As he grew, so did his ambitions. He did not want to stay in his father’s business and be only a draper.

He had lofty dreams. He aimed high. He aspired to become a knight and even a prince! When he lay
asleep and dreamt of his father’s shop, he saw it transformed into a palace whose rooms gleamed with
the brilliance of a variety of arms. And all these arms shone for him. For him and his knights. In his
youthful visions he imagined himself conquering the world. The young Francis was fascinated by glory.
And glory, at that time, was acquired in war. At precisely this time war presented itself to him; it had just
broken out between Assisi and Perugia, neighboring and rival cities. Francis joined Assisi’s communal
militia. He took part in the battle of Ponte San Giovanni. But the fighting turned to Perugia’s advantage.
Francis was taken prisoner. He spent a year in enemy jails. And when he returned to Assisi his health
was broken. He fell sick. This illness, which lasted a long time and condemned him to inaction and
solitude, marked a turning point in his life. Francis looked carefully at himself. He experienced the
emptiness of his youthful years. He realized their frivolity