history of florence-第23部分

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and　less　prudence；　they　requested　assistance　from　Robert　king　of

Naples；　and　he　sent　them　Walter　duke　of　Athens；　who；　as　Providence

would　have　it；　to　bring　about　the　approaching　evils；　arrived　at

Florence　just　at　the　moment　when　the　undertaking　against　Lucca　had

entirely　failed。　Upon　this　the　Twenty；　seeing　the　anger　of　the　people；

thought　to　inspire　them　with　fresh　hopes　by　the　appointment　of　a　new

leader；　and　thus　remove；　or　at　least　abate；　the　causes　of　calumny

against　themselves。　As　there　was　much　to　be　feared；　and　that　the　duke

of　Athens　might　have　greater　authority　to　defend　them；　they　first

chose　him　for　their　coadjutor；　and　then　appointed　him　to　the　command

of　the　army。　The　nobility；　who　were　discontented　from　the　causes　above

mentioned；　having　many　of　them　been　acquainted　with　Walter；　when　upon

a　former　occasion　he　had　governed　Florence　for　the　duke　of　Calabria；

thought　they　had　now　an　opportunity；　though　with　the　ruin　of　the　city；

of　subduing　their　enemies；　for　there　was　no　means　of　prevailing

against　those　who　had　oppressed　them　but　of　submitting　to　the

authority　of　a　prince　who；　being　acquainted　with　the　worth　of　one

party　and　the　insolence　of　the　other；　would　restrain　the　latter　and

reward　the　former。　To　this　they　added　a　hope　of　the　benefits　they

might　derive　from　him　when　he　had　acquired　the　principality　by　their

means。　They；　therefore；　took　several　occasions　of　being　with　him

secretly；　and　entreated　he　would　take　the　command　wholly　upon　himself；

offering　him　the　utmost　assistance　in　their　power。　To　their　influence

and　entreaty　were　also　added　those　of　some　families　of　the　people；

these　were　the　Peruzzi；　Acciajuoli；　Antellesi；　and　Buonaccorsi；　who；

being　overwhelmed　with　debts；　and　without　means　of　their　own；　wished

for　those　of　others　to　liquidate　them；　and；　by　the　slavery　of　their

country；　to　deliver　themselves　from　their　servitude　to　their

creditors。　These　demonstrations　excited　the　ambitious　mind　of　the　duke

to　greater　desire　of　dominion；　and　in　order　to　gain　himself　the

reputation　of　strict　equity　and　justice；　and　thus　increase　his　favor

with　the　plebeians；　he　prosecuted　those　who　had　conducted　the　war

against　Lucca；　condemned　many　to　pay　fines；　others　to　exile；　and　put

to　death　Giovanni　de'　Medici；　Naddo　Rucellai；　and　Guglielmo　Altoviti。







CHAPTER　VIII



　　The　Duke　of　Athens　requires　to　be　made　prince　of　FlorenceThe

　　Signory　address　the　duke　upon　the　subjectThe　plebeians　proclaim

　　him　prince　of　Florence　for　lifeTyrannical　proceedings　of　the

　　dukeThe　city　disgusted　with　himConspiracies　against　the　duke

　　The　duke　discovers　the　conspiracies；　and　becomes　terrifiedThe

　　city　rises　against　himHe　is　besieged　in　the　palaceMeasures

　　adopted　by　the　citizens　for　reform　of　the　governmentThe　duke　is

　　compelled　to　withdraw　from　the　cityMiserable　deaths　of　Guglielmo

　　da　Scesi　and　his　sonDeparture　of　the　duke　of　AthensHis

　　character。



These　executions　greatly　terrified　the　middle　class　of　citizens；　but

gave　satisfaction　to　the　great　and　to　the　plebeians；to　the　latter；

because　it　is　their　nature　to　delight　in　evil；　and　to　the　former；　by

thus　seeing　themselves　avenged　of　the　many　wrongs　they　had　suffered

from　the　people。　When　the　duke　passed　along　the　streets　he　was　hailed

