history of florence-第56部分

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make　overtures　to　obtain　it；　though　with　shame　and　apprehension；　for

they　were　afraid　of　receiving　a　reply　similar　to　that　which　they　had

given　the　Florentines；　when　the　latter　applied　for　assistance　in　the

enterprise　against　Lucca　and　the　count's　affairs。　However；　they　found

the　Florentines　more　easily　induced　to　render　aid　than　they　expected；

or　their　conduct　deserved；　so　much　more　were　the　former　swayed　by

hatred　of　their　ancient　enemy；　than　by　resentment　of　the　ingratitude

of　their　old　and　habitual　friends。　Having　foreseen　the　necessity　into

which　the　Venetians　must　come；　they　had　informed　the　count　that　their

ruin　must　involve　his　own；　that　he　was　deceived　if　he　thought　the

duke；　while　fortune；　would　esteem　him　more　than　if　he　were　in

adversity；　that　the　duke　was　induced　to　promise　him　his　daughter　by

the　fear　he　entertained　of　him；　that　what　necessity　occasions　to　be

promised；　it　also　causes　to　be　performed；　and　it　was　therefore

desirable　to　keep　the　duke　in　that　necessity；　which　could　be　done

without　supporting　the　power　of　the　Venetians。　Therefore　he　might

perceive；　that　if　the　Venetians　were　compelled　to　abandon　their　inland

territories；　he　would　not　only　lose　the　advantages　derivable　from

them；　but　also　those　to　be　obtained　from　such　as　feared　them；　and　that

if　he　considered　well　the　powers　of　Italy；　he　would　see　that　some　were

poor；　and　others　hostile；　that　the　Florentines　alone　were　not；　as　he

had　often　said；　sufficient　for　his　support；　so　that　on　every　account

it　was　best　to　keep　the　Venetians　powerful　by　land。　These　arguments；

conjoined　with　the　hatred　which　the　count　had　conceived　against

Filippo；　by　supposing　himself　duped　with　regard　to　the　promised

alliance；　induced　him　to　consent　to　a　new　treaty；　but　still　he　would

not　consent　to　cross　the　Po。　The　agreement　was　concluded　in　February；

1438；　the　Venetians　agreeing　to　pay　two…thirds　of　the　expense　of　the

war；　the　Florentines　one…third；　and　each　engaging　to　defend　the　states

which　the　count　possessed　in　La　Marca。　Nor　were　these　the　only　forces

of　the　league；　for　the　lord　of　Faenza；　the　sons　of　Pandolfo　Malatesti

da　Rimino　and　Pietro　Giampagolo　Orsini　also　joined　them。　They

endeavored；　by　very　liberal　offers；　to　gain　over　the　marquis　of

Mantua；　but　could　not　prevail　against　the　friendship　and　stipend　of

the　duke；　and　the　lord　of　Faenza；　after　having　entered　into　compact

with　the　league；　being　tempted　by　more　advantageous　terms；　went　over

to　him。　This　made　them　despair　of　being　able　to　effect　an　early

settlement　of　the　troubles　of　Romagna。



The　affairs　of　Lombardy　were　in　this　condition：　Brescia　was　so　closely

besieged　by　the　duke's　forces；　that　constant　apprehensions　were

entertained　of　her　being　compelled　by　famine　to　a　surrender；　while

Verona　was　so　pressed；　that　a　similar　fate　was　expected　to　await　her；

and　if　one　of　these　cities　were　lost；　all　the　other　preparations　for

the　war　might　be　considered　useless；　and　the　expenses　already　incurred

as　completely　wasted。　For　this　there　was　no　remedy；　but　to　send　the

count　into　Lombardy；　and　to　this　measure　three　obstacles　presented

themselves。　The　first　was；　to　induce　him　to　cross　the　Po；　and

prosecute　the　war　in　whatever　locality　might　be　found　most　advisable；

