Collenuccio thither to urge the people to
remain true to their lord. To his ambassador in Rome he confided his joy
that Caesar was on the road to recovery.[186]

With the exception of the Romagna, the empire of Alexander's son at once
began to crumble away. The tyrants he had expelled returned to their
cities. Guidobaldo and Elisabetta hastened from Venice to Urbino and
were received with open arms. Still more promptly Giovanni Sforza had
returned from Mantua to Pesaro. The Marquis Gonzaga had sent him the
first news of Alexander's death and of Caesar's illness, and Sforza
thanked him in the following letter:

ILLUSTRIOUS SIR AND HONORED BROTHER: I thank your
Excellency for the good news which you have given me in your
letter, especially regarding the condition of Valentino. My joy is
great because I believe my misfortunes are now at an end. I assure
you that if I return to my country, I shall regard myself as your
Excellency's creature, and you may dispose of my person and my
property as you will. I ask you, in case you learn anything more
regarding Valentino, and especially of his death, that you will
send me the news, for by so doing you will afford me great joy. I
commend myself to you at all times.

MANTUA, _August 25, 1503_.

As early as September 3d, Sforza was able to inform the Marquis that he
had entered Pesaro amid the acclamations of the people. He immediately
had a medal struck in commemoration of the happy