history of florence-第52部分

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possessed　by　the　duke；　and　delivered　themselves　entirely　from　his

yoke。



These　transactions；　though　at　first　they　had　alarmed　the　princes　of

Italy　with　the　apprehension　that　the　duke　would　become　too　powerful；

now　gave　them　hope；　seeing　the　turn　they　had　taken；　of　being　able　to

restrain　him；　and；　notwithstanding　the　recent　league；　the　Florentines

and　Venetians　entered　into　alliance　with　the　Genoese。　Rinaldo　degli

Albizzi　and　the　other　leading　Florentine　exiles；　observing　the　altered

aspect　of　affairs；　conceived　hopes　of　being　able　to　induce　the　duke　to

make　war　against　Florence；　and　having　arrived　at　Milan；　Rinaldo

addressed　him　in　the　following　manner：　〃If　we；　who　were　once　your

enemies；　come　now　confidently　to　supplicate　your　assistance　to　enable

us　to　return　to　our　country；　neither　you；　nor　anyone；　who　considers

the　course　and　vicissitudes　of　human　affairs；　can　be　at　all　surprised；

for　of　our　past　conduct　toward　yourself　and　our　present　intentions

toward　our　country；　we　can　adduce　palpable　and　abundant　reasons。　No

good　man　will　ever　reproach　another　who　endeavors　to　defend　his

country；　whatever　be　his　mode　of　doing　so；　neither　have　we　had　any

design　of　injuring　you；　but　only　to　preserve　our　country　from

detriment；　and　we　appeal　to　yourself；　whether；　during　the　greatest

victories　of　our　league；　when　you　were　really　desirous　of　peace；　we

were　not　even　more　anxious　for　it　than　yourself；　so　that　we　do　not

think　we　have　done　aught　to　make　us　despair　altogether　of　favor　from

you。　Nor　can　our　country　itself　complain　that　we　now　exhort　you　to　use

those　arms　against　her；　from　which　we　have　so　pertinaciously　defended

her；　for　that　state　alone　merits　the　love　of　all　her　citizens；　which

cares　with　equal　affection　for　all；　not　one　that　favors　a　few；　and

casts　from　her　the　great　mass　of　her　children。　Nor　are　the　arms　that

men　use　against　their　country　to　be　universally　condemned；　for

communities；　although　composed　of　many；　resemble　individual　bodies；

and　as　in　these；　many　infirmities　arise　which　cannot　be　cured　without

the　application　of　fire　or　of　steel；　so　in　the　former；　there　often

occur　such　numerous　and　great　evils；　that　a　good　and　merciful　citizen；

when　there　is　a　necessity　for　the　sword；　would　be　much　more　to　blame

in　leaving　her　uncured；　than　by　using　this　remedy　for　her

preservation。　What　greater　disease　can　afflict　a　republic　than

slavery？　and　what　remedy　is　more　desirable　for　adoption　than　the　one

by　which　alone　it　can　be　effectually　removed？　No　wars　are　just　but

those　that　are　necessary；　and　force　is　merciful　when　it　presents　the

only　hope　of　relief。　I　know　not　what　necessity　can　be　greater　than

ours；　or　what　compassion　can　exceed　that　which　rescues　our　country

from　slavery。　Our　cause　is　therefore　just；　and　our　purpose　merciful；

as　both　yourself　and　we　may　be　easily　convinced。　The　amplest　justice

is　on　your　side；　for　the　Florentines　have　not　hesitated；　after　a　peace

concluded　with　so　much　solemnity；　to　enter　into　league　with　those　who

have　rebelled　against　you；　so　that　if　our　cause　is　insufficient　to

excite　you　against　them；　let　your　own　just　indignation　do　so；　and　the

more　so；　seeing　the　facility　of　the　undertaking。　You　need　be　under　no

apprehension　from　the　memory　of　the　past；　in　which　you　may　have

observed　the　power　of　that　people　and　their　pertinency　in　self…

defense；　though　these　might　reasonably　excite　fear；　if　they　were　still

animated　by　the　valor　of　former　times。　But　now；　all　is　entirely　the

reverse；　for　what　power　can　be　expected　in　a　city　that　has　recently

expelled　the　greatest　part　of　her　wealth　and　industry？　What

indomitable　resolution　need　be　apprehended　from　the　people　whom　so

many　and　such　recent　enmities　have　disunited？　The　disunion　which　still

prevails　will　prevent　wealthy　citizens　advancing　money　as　they　used　to

do　on　former　occasions；　for　though　men　willingly　contribute　according

to　their　means；　when　they　see　their　own　credit；　glory；　and　private

advantage　dependent　upon　it；　or　when　there　is　a　hope　of　regaining　in

peace　what　has　been　spent　in　war；　but　not　when　equally　oppressed　under

all　circumstances；　when　in　war　they　suffer　the　injuries　of　the　enemy；

and　in　peace；　the　insolence　of　those　who　govern　them。　Besides　this；

the　people　feel　more　deeply　the　avarice　of　their　rulers；　than　the

rapacity　of　the　enemy；　for　there　is　hope　of　being　ultimately　relieved

from　the　latter　evil；　but　none　from　the　former。　Thus；　in　the　last　war；

you　had　to　contend　with　the　whole　city；　but　now　with　only　a　small

portion。　You　attempted　to　take　the　government　from　many　good　citizens；

but　now　you　oppose　only　a　few　bad　ones。　You　then　endeavored　to　deprive

a　city　of　her　liberty；　now　you　come　to　restore　it。　As　it　is

unreasonable　to　suppose　that　under　such　disparity　of　circumstances；

the　result　should　be　the　same；　you　have　now　every　reason　to　anticipate

an　easy　victory；　and　how　much　it　will　strengthen　your　own　government；

you　may　easily　judge；　having　Tuscany　friendly；　and　bound　by　so

powerful　an　obligation；　in　your　enterprises；　she　will　be　even　of　more

service　to　you　than　Milan。　And；　although；　on　former　occasions；　such　an

acquisition　might　be　looked　upon　as　ambitious　and　unwarrantable；　it

will　now　be　considered　merciful　and　just。　Then　do　not　let　this

opportunity　escape；　and　be　assured；　that　although　your　attempts

against　the　city　have　been　attended　with　difficulty；　expense；　and

disgrace；　this　will　with　facility　procure　you　incalculable　advantage

and　an　honorable　renown。〃



Many　words　were　not　requisite　to　induce　the　duke　to　hostilities

against　the　Florentines；　for　he　was　incited　to　it　by　hereditary　hatred

and　blind　ambition；　and　still　more；　by　the　fresh　injuries　which　the

league　with　the　Genoese　involved；　yet　his　past　expenses；　the　dangerous

measures　necessary；　the　remembrance　of　his　recent　losses；　and　the　vain

hopes　of　the　exiles；　alarmed　him。　As　soon　as　he　had　learned　the　revolt

of　Genoa；　he　ordered　Niccolo　Piccinino　to　proceed　thither　with　all　his

cavalry　and　whatever　infantry　he　could　raise；　for　the　purpose　of

recovering　her；　before　the　citizens　had　time　to　become　settled　and

establish　a　government；　for　he　trusted　greatly　in　the　fortress　within

the　city；　which　was　held　for　him。　And　although　Niccolo　drove　the

Genoese　from　the　mountains；　took　from　them　the　valley　of　Pozeveri；

where　they　had　entrenched　themselves；　and　obliged　them　to　seek　refuge

within　the　walls　of　the　city；　he　still　found　such　an　insurmountable

obstacle　in　the　resolute　defense　of　the　citizens；　that　he　was

compelled　to　withdraw。　On　this；　at　the　suggestion　of　the　Florentine

exiles；　he　commanded　Niccolo　to　attack　them　on　the　eastern　side；　upon

the　confines　of　Pisa　in　the　Genoese　territory；　and　to　push　the　war

with　his　utmost　vigor；　thinking　this　plan　would　manifest　and　develop

the　course　best　to　be　adopted。　Niccolo　therefore　besieged　and　took

Serezana；　and　having　committed　great　ravages；　by　way　of　further

alarming　the　Florentines　he　proceeded　to　Lucca；　spreading　a　report

that　it　was　his　intention　to　go　to　Naples　to　render　assistance　to　the

king　of　Aragon。　Upon　these　new　events　Pope　Eugenius　left　Florence　and

proceeded　to　Bologna；　where　he　endeavored　to　effect　an　amicable

arrangement　between　the　league　and　the　duke；　intimating　to　the　latter；

that　if　he　would　not　consent　to　some　treaty；　the　pontiff　must　send

Francesco　Sforza　to　assist　the　league；　for　the　latter　was　now　his

confederate；　and　served　in　his　pay。　Although　the　pope　greatly　exerted

himself　in　this　affair；　his　endeavors　were　unavailing；　for　the　duke

would　not　listen　to　any　proposal　that　did　not　leave　him　the　possession

of　Genoa；　and　the　league　had　resolved　that　she　should　remain　free；

and；　therefore；　each　party；　having　no　other　resource；　prepared　to

continue　the　war。



In　the　meantime　Niccolo　Piccinino　arrived　at　Lucca；　and　the

Florentines；　being　doubtful　what　course　to　adopt；　ordered　Neri　di　Gino

to　lead　their　forces　into　the　Pisan　territory；　induced　the　pontiff　to

allow　Count　Francesco　to　join　him；　and　with　their　forces　they　halted

at　San　Gonda。　Piccinino　then　demanded　admission　into　the　kingdom　of

Naples；　and　this　being　refused；　he　threatened　to　force　a　passage。　The

armies　were　equal；　both　in　regard　of　numbers　and　the　capacity　of　their

leaders；　and　unwilling　to　tempt　fortune　during　the　bad　weather；　it

being　the　month　of　December；　they　remained　several　days　without

attacking　each　other。　The　first　movement　was　made　by　Niccolo

Piccinino；　who　being　informed　that　if　he　attacked　Vico　Pisano　by

night；　he　could　easily　take　possession　of　the　place；　made　the　attempt；

and　having　failed；　ravaged　the　surrounding　country；　and　then　burned

and　plundered　the　town　of　San　Giovanni　alla　Vena。　This　enterprise；

though　of　little　consequence；　excited　him　to　make　further　attempts；

the　more　so　from　being　assured　that　the　count　and　Neri　were　yet　in

their　quarters；　and　he　attacked　Santa　Maria　in　Castello　and　Filetto；

both　which　places　he　took。　Still　the　Florentine　forces　would　not　stir；

not　that　the　count　entertained　any　fear；　but　because；　out　of　regard　to

the　pope；　who　still　labored　to　effect　an　accommodation；　the　government

of　Florence　had　deferred　giving　their　final　consent　to　the　war。　This

course；　which　the　Florentines　adopted　from　prudence；　was　considered　by

the　enemy　to　be　only　the　result　of　timidity；　and　with　increased

boldness　they　led　their　forces　up　to　Barga；　which　they　resolved　to

besiege。　This　new　attack　made　the　Florentines　set　aside　all　other

considerations；　and　resolve　not　only　to　relieve　Barga；　but　to　invade

the　Lucchese　territory。　Accordingly　the　count　proceeded　in　pursuit　of

Niccolo；　and　coming　up　with　him　before　Barga；　an　engagement　took

place；　in　which　Piccinino　was　overcome；　and　compelled　to　raise　the

siege。



The　Venetians　considering　the　duke　to　have　broken　the　peace；　send

Giovan　Francesco　da　Gonzaga；　their　captain；　to　Ghiaradadda；　who；　by

severely　wasting　the　duke's　territories；　induced　h