the　second；　that　the　count　being　at　a　distance；　the　Florentines　would

be　left　almost　at　the　mercy　of　the　duke；　who；　issuing　from　any　of　his

fortresses；　might　with　part　of　his　troops　keep　the　count　at　bay；　and


with　the　rest　introduce　into　Tuscany　the　Florentine　exiles；　whom　the

existing　government　already　dreaded；　the　third　was；　to　determine　what

route　the　count　should　take　to　arrive　safely　in　the　Paduan　territory；

and　join　the　Venetian　forces。　Of　these　three　difficulties；　the　second；

which　particularly　regarded　the　Florentines；　was　the　most　serious；

but；　knowing　the　necessity　of　the　case；　and　wearied　out　by　the

Venetians；　who　with　unceasing　importunity　demanded　the　count；

intimating　that　without　him　they　should　abandon　all　hope；　they

resolved　to　relieve　their　allies　rather　than　listen　to　the　suggestions

of　their　own　fears。　There　still　remained　the　question　about　the　route

to　be　taken；　for　the　safety　of　which　they　determined　the　Venetians

should　provide；　and　as　they　had　sent　Neri　Capponi　to　treat　with　the

count　and　induce　him　to　cross　the　Po；　they　determined　that　the　same

person　should　also　proceed　to　Venice；　in　order　to　make　the　benefit　the

more　acceptable　to　the　Signory；　and　see　that　all　possible　security

were　given　to　the　passage　of　the　forces。



Neri　embarked　at　Cesena　and　went　to　Venice；　nor　was　any　prince　ever

received　with　so　much　honor　as　he　was；　for　upon　his　arrival；　and　the

matters　which　his　intervention　was　to　decide　and　determine；　the　safety

of　the　republic　seemed　to　depend。　Being　introduced　to　the　senate；　and

in　presence　of　the　Doge；　he　said；　〃The　Signory　of　Florence；　most

serene　prince；　has　always　perceived　in　the　duke's　greatness　the　source

of　ruin　both　to　this　republic　and　our　own；　and　that　the　safety　of　both

states　depends　upon　their　separate　strength　and　mutual　confidence。　If

such　had　been　the　opinion　of　this　illustrious　Signory；　we　should

ourselves　have　been　in　better　condition；　and　your　republic　would　have

been　free　from　the　dangers　that　now　threaten　it。　But　as　at　the　proper

crisis　you　withheld　from　us　confidence　and　aid；　we　could　not　come　to

the　relief　of　your　distress；　nor　could　you；　being　conscious　of　this；

freely　ask　us；　for　neither　in　your　prosperity　nor　adversity　have　you

clearly　perceived　our　motives。　You　have　not　observed；　that　those　whose

deeds　have　once　incurred　our　hatred；　can　never　become　entitled　to　our

regard；　nor　can　those　who　have　once　merited　our　affection　ever　after

absolutely　cancel　their　claim。　Our　attachment　to　your　most　serene

Signory　is　well　known　to　you　all；　for　you　have　often　seen　Lombardy

filled　with　our　forces　and　our　money　for　your　assistance。　Our

hereditary　enmity　to　Filippo　and　his　house　is　universally　known；　and

it　is　impossible　that　love　or　hatred；　strengthened　by　the　growth　of

years；　can　be　eradicated　from　our　minds　by　any　recent　act　either　of

kindness　or　neglect。　We　have　always　thought；　and　are　still　of　the　same

opinion；　that　we　might　now　remain　neutral；　greatly　to　the　duke's

satisfaction；　and　with　little　hazard　to　ourselves；　for　if　by　your　ruin

he　were　to　become　lord　of　Lombardy；　we　should　still　have　sufficient

influence　in　Italy　in　free　us　from　any　apprehension　on　our　own

account；　for　every　increase　of　power　and　territory　augments　that

animosity　and　envy；　from　which　arise　wars　and　the　dismemberment　of

states。　We　are　also　aware　what　heavy　expenses　and　imminent　perils　we

should　avoid；　by　declining　to　involve　ourselves　in　these　disputes；　and

how　easily　the　field　of　battle　may　be　transferred　from　Lombardy　to

Tuscany；　by　our　interference　in　your　behalf。　Yet　all　these

apprehensions　are　at　once　overborne　by　our　ancient　affection　for　the

senate　and　people　of　Venice；　and　we　have　resolved　to　come　to　your

relief　with　the　same　zeal　with　which　we　should　have　armed　in　our　own

defense；　had　we　been　attacked。　Therefore；　the　senate　of　Florence；

judging　it　primarily　necessary　to　relieve　Verona　and　Brescia；　and

thinking　this　impossible　without　the　count；　have　sent　me；　in　the　first

instance；　to　persuade　him　to　pass　into　Lombardy；　and　carry　on　the　war

wherever　it　may　be　most　needful；　for　you　are　aware　he　is　under　no

obligation　to　cross　the　Po。　To　induce　him　to　do　so；　I　have　advanced

such　arguments　as　are　suggested　by　the　circumstances　themselves；　and

which　would　prevail　with　us。　He；　being　invincible　in　arms；　cannot　be

surpassed　in　courtesy；　and　the　liberality　he　sees　the　Florentines

exercise　toward　you；　he　has　resolved　to　outdo；　for　he　is　well　aware　to

what　dangers　Tuscany　will　be　exposed　after　his　departure；　and　since　we

have　made　your　affairs　our　primary　consideration；　he　has　also　resolved

to　make　his　own　subservient　to　yours。　I　come；　therefore；　to　tender　his

services；　with　seven　thousand　cavalry　and　two　thousand　infantry；　ready

at　once　to　march　against　the　enemy；　wherever　he　may　be。　And　I　beg　of

you；　so　do　my　lords　at　Florence　and　the　count；　that　as　his　forces

exceed　the　number　he　has　engaged　to　furnish　you；　out　of　your

liberality；　would　remunerate　him；　that　he　may　not　repent　of　having

come　to　your　assistance；　nor　we；　who　have　prevailed　with　him　to　do

so。〃　This　discourse　of　Neri　to　the　senate　was　listened　to　with　that

profound　attention　which　an　oracle　might　be　imagined　to　command；　and

his　audience　were　so　moved　by　it；　that　they　could　not　restrain

themselves；　till　the　prince　had　replied；　as　strict　decorum　on　such

occasions　required；　but　rising　from　their　seats；　with　uplifted　hands；

and　most　of　them　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　they　thanked　the

Florentines　for　their　generous　conduct；　and　the　ambassador　for　his

unusual　dispatch；　and　promised　that　time　should　never　cancel　the

remembrance　of　such　goodness；　either　in　their　own　hearts；　or　their

children's；　and　that　their　country；　thenceforth；　should　be　common　to

the　Florentines　with　themselves。







CHAPTER　V



　　Francesco　Sforza　marches　to　assist　the　Venetians；　and　relieves

　　VeronaHe　attempts　to　relieve　Brescia　but　failsThe　Venetians

　　routed　by　Piccinino　upon　the　Lake　of　GardaPiccinino　routed　by

　　Sforza；　the　method　of　his　escapePiccinino　surprises　Verona

　　Description　of　VeronaRecovered　by　SforzaThe　duke　of　Milan

　　makes　war　against　the　FlorentinesApprehensions　of　the

　　FlorentinesCardinal　Vitelleschi　their　enemy。



When　their　demonstrations　of　gratitude　had　subsided；　the　Venetian

senate；　by　the　aid　of　Neri　di　Gino；　began　to　consider　the　route　the

count　ought　to　take；　and　how　to　provide　him　with　necessaries。　There

were　four　several　roads；　one　by　Ravenna；　along　the　beach；　which　on

account　of　its　being　in　many　places　interrupted　by　the　sea　and　by

marshes；　was　not　approved。　The　next　was　the　most　direct；　but　rendered

inconvenient　by　a　tower　calle