Chapter 1: Thoughts

On the square near the seashore, various groups of Spanish and Italian soldiers stood before my eyes in their armor of different shapes and colors, very different from modern soldiers. However, the Spaniards could be recognized by their bold but serious attitude and the habit of wearing the cape from which the long Toledo blades emerged. We Italian soldiers are happier with a Pistolese dagger worn at kidney level. Some soldiers were walking, others were standing still, sitting or leaning on the beached boats. The bells of the Basilica of San Domenico put an end to the chatter and all the warriors took off their helmets and others their hats, because even men in arms believe in God. At the end of the ringing of the bells everyone covered their heads again and resumed speaking sadly, another day had almost passed and the French army was still besieging the city of Barletta, while hunger was increasingly felt. Seeing a sail on the horizon I hope for the arrival of supplies sent by the Spaniards, while I think about how a man of the twenty-first century found himself in the middle of this mess.