Seite 292 von 310

But Fortune growing envious of the glory of Castruccio took away

his life just at the time when she should have preserved it, and

thus ruined all those plans which for so long a time he had

worked to carry into effect, and in the successful prosecution of

which nothing but death could have stopped him. Castruccio was in

the thick of the battle the whole of the day; and when the end of

it came, although fatigued and overheated, he stood at the gate

of Fucecchio to welcome his men on their return from victory and

personally thank them. He was also on the watch for any attempt

of the enemy to retrieve the fortunes of the day; he being of the

opinion that it was the duty of a good general to be the first

man in the saddle and the last out of it.