history of florence-第49部分

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her　defense　according　to　their　engagement。　To　these　reproaches　Palla

made　no　reply　audible　to　those　around；　but；　muttering　something　as　he

left　them；　returned　to　his　house。



The　Signory；　knowing　Rinaldo　and　his　party　had　taken　arms；　finding

themselves　abandoned；　caused　the　palace　to　be　shut　up；　and　having　no

one　to　consult　they　knew　not　what　course　to　adopt。　However；　Rinaldo；

by　delaying　his　coming　to　the　piazza；　having　waited　in　expectation　of

forces　which　did　not　join　him；　lost　the　opportunity　of　victory；　gave

them　courage　to　provide　for　their　defense；　and　allowed　many　others　to

join　them；　who　advised　that　means　should　be　used　to　induce　their

adversaries　to　lay　down　their　arms。　Thereupon；　some　of　the　least

suspected；　went　on　the　part　of　the　Signory　to　Rinaldo；　and　said；　they

did　not　know　what　occasion　they　had　given　his　friends　for　thus

assembling　in　arms；　that　they　never　had　any　intention　of　offending

him；　and　if　they　had　spoken　of　Cosmo；　they　had　no　design　of　recalling

him；　so　if　their　fears　were　thus　occasioned　they　might　at　once　be

dispelled；　for　that　if　they　came　to　the　palace　they　would　be

graciously　received；　and　all　their　complaints　attended　to。　These　words

produced　no　change　in　Rinaldo's　purpose；　he　bade　them　provide　for

their　safety　by　resigning　their　offices；　and　said　that　then　the

government　of　the　city　would　be　reorganized；　for　the　mutual　benefit　of

all。



It　rarely　happens；　where　authorities　are　equal　and　opinions　contrary；

that　any　good　resolution　is　adopted。　Ridolfo　Peruzzi；　moved　by　the

discourse　of　the　citizens；　said；　that　all　he　desired　was　to　prevent

the　return　of　Cosmo；　and　this　being　granted　to　them　seemed　a

sufficient　victory；　nor　would　he；　to　obtain　a　greater；　fill　the　city

with　blood；　he　would　therefore　obey　the　Signory；　and　accordingly　went

with　his　people　to　the　palace；　where　he　was　received　with　a　hearty

welcome。　Thus　Rinaldo's　delay　at　San　Pulinari；　Palla's　want　of

courage；　and　Ridolfo's　desertion；　deprived　their　party　of　all　chance

of　success；　while　the　ardor　of　the　citizens　abated；　and　the　pope's

authority　did　not　contribute　to　its　revival。



Pope　Eugenius　was　at　this　time　at　Florence；　having　been　driven　from

Rome　by　the　people。　These　disturbances　coming　to　his　knowledge；　he

thought　it　a　duty　suitable　to　his　pastoral　office　to　appease　them；　and

sent　the　patriarch　Giovanni　Vitelleschi；　Rinaldo's　most　intimate

friend；　to　entreat　the　latter　to　come　to　an　interview　with　him；　as　he

trusted　he　had　sufficient　influence　with　the　Signory　to　insure　his

safety　and　satisfaction；　without　injury　or　bloodshed　to　the　citizens。

By　his　friend's　persuasion；　Rinaldo　proceeded　with　all　his　followers

to　Santa　Maria　Nuova；　where　the　pope　resided。　Eugenius　gave　him　to

understand；　that　the　Signory　had　empowered　him　to　settle　the

differences　between　them；　and　that　all　would　be　arranged　to　his

satisfaction；　if　he　laid　down　his　arms。　Rinaldo；　having　witnessed

Palla's　want　of　zeal；　and　the　fickleness　of　Ridolfo　Peruzzi；　and　no

better　course　being　open　to　him；　placed　himself　in　the　pope's　hands；

thinking　that　at　all　events　the　authority　of　his　holiness　would　insure

his　safety。　Eugenius　then　sent　word　to　Niccolo　Barbadoro；　and　the　rest

who　remained　without；　that　they　were　to　lay　down　their　arms；　for

