When he captured Friola he caused the population, of all ages, sexes, occupations, to be deprived of their eyes, noses, and legs, and to be cast forth to the mercy of the elements.

On another occasion he walled up a family of princes in a castle and left them to die of famine.

Wealth, eminence, and beauty attracted his displeasure no less than insubordination or disobedience.
Nor was he less crafty than cruel.

Sons betrayed their fathers, friends their comrades, under the fallacious safeguard of his promises.

A gigantic instance of his scheming was the coup-de-main by which he succeeded in entrapping 11,000 Paduan soldiers, only 200 of whom escaped the miseries of his prisons.