DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32873#0376
2/4 LIFE OF BENVENUTO CELLINI [BK. i
love me, pay no attention to me, and go about your own
business, and take yourself off quickly as the others
have done, for there is no time to lose." These words
were spoken hurriedly. In the meanwhile my enemies of
the Banks were gone away at a slow pace towards the
(a place called thus), and had reached a junc-
tion of streets which ran in different directions; but that
(street) wherein was the house of my enemy Pompeo
was the street which leads straight to the Campo di
Fiore; and for some purpose the said Pompeo had
entered into that druggist's shop which stands at the
corner of the Chiavica, and he stayed with that said
druggist some little time over some business of his;
though I was told that he was boasting of that insult
which it seemed to him that he had done me; but in
every way that was indeed his ill-luck: because when I
arrived at that corner, he was just coming out of the
druggist's, and those ruffians of his had separated, and
had just received him into their midst. Drawing a little
sharp dagger, and forcing the rank of his ruffians, I laid
my hands upon his breast with such quickness and cool-
ness of spirit, that none of the said men were able to
prevent me. As I aimed to strike him in the face, the
fear that he experienced made him turn his countenance
away, wherefore I caught him exactly under the ear;
and there I struck him two blows only, for at the second
he fell dead by my hand, which was never my intention ;
but as they say, " Blows are not struck according to bar-
gains." ^ Withdrawing the dagger with my left hand, with
my right I drew out my sword in defence of my life,
i 7V, "the Sewer": corresponding to the Latin C7rw<%.
* 7.^., "You can't stop to measure the force of a blow."
love me, pay no attention to me, and go about your own
business, and take yourself off quickly as the others
have done, for there is no time to lose." These words
were spoken hurriedly. In the meanwhile my enemies of
the Banks were gone away at a slow pace towards the
(a place called thus), and had reached a junc-
tion of streets which ran in different directions; but that
(street) wherein was the house of my enemy Pompeo
was the street which leads straight to the Campo di
Fiore; and for some purpose the said Pompeo had
entered into that druggist's shop which stands at the
corner of the Chiavica, and he stayed with that said
druggist some little time over some business of his;
though I was told that he was boasting of that insult
which it seemed to him that he had done me; but in
every way that was indeed his ill-luck: because when I
arrived at that corner, he was just coming out of the
druggist's, and those ruffians of his had separated, and
had just received him into their midst. Drawing a little
sharp dagger, and forcing the rank of his ruffians, I laid
my hands upon his breast with such quickness and cool-
ness of spirit, that none of the said men were able to
prevent me. As I aimed to strike him in the face, the
fear that he experienced made him turn his countenance
away, wherefore I caught him exactly under the ear;
and there I struck him two blows only, for at the second
he fell dead by my hand, which was never my intention ;
but as they say, " Blows are not struck according to bar-
gains." ^ Withdrawing the dagger with my left hand, with
my right I drew out my sword in defence of my life,
i 7V, "the Sewer": corresponding to the Latin C7rw<%.
* 7.^., "You can't stop to measure the force of a blow."