history of florence-第43部分

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proceed　to　any　violence。







CHAPTER　IV



　　Death　of　Giovanni　de'　MediciHis　characterInsurrection　of

　　VolterraVolterra　returns　to　her　allegianceNiccolo　Fortebraccio

　　attacks　the　LuccheseDiversity　of　opinion　about　the　Lucchese　war

　　War　with　LuccaAstore　Gianni　and　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi

　　appointed　commissariesViolence　of　Astorre　Gianni。



About　this　time　Giovanni　de'　Medici　was　taken　ill；　and　finding　his　end

approach；　called　his　sons　Cosmo　and　Lorenzo　to　him；　to　give　them　his

last　advice；　and　said；　〃I　find　I　have　nearly　reached　the　term　which

God　and　nature　appointed　at　my　birth；　and　I　die　content；　knowing　that

I　leave　you　rich；　healthy；　and　of　such　standing　in　society；　that　if

you　pursue　the　same　course　that　I　have；　you　will　live　respected　in

Florence；　and　in　favor　with　everyone。　Nothing　cheers　me　so　much　at

this　moment；　as　the　recollection　that　I　have　never　willfully　offended

anyone；　but　have　always　used　my　utmost　endeavors　to　confer　benefits

upon　all。　I　would　have　you　do　so　too。　With　regard　to　state　affairs；　if

you　would　live　in　security；　take　just　such　a　share　as　the　laws　and

your　countrymen　think　proper　to　bestow；　thus　you　will　escape　both

danger　and　envy；　for　it　is　not　what　is　given　to　any　individual；　but

what　he　has　determined　to　possess；　that　occasions　odium。　You　will　thus

have　a　larger　share　than　those　who　endeavor　to　engross　more　than

belongs　to　them；　for　they　thus　usually　lose　their　own；　and　before　they

lose　it；　live　in　constant　disquiet。　By　adopting　this　method；　although

among　so　many　enemies；　and　surrounded　by　so　many　conflicting

interests；　I　have　not　only　maintained　my　reputation　but　increased　my

influence。　If　you　pursue　the　same　course；　you　will　be　attended　by　the

same　good　fortune；　if　otherwise；　you　may　be　assured；　your　end　will

resemble　that　of　those　who　in　our　own　times　have　brought　ruin　both

upon　themselves　and　their　families。〃　Soon　after　this　interview　with

his　sons；　Giovanni　died；　regretted　by　everyone；　as　his　many

excellencies　deserved。　He　was　compassionate；　not　only　bestowing　alms

on　those　who　asked　them；　but　very　frequently　relieving　the　necessities

of　the　poor；　without　having　been　solicited　so　to　do。　He　loved　all；

praised　the　good；　and　pitied　the　infirmities　of　the　wicked。　He　never

sought　the　honors　of　government；　yet　enjoyed　them　all；　and　never　went

to　the　palace　unless　by　request。　He　loved　peace　and　shunned　war；

relieved　mankind　in　adversity；　and　assisted　them　in　prosperity；　never

applied　the　public　money　to　his　own　uses；　but　contributed　to　the

public　wealth。　He　was　courteous　in　office；　not　a　man　of　great

eloquence；　but　possessed　of　extraordinary　prudence。　His　demeanor

expressed　melancholy；　but　after　a　short　time　his　conversation　became

pleasant　and　facetious。　He　died　exceedingly　rich　in　money；　but　still

more　in　good　fame　and　the　best　wishes　of　mankind；　and　the　wealth　and

respect　he　left　behind　him　were　not　only　preserved　but　increased　by

his　son　Cosmo。



The　Volterran　ambassadors　grew　weary　of　lying　in　prison；　and　to　obtain

their　liberty　promised　to　comply　with　the　commands　of　the　Florentines。

Being　set　free　and　returned　to　their　city；　the　time　arrived　for　the

new　Priors　to　enter　upon　office；　and　among　those　who　were　drawn；　was

one　named　Giusto；　a　plebeian；　but　possessing　great　influence　with　his

class；　and　one　of　those　who　had　been　imprisoned　at　Florence。　He；　being

inflamed　with　hatred　against　the　Florentines　on　account　of　his　public

as　well　as　personal　injuries；　was　further　stimulated　by　Giovanni　di

Contugi；　a　man　of　noble　family；　and　his　colleague　in　office；　to　induce

the　people；　by　the　authority　of　the　Priors　and　his　own　influence；　to

withdraw　their　country　from　the　power　of　the　Florentines；　and　make

himself　prince。　Prompted　by　these　motives；　Giusto　took　arms；　rode

through　the　city；　seized　the　Capitano；　who　resided　in　it；　on　behalf　of

the　Florentines；　and　with　the　consent　of　the　people；　became　lord　of

Volterra。　This　circumstance　greatly　displeased　the　Florentines；　but

having　just　made　peace　with　the　duke；　and　the　treaty　being　yet

uninfringed　on　either　side；　they　bethought　themselves　in　a　condition

to　recover　the　place；　and　that　the　opportunity　might　not　be　lost；　they

immediately　appointed　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi　and　Palla　Strozzi