Rinaldo　was　remaining　with　the　pontiff；　to　arrange　terms　of　agreement

with　the　signors；　upon　which　they　immediately　dispersed；　and　laid

aside　their　weapons。



The　Signory；　seeing　their　adversaries　disarmed；　continued　to　negotiate

an　arrangement　by　means　of　the　pope；　but　at　the　same　time　sent

secretly　to　the　mountains　of　Pistoia　for　infantry；　which；　with　what

other　forces　they　could　collect；　were　brought　into　Florence　by　night。

Having　taken　possession　of　all　the　strong　positions　in　the　city；　they

assembled　the　people　in　the　piazza　and　created　a　new　balia；　which；

without　delay；　restored　Cosmo　and　those　who　had　been　exiled　with　him

to　their　country；　and　banished；　of　the　opposite　party；　Rinaldo　degli

Albizzi；　Ridolfo　Peruzzi；　Niccolo　Barbadoro；　and　Palla　Strozzi；　with

so　many　other　citizens；　that　there　were　few　places　in　Italy　which　did

not　contain　some；　and　many　others　beyond　her　limits　were　full　of　them。

By　this　and　similar　occurrences；　Florence　was　deprived　of　men　of

worth；　and　of　much　wealth　and　industry。



The　pope；　seeing　such　misfortunes　befall　those　who　by　his　entreaties

were　induced　to　lay　down　their　arms；　was　greatly　dissatisfied；　and

condoled　with　Rinaldo　on　the　injuries　he　had　received　through　his

confidence　in　him；　but　advised　him　to　be　patient；　and　hope　for　some

favorable　turn　of　fortune。　Rinaldo　replied；　〃The　want　of　confidence　in

those　who　ought　to　have　trusted　me；　and　the　great　trust　I　have　reposed

in　you；　have　ruined　both　me　and　my　party。　But　I　blame　myself

principally　for　having　thought　that　you；　who　were　expelled　from　your

own　country；　could　preserve　me　in　mine。　I　have　had　sufficient

experience　of　the　freaks　of　fortune；　and　as　I　have　never　trusted

greatly　to　prosperity；　I　shall　suffer　less　inconvenience　from

adversity；　and　I　know　that　when　she　pleases　she　can　become　more

favorable。　But　if　she　should　never　change；　I　shall　not　be　very

desirous　of　living　in　a　city　in　which　individuals　are　more　powerful

than　the　laws；　for　that　country　alone　is　desirable　in　which　property

and　friends　may　be　safely　enjoyed；　not　one　where　they　may　easily　be

taken　from　us；　and　where　friends；　from　fear　of　losing　their　property；

are　compelled　to　abandon　each　other　in　their　greatest　need。　Besides；

it　has　always　been　less　painful　to　good　men　to　hear　of　the　misfortunes

of　their　country　than　to　witness　them；　and　an　honorable　exile　is

always　held　in　greater　esteem　than　slavery　at　home。〃　He　then　left　the

pope；　and；　full　of　indignation；　blaming　himself；　his　own　measures；　and

the　coldness　of　his　friends；　went　into　exile。



Cosmo；　on　the　other　hand；　being　informed　of　his　recall；　returned　to

Florence；　and　it　has　seldom　occurred　that　any　citizen；　coming　home

triumphant　from　victory；　was　received　by　so　vast　a　concourse　of

people；　or　such　unqualified　demonstrations　of　regard　as　he　was　upon

his　return　from　banishment；　for　by　universal　consent　he　was　hailed　as

the　benefactor　of　the　people；　and　the　FATHER　OF　HIS　COUNTRY。









BOOK　V







CHAPTER　I



　　The　vicissitudes　of　empiresThe　state　of　ItalyThe　military

　　factions　of　Sforza　and　BraccioThe　Bracceschi　and　the　Sforzeschi

　　attack　the　pope；　who　is　expelled　by　the　RomansWar　between　the

　　pope　and　the　duke　of　MilanThe　Florentines　and　the　Venetians

　　assist　the　popePeace　between　the　pope　and　the　duke　of　Milan

　　Tyranny　practiced　by　the　party　favorable　to　the　Medici。



It　may　be　observed；　that　provinces　amid　the　vicissitudes　to　which　they

are　subject；　pass　from　order　into　confusion；　and　afterward　recur　to　a

state　of　order　again；　for　the　nature　of　mundane　affairs　not　allowing

them　to　continue　in　an　even　course；　when　they　have　arrived　at　their

greatest　perfection；　they　soon　begin　to　decline。　In　the　same　manner；

having　been　reduced　by　disorder；　and　sunk　to　their　utmost　state　of

depression；　unable　to　descend　lower；　they；　of　necessity；　reascend；　and

thus　from　good　they　gradually　decline　to　evil；　and　from　evil　again

return　to　good。　The　reason　is；　that　valor　produces　peace；　peace；

repose；　repose；　disorder；　disorder；　ruin；　so　from　disorder　order

springs；　from　order　virtue；　and　from　this；　glory　and　good　fortune。

Hence；　wise　men　have　observed；　that　the　age　of　literary　excellence　is

subsequent　to　that　of　distinction　in　arms；　and　that　in　cities　and

provinces；　great　warriors　are　produced　before　philosophers。　Arms

having　secured　victory；　and　victory　peace；　the　buoyant　vigor　of　the

martial　mind　cannot　be　enfeebled　by　a　more　excusable　indulgence　than

that　of　letters；　nor　can　indolence；　with　any　greater　or　more　dangerous

deceit；　enter　a　well　regulated　community。　Cato　was　aware　of　this　when

the　philosophers；　Diogenes　and　Carneades；　were　sent　ambassadors　to　the

senate　by　the　Athenians；　for　perceiving　with　what　earnest　admiration

the　Roman　youth　began　to　follow　them；　and　knowing　the　evils　that　might

result　to　his　country　from　this　specious　idleness；　he　enacted　that　no

philosopher　should　be　allowed　to　enter　Rome。　Provinces　by　this　means

sink　to　ruin；　from　which；　men's　sufferings　having　made　them　wiser；

they　again　recur　to　order；　if　they　be　not　overwhelmed　by　some

extraordinary　force。　These　causes　made　Italy；　first　under　the　ancient

Tuscans；　and　afterward　under　the　Romans；　by　turns　happy　and　unhappy；

and　although　nothing　has　subsequently　arisen　from　the　ruins　of　Rome　at

all　corresponding　to　her　ancient　greatness　（which　under　a　well…

organized　monarchy　might　have　been　gloriously　effected）；　still　there

was　so　much　bravery　and　intelligence　in　some　of　the　new　cities　and

governments　that　afterward　sprang　up；　that　although　none　ever　acquired

dominion　over　the　rest；　they　were；　nevertheless；　so　balanced　and

regulated　among　themselves；　as　to　enable　them　to　live　in　freedom；　and

defend　their　country　from　the　barbarians。



Among　these　governments；　the　Florentines；　although　they　possessed　a

smaller　extent　of　territory；　were　not　inferior　to　any　in　power　and

authority；　for　being　situated　in　the　middle　of　Italy；　wealthy；　and

prepared　for　action；　they　either　defended　themselves　against　such　as

thought　proper　to　assail　them；　or　decided　victory　in　favor　of　those　to

whom　they　became　allies。　From　the　valor；　therefore；　of　these　new

governments；　if　no　seasons　occurred　of　long…continued　peace；　neither

were　any　exposed　to　the　calamities　of　war；　for　that　cannot　be　called

peace　in　which　states　frequently　assail　each　other　with　arms；　nor　can

those　be　considered　wars　in　which　no　men　are　slain；　cities　plundered；

or　sovereignties　overthrown；　for　the　practice　of　arms　fell　into　such　a

state　of　decay；　that　wars　were　commenced　without　fear；　continued

without　danger；　and　concluded　without　loss。　Thus　th