history of florence-第40部分

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forces；　to　seize　the　government　of　Furli；　and　thus　the　territory　fell

into　the　duke's　hands。　When　this　was　known　at　Florence；　together　with

the　arrival　of　forces　at　Bologna；　the　arguments　in　favor　of　war　were

greatly　strengthened；　but　there　were　still　many　opposed　to　it；　and

among　the　rest　Giovanni　de'　Medici；　who　publicly　endeavored　to　show；

that　even　if　the　ill　designs　of　the　duke　were　perfectly　manifest；　it

would　still　be　better　to　wait　and　let　him　commence　the　attack；　than　to

assail　him；　for　in　the　former　case　they　would　be　justified　in　the　view

of　the　princes　of　Italy　as　well　as　in　their　own；　but　if　they　were　to

strike　the　first　blow　at　the　duke；　public　opinion　would　be　as

favorable　to　him　as　to　themselves；　and　besides；　they　could　not　so

confidently　demand　assistance　as　assailants；　as　they　might　do　if

assailed；　and　that　men　always　defend　themselves　more　vigorously　when

they　attack　others。　The　advocates　of　war　considered　it　improper　to

await　the　enemy　in　their　houses；　and　better　to　go　and　seek　him；　that

fortune　is　always　more　favorable　to　assailants　than　to　such　as　merely

act　on　the　defensive；　and　that　it　is　less　injurious；　even　when

attended　with　greater　immediate　expense；　to　make　war　at　another's　door

than　at　our　own。　These　views　prevailed；　and　it　was　resolved　that　the

ten　should　provide　all　the　means　in　their　power　for　rescuing　Furli

from　the　hands　of　the　duke。



Filippo；　finding　the　Florentines　resolved　to　occupy　the　places　he　had

undertaken　to　defend；　postponed　all　personal　considerations；　and　sent

Agnolo　della　Pergola　with　a　strong　force　against　Imola；　that　Ludovico；

having　to　provide　for　the　defense　of　his　own　possessions；　might　be

unable　to　protect　the　interests　of　his　grandson。　Agnolo　approached

Imola　while　the　forces　of　the　Florentines　were　at　Modigliana；　and　an

intense　frost　having　rendered　the　ditches　of　the　city　passable；　he

crossed　them　during　the　night；　captured　the　place；　and　sent　Lodovico　a

prisoner　to　Milan。　The　Florentines　finding　Imola　in　the　hands　of　the

enemy；　and　the　war　publicly　known；　sent　their　forces　to　Furli　and

besieged　it　on　all　sides。　That　the　duke's　people　might　not　relieve　it；

they　hired　Count　Alberigo；　who　from　Zagonara；　his　own　domain；　overran

the　country　daily；　up　to　the　gates　of　Imola。　Agnolo　della　Pergola；

finding　the　strong　position　which　the　Florentines　had　taken　prevented

him　from　relieving　Furli；　determined　to　attempt　the　capture　of

Zagonara；　thinking　they　would　not　allow　that　place　to　be　lost；　and

that　in　the　endeavor　to　relieve　it　they　would　be　compelled　to　give　up

their　design　against　Furli；　and　come　to　an　engagement　under　great

disadvantage。　Thus　the　duke's　people　compelled　Alberigo　to　sue　for