commissaries；　and　sent　them　upon　the　expedition。　In　the　meantime；

Giusto；　who　expected　the　Florentines　would　attack　him；　requested

assistance　of　Lucca　and　Sienna。　The　latter　refused；　alleging　her

alliance　with　Florence；　and　Pagolo　Guinigi；　to　regain　the　favor　of　the

Florentines；　which　he　imagined　he　had　lost　in　the　war　with　the　duke

and　by　his　friendship　for　Filippo；　not　only　refused　assistance　to

Giusto；　but　sent　his　messenger　prisoner　to　Florence。



The　commissaries；　to　come　upon　the　Volterrani　unawares；　assembled

their　cavalry；　and　having　raised　a　good　body　of　infantry　in　the　Val

d'Arno　Inferiore；　and　the　country　about　Pisa；　proceeded　to　Volterra。

Although　attacked　by　the　Florentines　and　abandoned　by　his　neighbors；

Giusto　did　not　yield　to　fear；　but；　trusting　to　the　strength　of　the

city　and　the　ruggedness　of　the　country　around　it；　prepared　for　his

defense。



There　lived　at　Volterra　one　Arcolano；　brother　of　that　Giovanni　Contugi

who　had　persuaded　Giusto　to　assume　the　command。　He　possessed　influence

among　the　nobility；　and　having　assembled　a　few　of　his　most

confidential　friends；　he　assured　them　that　by　this　event；　God　had　come

to　the　relief　of　their　necessities；　for　if　they　would　only　take　arms；

deprive　Giusto　of　the　Signory；　and　give　up　the　city　to　the

Florentines；　they　might　be　sure　of　obtaining　the　principal　offices；

and　the　place　would　retain　all　its　ancient　privileges。　Having　gained

them　over；　they　went　to　the　palace　in　which　Giusto　resided；　and　while

part　of　them　remained　below；　Arcolano；　with　three　others；　proceeded　to

the　chamber　above；　where　finding　him　with　some　citizens；　they　drew　him

aside；　as　if　desirous　to　communicate　something　of　importance；　and

conversing　on　different　subjects；　let　him　to　the　lower　apartment；　and

fell　upon　him　with　their　swords。　They；　however；　were　not　so　quick　as

to　prevent　Giusto　from　making　use　of　his　own　weapon；　for　with　it　he

seriously　wounded　two　of　them；　but　being　unable　to　resist　so　many；　he

was　at　last　slain；　and　his　body　thrown　into　the　street。　Arcolano　and

his　party　gave　up　the　city　to　the　Florentine　commissaries；　who；　being

at　hand　with　their　forces；　immediately　took　possession；　but　the

condition　of　Volterra　was　worse　than　before；　for　among　other　things

which　operated　to　her　disadvantage；　most　of　the　adjoining　countryside

was　separated　from　her；　and　she　was　reduced　to　the　rank　of　a

vicariate。



Volterra　having　been　lost　and　recovered　almost　at　the　same　time；

present　circumstances　afforded　nothing　of　sufficient　importance　to

occasion　a　new　war；　if　ambition　had　not　again　provoked　one。　Niccolo

Fortebraccio；　the　son　of　a　sister　of　Braccio　da　Perugia；　had　been　in

the　service　of　the　Florentines　during　most　of　their　wars　with　the

duke。　Upon　the　restoration　of　peace　he　was　discharged；　but　when　the

