David Blixt - The Master of Verona

Dramatis Personae

* denotes a character recorded by history

denotes a character from Shakespeare

Scaligeri

Francesco 'Cangrande' della Scala* Ruler of Verona

Giovanna of Svevia * Cangrande's wife, great-grand-daughter of Frederick II

Franceschino 'Cecchino' della Scala * nephew to Cangrande

Federigo della Scala * Cangrande's cousin

Alberto II della Scala * Cangrande's nephew, brother of Mastino, b. 1306

Mastino II della Scala * Cangrande's nephew, brother of Alberto, b. 1308

Francesco 'Cesco' della Scala * a bastard, b. 1314

Nogarola

Antonio Nogarola II *- Vicentine nobleman, elder brother to Bailardino

Bailardino Nogarola *- Lord of Vicenza, husband to Cangrande's sister, Katerina

Katerina della Scala *- sister to Cangrande, wife of Bailardino

Bailardetto 'Detto' Nogarola son of Bailardino and Katerina. b. 1315

Alaghieri

Durante 'Dante' Alaghieri * Florentine poet exiled in 1302

Gemma Donati * wife of Dante, living in Florence

Pietro Alaghieri * Dante's heir

Jacopo 'Poco' Alaghieri * Dante's youngest son

Antonia Alaghieri * Dante's daughter

Carrara

Giacomo 'Il Grande' da Carrara * Paduan Lord, uncle to Marsilio

Marsilio da Carrara * nephew of Il Grande

Gianozza della Bella great-niece to Il Grande, cousin to Marsilio

Montecchio

Gargano Montecchio Lord of Montecchio, father of Mariotto and Aurelia

Romeo Mariotto Montecchio son of Gargano

Aurelia Montecchio daughter of Gargano

Capecelatro

Ludovico Capecelatro head of a merchant family from Capua, father of Luigi and Antonio

Luigi Capecelatro eldest son on of Ludovico

Antonio Capecelatro second son of Ludovico

Arnaldo Capecelatro brother to Ludovico

Supporting Characters

Albertino Mussato * Paduan historian-poet

Aventino Fracastoro Personal physician to Cangrande

Benvenito Lemoti Fiance to Aurelia Montecchio

Bishop Francis * Franciscan Bishop, leader of Veronese spiritual growth

Bishop Guelco Bishop of Verona

Ferdinando da Bonaventura Cousin to the Bonaventura heir, Petruchio

Fra Lorenzo Franciscan monk with family in France

Francesco Dandolo * Venetian nobleman, ambassador to Verona

Guglielmo da Castelbarco * Veronese noble, Cangrande's Armourer

Giuseppe Morsicato Knight, Nogarola family doctor

Ignazzio da Palermo Personal astrologer to the Scaligeri

Katerina da Bonaventura Paduan born heiress, daughter of Baptista Minola

Manoello Giudeo * Cangrande's Master of Revels

Massimiliano da Villafranca Constable of Cangrande's palace

Nicolo da Lozzo * Paduan-born knight, changed sides to join Cangrande

Passerino Bonaccolsi * Podest of Mantua, ally to Cangrande

Petruchio da Bonaventura Veronese noble, married to Katerina

Ponzino de' Ponzoni * Cremona-born knight, elected Podest of Padua in 1314

Theodoro of Cadiz Moorish servant of the astrologer Ignazzio da Palermo

Tullio d'Isola aged steward, Grand Butler to Cangrande

Uguccione della Faggiuola * ruler of Lucca, former patron of Dante, friend of Cangrande

Vanni 'Asdente' Scorigiani Paduan knight

Vinciguerra, Count of San Bonifacio * last of an exiled Veronese family

Ziliberto dell' Angelo Cangrande's Master of the Hunt

Padua

16 September 1314

Ciolo's nerves jangled in time with his spurs. During the whole ride they hadn't seen a soul. Not on the road, not in the fields. No one at all.

"What does it mean?" asked Girolamo.

"I don't know," said Ciolo.

"Is Padua under siege?"

"I don't know. Let's keep going."

"How will we get in?"

"Keep riding."

"But"

"Think of golden florins."

"I've never been to Florence!"

"Shut up!" hissed Ciolo.

Empty fields gave way to empty suburbs. Some hovels and shacks were burnt out, but more were intact, even new Ciolo saw fresh-cut timber struts and new bricks. Marks of an old siege, not a new one. If there were a present siege, by now he would have heard the sounds of hundreds of men muttering, cheering, singing, impatient horses stamping, the crack and whine of siege machines, the smell of fire and filth.

But the only smells were common night scents. The only sounds were crickets and the occasional goose or dog. There were no tents or firebrands, no bristling spears. The city wasn't under siege. So where the devil was everyone?

Ciolo's skin went cold with a horrible notion. A pest. A pest had come and even now the Paduans were hiding in their homes scratching at scabs and vomiting blood. He glanced at Girolamo but kept his mouth shut. Thinking of the money, he put his dirty hand over his mouth to keep out the bad air and rode slowly on.

They approached the city's north gate, crossing the Ponte Molino, an old Roman bridge the length of fourteen horses whose triple arches spanned the Bacchiglione River. The center arch was supported by two massive stone columns rising from the rippling water. Nearby mills creaked and groaned. Padua depended on the Bacchiglione for everything.

The bridge ended right at the lip of the fortified gate. Ciolo squinted hard. No bodies piled up outside. A good sign. But still there was no one in sight. Ciolo nudged his horse onto the bridge and began to cross it. Girolamo followed.

Halfway across, Ciolo could make out that the gates into the city were open, but dark.

Girolamo said, "I've got a bad feeling about this job."

Suddenly a flame appeared high on the tower before them. A torch. Two more joined it. At the same moment Ciolo heard a human noise. Thousands of voices, cheering. Men, women, children. Bells pealed and musicians played. All the people were inside the city walls, watching for sunset and the lighting of torches.

Sagging in his saddle, Ciolo mopped his brow. "See, it's nothing. A celebr-"

Then he heard thunder as an army of horses poured out of the gate right in front of them. Plumed helmets and shining breastplates reflected light from the brands held high as countless Paduan knights emerged from the city, riding furiously across the Ponte Molino.

Riding right at Ciolo and Girolamo.

Abandoning his horse, Ciolo threw himself from his saddle and ran, arms pumping, to the edge of the bridge. He didn't hesitate, but threw himself into space. For a moment his arms flapped at the air, then he hit the water feet-first, plunging below the surface.