This was an insult to the honor of the house, which his sons could not or would not bear.

On the night of her wedding, in 1585, they refused to pay her their respects; and on the next morning, five of them entered her apartments and shot her dead.
Only one of the six sons, Pompeo Massimo, bore no share in this assassination.

Him, the father, Lelio, blessed; but he solemnly cursed the other five.

After the lapse of a few weeks, he followed his wife to the grave with a broken heart, leaving this imprecation unrecalled.
Pompeo grew up to continue the great line of Massimo.

But disaster fell on each of his five brothers, the flower of Roman youth, exulting in their blood, and insolence, and vigor .-- The first of them, Ottavio, was killed by a cannon-ball at sea in honorable combat with the Turk.
Another, Girolamo, who sought refuge in France, was shot down in an ambuscade while pursuing his amours with a gentle lady.