After about half an hour, or so, he was badly thrown out from a window by other conspirators, who in the meantime had taken the town hall and his body was torn apart by other insurgents shouting freedom as they dragged him through the square, the witness reply in one breath.
Sounds like a bad story, answer the researcher, thinking about it for a moment. Then trying to guess more or less how things might have gone, he say:
So, if I understood correctly, it could be that when Riario was thrown out the window, he fall down on his head smashing it in the soil?
No. I didn't say that, and I don't think it's true. In fact I believe that Riario fall down on his feet and not upside down on his head, explained the witness.
And how would he have gotten is head crashed out ?
There are many ways to crash someone's head, replied the witness.
So how would it have happened?
You need to know a few more facts to understand the whole things.
And you know them?
Many of them, replied the witness.
And how would you know all these things? Did the ghost explain them to you? asked the researcher with a smile.
No. I am the son of the son, of the son of the son, from many lives of home-born Forli people, and I have inherited something from them, replied the witness.
Come on... how can I believe you... smiled the researcher again, are you trying to hide the truth from me?.
No.
So the ghost must have told you all about it? the researcher insisted.
No, he only said a few things. Others happened after his death and maybe he didn't even know them, explained the witness.
And you know about them?
I already told you: several, yes.
Excuse me, but who is the ghost? You or him? the researcher asked jokingly.
Him, of course.
And who are you?
A citizen of these places replied the witness.
And how would you know all this?
I just know it and thats all, replied the witness who seemed not to want explain more details.
Perhaps you've read everything in the history books?
Some things I have tried to verify in the history books, but a lot of them are not written in any history book.
So how do you know all these things? insisted the researcher.
I already told you. I am the son of the son of the son of the son of people here native and I have inherited something...
You are very curious. What else did the ghost tell you? asked the researcher who felt more and more involved with this story.
He promised revenge and blood to those who killed him and did this to him.
Did you ask him anything?
Yes.
You are also very brave. What did you ask him?
I demanded him for some details.
And what did he reply to you?
He didn't answer me.
Wait a moment. Did you done spirit sessions or something like that for ask him those questions? demanded the researcher, beginning to suspect that something like that must have happened.
No, I haven't. I'm not a spiritualist, replied the witness.
Who else enquire him then?
Many people as far as I know, but they didn't do a damn thing.
Why aren't they here in your place then?
It's been a long time and many of them are already dead, replied the witness.
Who were they?
I'd like not tell you that.
Why?
I'm afraid you wouldn't understand.
Come on... you can tell me. I'm a researcher and I've seen a lot of things in my life.
I think I had seen more of them, but if you really want to... the witness added.
I do care.
It's okay but I warned you. Make yourself comfortable because the story isn't short, said the witness as he prepared to tell the rest of the story.
It wasn't the first time someone had seen the ghost of Girolamo Riario in the town hall...
...the witness explained to the researcher.
As early as 1500 it was said that the place where Riario fell remain stained of his blood forever, and almost two hundred years later, around 1650, some chroniclers even wrote about it6.
In the 1700s there were some who spoke of Riario's spirit or soul and in the 1800s there were some tales telling how, after his murder, his ghost wandering around looking for someone.
In the second half of the 1800s there was a culmination and several groups of spiritualists and Freemasons said they were in contact not only with him, but also with Caterina Sforza7 and someone else who was staying in the fortress of Ravaldino8.
In a few words, after his murder occurred in the room of the Nymphs, a room that was destroyed and no longer exists today, that ghost had been seen in various periods several times wandering around the palace and someone said he had seen him in the fortress of Ravaldino. Only that most people preferred to forget or keep quiet about it.
Even the third window on the first floor, counting from the left in front of the facade of the town hall, was in the past considered cursed by many, because someone thought it was the one where Riario was thrown down after his murder under a screaming crowd that tore his body to pieces. But that was not the real window from which Riario was thrown after his murder.
Where was it thrown from? the researcher asked.
From another window. Riario was killed in the Nymphs Room, but then his body was dragged out and taken to another room.
And what was the window where it was thrown from then? the researcher interrupted him.
The window was on the opposite side of the building facade, the third window counting from the right.
But that's the window where the woman said she saw the ghost dancing, said the researcher in amazement.
Exactly, that woman saw him in that window, only he wasn't dancing at all, replied the witness smiling a little.
And what was he doing then?
It's too early to tell that. There are many other things you should know before, explained the witness to the researcher.
All right, so the nymphs room wasnt the one where he was seen dancing? asked the researcher.
No, that was just a window through which his body was dragged after his death. That room was destroyed by his wife Caterina Sforza after his murder and no longer exists today.
And after five centuries, you still know such things and details?
Actually, I know a more lot of it.
I understand, go ahead, replied the researcher.
Returning to the window from which he was thrown out, the spot where Riario fell on the under square was marked for a long time and many people in all ages and centuries knew this. Only today, no one remembers it anymore. Since then many people in all ages have seen his ghost and some even heard him, explained the witness.
How do you know all this? asked the researcher.
You run fast and go ahead too much. I already told you there's more to know, replied the witness as he began to tell more.
Romagna five centuries earlier
You run fast and go ahead too much. I already told you there's more to know, replied the witness as he began to tell more.
Romagna five centuries earlier
Faenza Market in early 1488. A fencing master approached a wealthy farmer from Forlì surrounded by friends in the middle of the square. The master want delivering them a book of black prophecies to be reported in Forlì 9
The fencing master arrived in front of the farmer and his friends and asked aloud:
Sir, I need a favour from you.
Who are you? answers the farmer.
My name is Cesare Scrimidore10 from Faenza and I am a long-time friend of Leon Cobello11, painter and chronicler of your town of Forlivio12.
I know it's a your friend, and I want delivering him something through you that I owed him for a long time. We will both very grateful if you do that.
Yes. I know the chronicler Leone Cobelli. Tell me what this is at all, replied the farmer.
He begged me to give him this book personally, which was given to me by a soothsayer friar minor of St. Francis, and since I don't have the opportunity to go to Forlivio, I ask you to give it for me, said the swordsman.
All right. Who should I tell him you are? replied the peasant.
Say him I am a swordsman from Faenza and I send him a book by an astrologer friar so that you know what kind of destiny is written of your lord Girolamo Riario and your lands in the heaven and in the stars.
But what heavenly destiny written in the stars are you talking about, sword master? spoke a scribe of the peasant present at the speech.
Sir, don't tense or argue with me about things decided and willed from the heights and heavenly spheres. It is all written in this book and no one can say otherwise13.
Reach over Sir Leon Cobello, give him this book and tell him that this is the destiny of what will happen to your lord and city and he will know what to do about it, replied the swordsman threateningly.
I dont wish to discuss with you in front of everyone, but know that many of the people of Forlì already know what is happening in our lands and our Count Girolamo Riario. And they don't need soothsayers nor astrologers to know what is happening in our lands14, replied the scribe.
Maybe You are talking about things you do not know. You must know that this book was written ten years ago by an astrologer of these lands and tells of things that have already happened and others that have yet to happen in the government of your city until the year one thousand five hundred.
So what? There are many prophecies in those lands runned across by invisibles Count Riario's enemies.
And that confirm the things that are still destined to happen there, willed by God and celestial mechanics15, replied the fencing master.
If you say it was written ten years ago, so tell me who wrote it? Who is the soothsayer who gave it to you? asked the scribe.
That is not for you to know.
So I bet it was the astrologer Girolamo Manfredi, friar and healer astrologer, related in its name to your lords of Faenza, friends of Florence and enemies of Riario16, replied the scribe.
This too is not given you to know, but what the matter? replied the swordsman.
The matter is: who has paid this astrologer friar to make this book? Astrologers and horoscopes cost a lot and someone rich must have paid for them, asked the scribe even more critically.
I don't know what's your problem, and I'm not want argue about it with you. But if you mean to say that I am a ciurmadore17and you want to pass the truth on to the tournament,18 I will be well disposed to it, replied the swordsman.
I am a scribe and I do not intend to say that you are a swindler, nor do I intend to hold on you or pass with you at tournament, I just wanted to know how things were to take note for me and my citizens, the scribe lowered his tone.
Then let the Master Leon Cobello do this and let's end our discussion here that is better in this way, concluded the fencing teacher with the scribe.
You, ordered the fencer at the farmer:
Take and keep this book. Just give it to Master Leon Cobello, and he'll know what to do with it. We'll both be grateful for what you do for us.
All right, let's not quarrel again about it, said the farmer, taking the book, turning is back to secure it in his travel bag.
Listen, what did you say your name is? asked the farmer, turning back again to the swordsman, but the swordsman had already quietly walked away in the crowd of the marketplace.
When he arrived in Forlì the farmer handed the book to the chronicler Leone Cobelli telling him everything, but Cobelli, as hard he tried to remember who the swordsman and the monk might be, said he couldn't remember anyone who had promised such a thing to him. In any case the chronicler Cobelli was also an astrologer and held those prophecies in great consideration.
And as soon some strange sign appeared in the sky, he wrote that they arrived from Faenza or had been seen above the convent of the local Franciscan friars, the witness concluded the explanation of his story.
The researcher had listened attentively him and asked:
In a nutshell, do you mean say that this book was written by Riario's murderers to prepare the Forlians for his death and make the people believe that Riario was predestined to die?
Something like that, but planned a little bit better. A similar book was indeed ordered ten years earlier by people of Florence who run around Lorenzo de' Medici and contained the way and manner in which Riario should be die, replied the witness.
Lorenzo de Medici? Lorenzo the Magnificent ordered it? asked the researcher in amazement.
Yes, himself.
What does he have to do with Riario? asked the researcher.
He has a lot to do with it. It was in fact a settlement between them.
What are you talking about?
I'm telling you what happened. It all began when Pope Sixtus IV and his nephew, Girolamo Riario, try to take over Florence and overthrow Lorenzo de' Medici and his brother Giuliano de Medici.
And then what append?
And then Riario and the Pope found nothing better than trying to assassinate both during a solemn mass in Florence Cathedral, where they lying down Giuliano de' Medici in a pool of blood, while Lorenzo the Magnificent was missed and managed to save himself locking himself in a sacristy.
Are you talking about the conspiracy of Pazzi? asked the researcher.
Just that. The Pope, Riario and his followers organized it in Rome during a mass in the cathedral of Florence, replied the witness. Then he added:
The impact, the outrage and resentment at what a Pope and his nephew had organized in a church during a public mass, was enormous even at the time. And the reaction and revenge of the Florentines and Lorenzo de' Medici was equally proportionate to what had happened, so much that he set up a company of assassins or ucciditori19 with the aim of making a list of the people involved to take revenge on the conspirators who had taken part in that assassination.