Incorrectly, the man is suddenly struck by blindness because he goes to tell the news to Ezio's wife. There are many other examples of this in the book where people do not follow directions, including what their God wants, then are punished with blindness or death for this reckless action. Gregory's purpose for these important tales is to teach the people who read them a sense of caution in the life choices they make. Perhaps he is trying to direct his readers towards a life path that is God-fearing and moral, so that he can maintain order among the people of his society. As a result, the events and people residing in Gregory's stories have no sense of free will as their lives are directed by the will of leaders and, ultimately, God. This age when Church and State were one unity with which society could live reasonably. God was the leader and ruler of the people of the Middle Ages, so this is an integral part of the lives of readers of Gregory's work.