with　loud　cheers；　the　boldness　of　his　proceedings　was　praised；　and

both　parties　joined　in　open　entreaties　that　he　would　search　out　the

faults　of　the　citizens；　and　punish　them。



The　office　of　the　Twenty　began　to　fall　into　disuse；　while　the　power　of

the　duke　became　great；　and　the　influence　of　fear　excessive；　so　that

everyone；　in　order　to　appear　friendly　to　him；　caused　his　arms　to　be

painted　over　their　houses；　and　the　name　alone　was　all　he　needed　to　be

absolutely　prince。　Thinking　himself　upon　such　a　footing　that　he　might

safely　attempt　anything；　he　gave　the　Signory　to　understand　that　he

judged　it　necessary　for　the　good　of　the　city；　that　the　sovereignty

should　be　freely　given　to　him；　and　that　as　the　rest　of　the　citizens

were　willing　that　it　should　be　so；　he　desired　they　would　also　consent。

The　Signory；　notwithstanding　many　had　foreseen　the　ruin　of　their

country；　were　much　disturbed　at　this　demand；　and　although　they　were

aware　of　the　dangerous　position　in　which　they　stood；　that　they　might

not　be　wanting　in　their　duty；　resolutely　refused　to　comply。　The　duke

had；　in　order　to　assume　a　greater　appearance　of　religion　and　humanity；

chosen　for　his　residence　the　convent　of　the　Minor　Canons　of　St。　Croce；

and　in　order　to　carry　his　evil　designs　into　effect；　proclaimed　that

all　the　people　should；　on　the　following　morning；　present　themselves

before　him　in　the　piazza　of　the　convent。　This　command　alarmed　the

Signory　much　more　than　his　discourse　to　them　had　done；　and　they

consulted　with　those　citizens　whom　they　thought　most　attached　to　their

country　and　to　liberty；　but　they　could　not　devise　any　better　plan；

knowing　the　power　of　which　the　duke　was　possessed；　than　to　endeavor　by

entreaty　to　induce　him　either　to　forego　his　design　or　to　make　his

government　less　intolerable。　A　party　of　them　was；　therefore；　appointed

to　wait　upon　him；　one　of　whom　addressed　him　in　the　following　manner：



〃We　appear　before　you；　my　lord；　induced　first　by　the　demand　which　you

have　made；　and　then　by　the　orders　you　have　given　for　a　meeting　of　the

people；　for　it　appears　to　us　very　clearly；　that　it　is　your　intention

to　effect　by　extraordinary　means　the　design　from　which　we　have

hitherto　withheld　our　consent。　It　is　not；　however；　our　intention　to

oppose　you　with　force；　but　only　to　show　what　a　heavy　charge　you　take

upon　yourself；　and　the　dangerous　course　you　adopt；　to　the　end　that　you

may　remember　our　advice　and　that　of　those　who；　not　by　consideration　of

what　is　beneficial　for　you；　but　for　the　gratification　of　their　own

unreasonable　wishes；　have　advised　you　differently。　You　are　endeavoring

to　reduce　to　slavery　a　city　that　has　always　existed　in　freedom；　for

the　authority　which　we　have　at　times　conceded　to　the　kings　of　Naples

was　companionship　and　not　servitude。　Have　you　considered　the　mighty

things　which　the　name　of　liberty　implies　to　such　a　city　as　this；　and

how　delightful　it　is　to　those　who　hear　it？　It　has　a　power　which

nothing　can　subdue；　time　cannot　wear　away；　nor　can　any　degree　of　merit

in　a　prince　countervail　the　loss　of　it。　Consider；　my　lord；　how　great

the　force　must　be　that　can　keep　a　city　like　this　in　subjection；　no

foreign　aid　would　enable　you　to　do　it；　neither　can　you　confide　in

those　at　home；　for　they　who　are　at　present　your　friends；　and　advise

you　to　adopt　the　course　you　now　pursue；　as　soon　as　with　your