affair　of　Volterra　took　place；　being　encamped　with　his　people　at

Fucecchio；　the　commissaries　availed　themselves　both　of　himself　and　his

forces。　Some　thought　that　while　Rinaldo　conducted　the　expedition　along

with　him；　he　persuaded　him；　under　one　pretext　or　another；　to　attack

the　Lucchese；　assuring　him；　that　if　he　did　so；　the　Florentines　would

consent　to　undertake　an　expedition　against　them；　and　would　appoint　him

to　the　command。　When　Volterra　was　recovered；　and　Niccolo　returned　to

his　quarters　at　Fucecchio；　he；　either　at　the　persuasion　of　Rinaldo；　or

of　his　own　accord；　in　November；　1429；　took　possession　of　Ruoti　and

Compito；　castles　belonging　to　the　Lucchese；　with　three　hundred　cavalry

and　as　many　infantry；　and　then　descending　into　the　plain；　plundered

the　inhabitants　to　a　vast　amount。　The　news　of　this　incursion　having

reached　Florence；　persons　of　all　classes　were　seen　gathered　in　parties

throughout　the　city　discussing　the　matter；　and　nearly　all　were　in

favor　of　an　expedition　against　Lucca。　Of　the　Grandees　thus　disposed；

were　the　Medici　and　their　party；　and　with　them　also　Rinaldo；　either

because　he　thought　the　enterprise　beneficial　to　the　republic；　or

induced　by　his　own　ambition　and　the　expectation　of　being　appointed　to

the　command。　Niccolo　da　Uzzano　and　his　party　were　opposed　to　the　war。

It　seems　hardly　credible　that　such　contrary　opinions　should　prevail；

though　at　different　times；　in　the　same　men　and　the　same　city；　upon　the

subject　of　war；　for　the　same　citizens　and　people　that；　during　the　ten

years　of　peace　had　incessantly　blamed　the　war　undertaken　against　Duke

Filippo；　in　defense　of　liberty；　now；　after　so　much　expense　and

trouble；　with　their　utmost　energy；　insisted　on　hostilities　against

Lucca；　which；　if　successful；　would　deprive　that　city　of　her　liberty；

while　those　who　had　been　in　favor　of　a　war　with　the　duke；　were　opposed

to　the　present；　so　much　more　ready　are　the　multitude　to　covet　the

possessions　of　others　than　to　preserve　their　own；　and　so　much　more

easily　are　they　led　by　the　hope　of　acquisition　than　by　the　fear　of

loss。　The　suggestions　of　the　latter　appear　incredible　till　they　are

verified；　and　the　pleasing　anticipations　of　the　former　are　cherished

as　facts；　even　while　the　advantages　are　very　problematical；　or　at

best；　remote。　The　people　of　Florence　were　inspired　with　hope；　by　the

acquisitions　which　Niccolo　Fortebraccio　had　made；　and　by　letters

received　from　their　rectors　in　the　vicinity　of　Lucca；　for　their

deputies　at　Vico　and　Pescia　had　written；　that　if　permission　were　given

to　them　to　receive　the　castles　that　offered　to　surrender；　the　whole

country　of　Lucca　would　very　soon　be　obtained。　It　must；　however；　be

added；　that　an　ambassador　was　sent　by　the　governor　of　Lucca　to

Florence；　to　complain　of　the　attack　made　by　Niccolo；　and　to　entreat

that　the　Signory　would　not　make　war　against　a　neighb