en more cautious.
Giulio Belanti of Siena, of whom I have spoken before, from the hate
he bore Pandolfo Petrucci, who had given him his daughter to wife and
afterwards taken her from him, resolved to murder him, and thus chose
his time. Almost every day Pandolfo went to visit a sick kinsman,
passing the house of Giulio on the way, who, remarking this, took
measures to have his accomplices ready in his house to kill Pandolfo as
he passed. Wherefore, placing the rest armed within the doorway, one he
stationed at a window to give the signal of Pandolfo's approach. It so
happened however, that as he came nigh the house, and after the look-out
had given the signal, Pandolfo fell in with a friend who stopped him
to converse; when some of those with him, going on in advance, saw and
heard the gleam and clash of weapons, and so discovered the ambuscade;
whereby Pandolfo was saved, while Giulio with his companions had to
fly from Siena. This plot accordingly was marred, and Giulio's schemes
baulked, in consequence of a chance meeting. Against such accidents,
since they are out of the common course of things, no provision can
be made. Still it is very necessary to take into account all that may
happen, and devise what remedies you can.

It now only remains for us to consider those dangers which follow after
the execution of a plot. These in fact resolve themselves into one,
namely, that some should survive who will avenge the death of the
murdered prince. The part of avenger is likely to be assumed by a son, a
brother, or other kinsman of the deceased, who in the ordinary course of
events might have looked to succeed to the princedom. And such persons
are suffered to live, either from inadvertence, or from some of the
causes noted already, as when Giovann' Andrea of Lampognano, with the
help of his companions, put to death the Duke of Milan. For the son and
two brothers of the Duke, who survived him, were able to avenge his
death. In cases like this, indeed, the conspirators may be held excused,
since there is nothing they can do to help themselves. But when from
carelessness and want of due caution some one is allowed to live
whose death ought to have been secured, there is no excuse. Certain
conspirators, after murdering the lord, Count Girolamo of Forli, made
prisoners of his wife and of his children who were still very young.
By thinking they could not be safe unless they got possession of the
citadel, which the governor refu