assistance　they　have　overcome　their　enemies；　will　at　once　turn　their

thoughts　toward　effecting　your　destruction；　and　then　take　the

government　upon　themselves。　The　plebeians；　in　whom　you　confide；　will

change　upon　any　accident；　however　trivial；　so　that　in　a　very　short

time　you　may　expect　to　see　the　whole　city　opposed　to　you；　which　will

produce　both　their　ruin　and　your　own。　Nor　will　you　be　able　to　find　any

remedy　for　this；　for　princes　who　have　but　few　enemies　may　make　their

government　very　secure　by　the　death　or　banishment　of　those　who　are

opposed　to　them；　but　when　the　hatred　is　universal；　no　security

whatever　can　be　found；　for　you　cannot　tell　from　what　direction　the

evil　may　commence；　and　he　who　has　to　apprehend　every　man　his　enemy

cannot　make　himself　assured　of　anyone。　And　if　you　should　attempt　to

secure　a　friend　or　two；　you　would　only　increase　the　dangers　of　your

situation；　for　the　hatred　of　the　rest　would　be　increased　by　your

success；　and　they　would　become　more　resolutely　disposed　to　vengeance。



〃That　time　can　neither　destroy　nor　abate　the　desire　for　freedom　is

most　certain；　for　it　has　been　often　observed；　that　those　have

reassumed　their　liberty　who　in　their　own　persons　had　never　tasted　of

its　charms；　and　love　it　only　from　remembrance　of　what　they　have　heard

their　fathers　relate；　and；　therefore；　when　recovered；　have　preserved

it　with　indomitable　resolution　and　at　every　hazard。　And　even　when

their　fathers　could　not　remember　it；　the　public　buildings；　the　halls

of　the　magistracy；　and　the　insignia　of　free　institutions；　remind　them

of　it；　and　these　things　cannot　fail　to　be　known　and　greatly　desired　by

every　class　of　citizens。



〃What　is　it　you　imagine　you　can　do；　that　would　be　an　equivalent　for

the　sweets　of　liberty；　or　make　men　lose　the　desire　of　their　present

conditions？　No；　if　you　were　to　join　the　whole　of　Tuscany　to　the

Florentine　rule；　if　you　were　to　return　to　the　city　daily　in　triumph

over　her　enemies；　what　could　it　avail？　The　glory　would　not　be　ours；

but　yours。　We　should　not　acquire　fellow…citizens；　but　partakers　of　our

bondage；　who　would　serve　to　sink　us　still　deeper　in　ignominy。　And　if

your　conduct　were　in　every　respect　upright；　your　demeanor　amiable；　and

your　judgments　equitable；　all　these　would　be　insufficient　to　make　you

beloved。　If　you　imagine　otherwise；　you　deceive　yourself；　for；　to　one

accustomed　to　the　enjoyment　of　liberty；　the　slightest　chains　feel

heavy；　and　every　tie　upon　his　free　soul　oppresses　him。　Besides；　it　is

impossible　to　find　a　violent　people　associated　with　a　good　prince；　for

of　necessity　they　must　soon　become　alike；　or　their　difference　produce

the　ruin　of　one　of　them。　You　may；　therefore；　be　assured；　that　you　will

either　have　to　hold　this　city　by　force；　to　effect　which；　guards；

castles；　and　external　aid　have　oft　been　found　insufficient；　or　be

content　with　the　authority　we　have　conferred；　and　this　we　would

advise；　reminding　you　that　no　dominion　can　be　durable　to　which　the

governed　do　not　consent；　and　we　have　no　wish　to　lead　you；　blinded　by

ambition；　to　such　a　point　that；　unable　either　to　stand　or　advance；　you

must；　to　the　great　injury　of　both；　of　necessity　fall。〃



This　discourse　did　not　in　the　slightest　degree　soften　the　obdurate

mind　of　the　duke；　who　replied　that　it　was　not　his　intention　to　rob　the

city　of　her　liberty