terms；　which　he　obtained　on　condition　of　giving　up　Zagonara；　if　the

Florentines　did　not　relieve　him　within　fifteen　days。　This　misfortune

being　known　in　the　Florentine　camp　and　in　the　city；　and　all　being

anxious　that　the　enemy　should　not　obtain　the　expected　advantage；　they

enabled　him　to　secure　a　greater；　for　having　abandoned　the　siege　of

Furli　to　go　to　the　relief　of　Zagonara；　on　encountering　the　enemy　they

were　soon　routed；　not　so　much　by　the　bravery　of　their　adversaries　as

by　the　severity　of　the　season；　for；　having　marched　many　hours　through

deep　mud　and　heavy　rain；　they　found　the　enemy　quite　fresh；　and　were

therefore　easily　vanquished。　Nevertheless；　in　this　great　defeat；

famous　throughout　all　Italy；　no　death　occurred　except　those　of

Lodovico　degli　Obizi　and　two　of　his　people；　who　having　fallen　from

their　horses　were　drowned　in　the　morass。







CHAPTER　II



　　The　Florentines　murmur　against　those　who　had　been　advocates　of　the

　　warRinaldo　degli　Albizzi　encourages　the　citizensMeasures　for

　　the　prosecution　of　the　warAttempt　of　the　higher　classes　to

　　deprive　the　plebeians　of　their　share　in　the　governmentRinaldo

　　degli　Albizzi　addresses　an　assembly　of　citizens　and　advises　the

　　restoration　of　the　/Grandi/Niccolo　da　Uzzano　wishes　to　have

　　Giovanni　de'　Medici　on　their　sideGiovanni　disapproves　of　the

　　advice　of　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi。



The　defeat　at　Zagonara　spread　consternation　throughout　Florence；　but

none　felt　it　so　severely　as　the　nobility；　who　had　been　in　favor　of　the

war；　for　they　perceived　their　enemies　to　be　inspirited　and　themselves

disarmed；　without　friends；　and　opposed　by　the　people；　who　at　the

corners　of　streets　insulted　them　with　sarcastic　expressions；

complaining　of　the　heavy　taxes；　and　the　unnecessary　war；　and　saying；

〃Oh！　they　appointed　the　ten　to　frighten　the　enemy。　Have　they　relieved

Furli；　and　rescued　her　from　the　hands　of　the　duke？　No！　but　their

designs　have　been　discovered；　and　what　had　they　in　view？　not　the

defense　of　liberty；　for　they　do　not　love　her；　but　to　aggrandize　their

own　power；　which　God　has　very　justly　abated。　This　is　not　the　only

enterprise　by　many　a　one　with　which　they　have　oppressed　the　city；　for

the　war　against　King　Ladislaus　was　of　a　similar　kind。　To　whom　will

they　flee　for　assistance　now？　to　Pope　Martin；　whom　they　ridiculed

before　the　face　of　Braccio；　or　to　Queen　Giovanna；　whom　they　abandoned；

and　compelled　to　throw　herself　under　the　protection　of　the　king　of

Aragon？〃　To　these　reproaches　was　added　all　that　might　be　expected　from

an　enraged　multitude。



Seeing　the　discontent　so　prevalent；　the　Signory　resolved　to　assemble　a

few　citizens；　and　with　soft　words　endeavor　to　soothe　the　popular

irritation。　On　this　occasion；　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi；　the　eldest　son　of

