it out upon Taddeo, and seeing him much disturbed by this, said to him:  “I knew not where to spit in order to offend thee less.”  Being asked how Caesar died he said:  “God willing I will die as he did.”  Being one night in the house of one of his gentlemen where many ladies were assembled, he was reproved by one of his friends for dancing and amusing himself with them more than was usual in one of his station, so he said:  “He who is considered wise by day will not be considered a fool at night.”  A person came to demand a favour of Castruccio, and thinking he was not listening to his plea threw himself on his knees to the ground, and being sharply reproved by Castruccio, said:  “Thou art the reason of my acting thus for thou hast thy ears in thy feet,” whereupon he obtained double the favour he had asked.  Castruccio used to say that the way to hell was an easy one, seeing that it was in a downward direction and you travelled blindfolded.  Being asked a favour by one who used many superfluous words, he said to him:  “When you have another request to make, send someone else to make it.”  Having been wearied by a similar man with a long oration who wound up by saying:  “Perhaps I have fatigued you by speaking so long,” Castruccio said:  “You have not, because I have not listened to a word you said.”  He used to say of one who had been a beautiful child and who afterwards became a fine man, that he was dangerous, because he first took the husbands from the wives and now he took the wives from their husbands.  To an envious man who laughed, he said:  “Do you laugh because you are successful or because another is unfortunate?” Whilst he was still in the charge of Messer Francesco Guinigi, one of his companions said to him:  “What shall I give you if you will let me give you a blow on the nose?” Castruccio answered:  “A helmet.”  Having put to death a citizen of Lucca who had been instrumental in raising him to power, and being told that he had done wrong to kill one of his old friends, he answered that people deceived themselves; he had only killed a new enemy.  Castruccio praised greatly those men who intended to take a wife and then did not do so, saying that they were like men who said they would go to sea, and then refused when the time came.  He said that it always struck him with surprise that whilst men in buying an earthen or glass vase would sound it first to learn if it were good, yet in choosing a wife they were content with only looking at her.  He was once asked in what manner he would wish to be buried when he died, and answered:  “With the face turned downwards, for I know when I am gone this country will be turned upside down.”  On being asked if it had ever occurred to him to become a friar in order to save his soul, he answered that it had not, because it appeared strange to him that Fra Lazerone should go to Paradise and Uguccione della Faggiuola to the Inferno.  He was once asked when should a man eat to preserve his health, and replied: