Here Castruccio stood exposed to a wind which often rises at midday on the banks of the Arno, and which is often very unhealthy; from this he took a chill, of which he thought nothing, as he was accustomed to such troubles; but it was the cause of his death.

On the following night he was attacked with high fever, which increased so rapidly that the doctors saw it must prove fatal.

Castruccio, therefore, called Pagolo Guinigi to him, and addressed him as follows: "If I could have believed that Fortune would have cut me off in the midst of the career which was leading to that glory which all my successes promised, I should have laboured less, and I should have left thee, if a smaller state, at least with fewer enemies and perils, because I should have been content with the governorships of Lucca and Pisa.

I should neither have subjugated the Pistoians, nor outraged the Florentines with so many injuries.

But I would have made both these peoples my friends, and I should have lived, if no longer, at least more peacefully, and have left you a state without a doubt smaller, but one more secure and established on a surer foundation.