“In December 1502, Cesare Borgia committed a typical act of brutality. He had empowered a deputy, Ramiro de Lorca, to tyrannize Cesena and the surrounding territories with unremitting cruelty and gruesome slaughter to intimidate the populace. But once Ramiro had inspired enough fear, Borgia realized that it would be useful to sacrifice him. The day after Christmas, he had Ramiro brought to the central square in Cesena and sliced in two. The pieces of his body remained there on display. Borgia then marched on the coastal town of Senigallia, where local leaders had rebelled against his occupation. He offered them a meeting to negotiate a reconciliation, and he promised that they could keep their leadership roles if they pledged to be loyal. They agreed. But when Borgia arrived, he had the men seized and strangled to death, then ordered that the town be pillaged. One of the strangled men was a friend of Leonardo, Vitellozzo Vitelli, who had lent him a book by Archimedes. Leonardo traveled with Borgia’s army for the conquest of Siena a few weeks later, The Imola map and others Leonardo made at the time would have been of great use to Borgia, whose victories came from conducting lightning strikes Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci (p. 343). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition. “Save me from strife and battle, a most beastly madness,” Leonardo once wrote. Yet for eight months he had put himself at Borgia’s service and traveled with his armies. Why would a person whose notebook aphorisms decry killing and whose personal morality led him to be a vegetarian go to work for the most brutal murderer of the era? Partly this choice reflects Leonardo’s pragmatism. Even as he remained aloof from most current events, he seemed to be attracted to power. The brutality of war didn’t repulse him as much as it seemed to mesmerize him, Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci (p. 359). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition. Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci (pp. 353-355). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition. Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci (p. 346). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition. Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci (p. 346). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition. Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo da Vinci (p. 345). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition. ”
