Page:The Prince (translated by William K. Marriott).djvu/291

Rh when he had overcome the infantry he would be able to make short work of the cavalry. This fell out as he had hoped, for when he saw the Florentine army driven back across the river he ordered the remainder of his infantry to attack the cavalry of the enemy. This they did with lance and javelin, and, joined by their own cavalry, fell upon the enemy with the greatest fury and soon put him to flight. The Florentine captains, having seen the difficulty their cavalry had met with in crossing the river, had attempted to make their infantry cross lower down the river, in order to attack the flanks of Castruccio's army. But here, also, the banks were steep and already lined by the men of Castruccio, and this movement was quite useless. Thus the Florentines were so completely defeated at all points that scarcely a third of them escaped, and Castruccio was again covered with glory. Many captains were taken prisoners, and Carlo, the son of King Ruberto, with Michelagnolo Falconi and Taddeo degli Albizzd, the Florentine commissioners, fled to Empoh. If the spoils were great, the slaughter was infinitely greater, as might be expected in such a battle. Of the Florentines there fell 20,231 men, whilst Castruccio lost 1570 men.

But Fortune growing envious of the glory of Castruccio took away his hfe just at the time when she should have preserved it, and thus