E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Sforza.
The founder of the illustrious house which was so conspicuous in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, was the son of a day-labourer. His name was Giacomuzzo Attendolo, changed to Sforza from the following incident:—Being desirous of going to the wars, he consulted his hatchet thus: he flung it against a tree, saying, “If it sticks fast, I will go.”It did stick fast, and he enlisted. It was because he threw it with such amazing force that he was called Sforza, the Italian for force.
1
Sforza (in Jerusalem Delivered) of Lombardy. He, with his two brothers, Achilies and Palame’des, were in the squadron of adventurers in the allied Christian army.