Maso；　who；　by　his　own　talents　and　the　respect　he　derived　from　the

memory　of　his　father；　aspired　to　the　first　offices　in　the　government；

spoke　at　great　length；　showing　that　it　is　not　right　to　judge　of

actions　merely　by　their　effects；　for　it　often　happens　that　what　has

been　very　maturely　considered　is　attended　with　unfavorable　results：

that　if　we　are　to　applaud　evil　counsels　because　they　are　sometimes

followed　by　fortunate　events；　we　should　only　encourage　men　in　error

which　would　bring　great　mischief　upon　the　republic；　because　evil

counsel　is　not　always　attended　with　happy　consequences。　In　the　same

way；　it　would　be　wrong　to　blame　a　wise　resolution；　because　if　its

being　attended　with　an　unfavorable　issue；　for　by　so　doing；　we　should

destroy　the　inclination　of　citizens　to　offer　advice　and　speak　the

truth。　He　then　showed　the　propriety　of　undertaking　the　war；　and　that

if　it　had　not　been　commenced　by　the　Florentines　in　Romagna　the　duke

would　have　assailed　them　in　Tuscany。　But　since　it　had　pleased　God；

that　the　Florentine　people　should　be　overcome；　their　loss　would　be

still　greater　if　they　allowed　themselves　to　be　dejected；　but　if　they

set　a　bold　front　against　adversity；　and　made　good　use　of　the　means

within　their　power；　they　would　not　be　sensible　of　their　loss　or　the

duke　of　his　victory。　He　assured　them　they　ought　not　to　be　alarmed　by

impending　expenses　and　consequent　taxation；　because　the　latter　might

be　reduced；　and　the　future　expense　would　not　be　so　great　as　the　former

had　been；　for　less　preparation　is　necessary　for　those　engaged　in　self…

defense　than　for　those　who　design　to　attack　others。　He　advised　them　to

imitate　the　conduct　of　their　forefathers；　who；　by　courageous　conduct

in　adverse　circumstances；　had　defended　themselves　against　all　their

enemies。



Thus　encouraged；　the　citizens　engaged　Count　Oddo　the　son　of　Braccio；

and　united　with　him；　for　directing　the　operations　of　the　war；　Niccolo

Piccinino；　a　pupil　of　his　father's；　and　one　of　the　most　celebrated　of

all　who　had　served　under　him。　To　these　they　added　other　leaders；　and

remounted　some　of　those　who　had　lost　their　horses　in　the　late　defeat。

They　also　appointed　twenty　citizens　to　levy　new　taxes；　who　finding　the

great　quite　subdued　by　the　recent　loss；　took　courage　and　drained　them

without　mercy。



These　burdens　were　very　grievous　to　the　nobility；　who　at　first；　in

order　to　conciliate；　did　not　complain　of　their　own　particular

hardships；　but　censured　the　tax　generally　as　unjust；　and　advised　that

something　should　be　done　in　the　way　of　relief；　but　their　advice　was

rejected　in　the　Councils。　Therefore；　to　render　the　law　as　offensive　as

possible；　and　to　make　all　sensible　of　its　injustice；　they　contrived

that　the　taxes　should　be　levied　with　the　utmost　rigor；　and　made　it

lawful　to　kill　any　that　might　resist　the　officers　employed　to　collect

them。　Hence　followed　many　lamentable　collisions；　attended　with　the

blood　and　death　of　citizens。　It　began　to　be　the　impression　of　all；

that　arms　would　be　resorted　to；　and　all　prudent　persons　apprehended

some　approaching　evil；　for　the　higher　ranks；　accustomed　to　be　treated

with　respect；　could　not　endure　to　be　used　like　dogs；　and　the　rest　were

desirous　that　the　taxation　should　be　equalized。　In　consequence　of　this

state　of　things；　many　of　the　first　citizens　met　together；　and　it　was

resolved　that　it　had　become　necessary　for　their　safety；　that　some

attempt　should　be　made　to　recover　the　government；　since　their　want　of

vigilance　had　encouraged　men　to　censure　public　actions；　and　allowed

those　to　interfere　in　affairs　who　had　hitherto　been　merely　the　leaders

of　the　rabble。　Having　repeatedly　discussed　the　subject；　they　resolved

to　meet　again　at　an　appointed　hour；　when　upwards　of　seventy　citizens

assembled　in　the　church　of　St。　Stephen；　with　the　permission　of　Lorenzo

Ridolfi　and　Francesco　Gianfigliazzi；　both　members　of　the　Signory。

Giovanni　de'　Medici　was　not　among　them　either　because　being　under

suspicion　he　was　not　invited　or　that　entertaining　different　views　he

was　unwilling　to　interfere。



Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi　addressed　the　assembly；　describing　the　condition

of　the　city；　and　showing　how　by　their　own　negligence　it　had　again

fallen　under　the　power　of　the　plebeians；　from　whom　it　had　been　wrested

by　their　fathers　in　1381。　He　reminded　them　of　the　iniquity　of　the

government　which　was　in　power　from　1378　to　1381；　and　that　all　who　were

then　present　had　to　lament；　some　a　father；　others　a　grandfather；　pu