He had only two friends in Rome, the Cardinal Enea Silvio of Siena and the Cardinal-Archdeacon Prospero Colonna. Quite unmoved by the hatred of the other Purpled Ones, he entered the Conclave of 1458 for the election of the new Pope, with no such stupid thing as a plan of action; but with a determination to comport himself so, according as opportunities arose, as to improve his position and his prospects. It was impossible to know beforehand what steps he would have to take: he could be guided only by circumstances. To a young man of such temper the gods send opportunities. There arrived a deadlock in the Conclave; and of that deadlock Cardinal Rodrigo seized the key. * * * * * There are five ways by which a Pope may be elected:— (α) By Compromise—_i.e._, when the cardinals appoint a committee of themselves with power to name the Pope: (β) By Inspiration—_i.e._, when a number of cardinals put themselves to shout the name of some cardinal, as “The Cardinal-Prior-Presbyter is Pope,” or “The Cardinal-Archdeacon is Pope;” by which method of shouting other voices are attracted, and the minimum majority (of two-thirds plus one) attained: (γ) By Adoration—_i.e._, when the minimum majority (of two-thirds plus one) of the cardinals go and adore a certain cardinal: (δ) By Scrutiny—_i.e._, when each cardinal secretly records a vote: (ε) By Accession—_i.e._, when, the scrutiny having failed to give the minimum majority (of two-thirds plus one) to any cardinal, the opponents of that cardinal, whose tally is the highest, shall accede to him. In the Conclave of 1458 the method of Compromise was not used, and no cardinals were moved to proceed by Inspiration or to Adoration. Votes were taken by the Scrutiny, which revealed an extraordinary state of things. The French Cardinal d’Estouteville had a certain number of votes; the Cardinal Enea Silvio of Siena had a higher number; but neither had the minimum majority. The cardinals sat upon their green or purple thrones, beneath their green or purple canopies, watching and waiting for a sign. Then the young Cardinal-Vicechancellor Rodrigo de Lançol y Borja rose up and proclaimed: “I accede to the Lord Cardinal of Siena.” His friend and ally, the Cardinal-Archdeacon Prospero Colonna, followed him: “I accede to the Lord Cardinal of Siena.” Cardinal Teobaldi, who, as a Roman citizen, followed Colonna, said also: “I accede to the Lord Cardinal of Siena.” The three lowered their green and purple canopies. They were in the presence of the Pope, in Whom all authority resides, before Whom none may remain covered. The minimum majority had been attained. The Lord Enea Silvio Bartolomeo de’ Piccolhuomini, sometime Caesar’s ambassador in “the horrible and ultimate Britains” (Scotland), sometime poet-laureate, novelist, historian, bishop, and cardinal, had become the Lord Pius P.P. II.