Two years earlier another dark crime at Ferrara brought the name of Borgia before the public.

One of Lucrezia's ladies, Angela Borgia, was courted by both Giulio d' Este and the Cardinal Ippolito.

The girl praised the eyes of Giulio in the hearing of the Cardinal, who forthwith hired assassins to mutilate his brother's face.

Giulio escaped from their hands with the loss of one of his eyes, and sought justice from the Duke against the Cardinal in vain.

Thereupon he vowed to be revenged on both Ippolito and Alfonso.