Abstract
Girolamo Cardano was an experienced card player, but that night he was losing money at an alarming rate. No wonder, for he was being cheated. When he realized that the cards were marked, he drew his dagger and stabbed the cheat in the face. Cardano then forced his way out of the gambling den into the narrow streets of Venice, recovering his money on the way. Running for his life in complete darkness, he slipped and plunged into the muddy waters of a canal – not the best place to be if you cannot swim. It was sheer luck that he managed, somehow, to grab the side of a passing boat and was lifted to safety by a helpful hand. Once on the boat, however, Cardano faced a man with a bandaged face – the cheat himself. Perhaps it was the chill of the night that cooled their tempers, or perhaps neither of the two wanted trouble with the notoriously strict Venetian authorities, but there was no brawl. Instead, Cardano was given clothing and travelled back home in amiable conversation.