history of florence-第61部分

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Giampagolo；　their　captain；　on　the　left；　the　infantry　being　drawn　up

along　the　banks　of　the　river。　Thus；　the　only　course　the　enemy　could

take；　was　the　direct　one　over　the　bridge；　nor　had　the　Florentines　any

other　field　for　their　exertions；　excepting　that　their　infantry　were

ordered；　in　case　their　cavalry　were　attacked　in　flank　by　the　hostile

infantry；　to　assail　them　with　their　cross　bows；　and　prevent　them　from

wounding　the　flanks　of　the　horses　crossing　the　bridge。　Micheletto

bravely　withstood　the　enemy's　charge　upon　the　bridge；　but　Astorre　and

Francesco　Piccinino　coming　up；　with　a　picked　body　of　men；　attacked　him

so　vigorously；　that　he　was　compelled　to　give　way；　and　was　pushed　as

far　as　the　foot　of　the　hill　which　rises　toward　the　Borgo　d'Anghiari；

but　they　were　in　turn　repulsed　and　driven　over　the　bridge；　by　the

troops　that　took　them　in　flank。　The　battle　continued　two　hours；　during

which　each　side　had　frequent　possession　of　the　bridge；　and　their

attempts　upon　it　were　attended　with　equal　success；　but　on　both　sides

of　the　river；　the　disadvantage　of　Niccolo　was　manifest；　for　when　his

people　crossed　the　bridge；　they　found　the　enemy　unbroken；　and　the

ground　being　leveled；　they　could　man渦vre　without　difficulty；　and　the

weary　be　relieved　by　such　as　were　fresh。　But　when　the　Florentines

crossed；　Niccolo　could　not　relieve　those　that　were　harassed；　on

account　of　the　hindrance　interposed　by　the　ditches　and　embankments　on

each　side　of　the　road；　thus　whenever　his　troops　got　possession　of　the

bridge；　they　were　soon　repulsed　by　the　fresh　forces　of　the

Florentines；　but　when　the　bridge　was　taken　by　the　Florentines；　and

they　passed　over　and　proceeded　upon　the　road；　Niccolo　having　no

opportunity　to　reinforce　his　troops；　being　prevented　by　the

impetuosity　of　the　enemy　and　the　inconvenience　of　the　ground；　the　rear

guard　became　mingled　with　the　van；　and　occasioned　the　utmost　confusion

and　disorder；　they　were　forced　to　flee；　and　hastened　at　full　speed

toward　the　Borgo。　The　Florentine　troops　fell　upon　the　plunder；　which

was　very　valuable　in　horses；　prisoners；　and　military　stores；　for　not

more　than　a　thousand　of　the　enemy's　cavalry　reached　the　town。　The

people　of　the　Borgo；　who　had　followed　Niccolo　in　the　hope　of　plunder；

became　booty　themselves；　all　of　them　being　taken；　and　obliged　to　pay　a

ransom。　The　colors　and　carriages　were　also　captured。　This　victory　was

much　more　advantageous　to　the　Florentines　than　injurious　to　the　duke；

for；　had　they　been　conquered；　Tuscany　would　have　been　his　own；　but　he；

by　his　defeat；　only　lost　the　horses　and　accoutrements　of　his　army；

which　could　be　replaced　without　any　very　serious　expense。　Nor　was

there　ever　an　instance　of　wars　being　carried　on　in　an　enemy's　country

with　less　injury　to　the　assailants　than　at　this；　for　in　so　great　a

defeat；　and　in　a　battle　which　continued　four　hours；　only　one　man　died；

and　he；　not　from　wounds　inflicted　by　hostile　weapons；　or　any　honorable

means；　but；　having　fallen　from　his　horse；　was　trampled　to　death。

Combatants　then　engaged　with　little　danger；　being　nearly　all　mounted；

covered　with　armor；　and　preserved　from　death　whenever　they　chose　to

surrender；　there　was　no　necessity　for　risking　their　lives；　while

fighting；　their　armor　defended　them；　and　when　they　could　resist　no

longer；　they　yielded　and　were　safe。



This　battle；　from　the　circumstances　which　attended　and　followed　it；

presents　a　striking　example　of　the　wretched　state　of　military

discipline　in　those　times。　The　enemy's　forces　being　defeated　and

driven　into　the　Borgo；　the　commissaries　desired　to　pursue　them；　in

order　to　make　the　victory　complete；　but　not　a　single　condottiere　or

soldier　would　obey；　alleging；　as　a　sufficient　reason　for　their

refusal；　that　they　must　take　care　of　the　booty　and　attend　to　their

wounded；　and；　what　is　still　more　surprising；　the　next　day；　without

permission　from　the　commissaries；　or　the　least　regard　for　their

commanders；　they　went　to　Arezzo；　and；　having　secured　their　plunder；

returned　to　Anghiari；　a　thing　so　contrary　to　military　order　and　all

subordination；　that　the　merest　shadow　of　a　regular　army　would　easily

and　most　justly　have　wrested　from　them　the　victory　they　had　so

undeservedly　obtained。　Added　to　this；　the　men…at…arms；　or　heavy…armed

horse；　who　had　been　taken　prisoners；　whom　the　commissaries　wished　to

be　detained　that　they　might　not　rejoin　the　enemy；　were　set　at　liberty；

contrary　to　their　orders。　It　is　astonishing；　that　an　army　so

constructed　should　have　sufficient　energy　to　obtain　the　victory；　or

that　any　should　be　found　so　imbecile　as　to　allow　such　a　disorderly

rabble　to　vanquish　them。　The　time　occupied　by　the　Florentine　forces　in

going　and　returning　from　Arezzo；　gave　Niccolo　opportunity　of　escaping

from　the　Borgo；　and　proceeding　toward　Romagna。　Along　with　him　also

fled　the　Florentine　exiles；　who；　finding　no　hope　of　their　return　home；

took　up　their　abodes　in　various　parts　of　Italy；　each　according　to　his

own　convenience。　Rinaldo　made　choice　of　Ancona；　and；　to　gain　admission

to　the　celestial　country；　having　lost　the　terrestrial；　he　performed　a

pilgrimage　to　the　holy　sepulcher；　whence　having　returned；　he　died

suddenly　while　at　table　at　the　celebration　of　the　marriage　of　one　of

his　daughters；　an　instance　of　fortune's　favor；　in　removing　him　from

the　troubles　of　this　world　upon　the　least　sorrowful　day　of　his　exile。

Rinaldo　d'Albizzi　appeared　respectable　under　every　change　of

condition；　and　would　have　been　more　so　had　he　lived　in　a　united　city；

for　many　qualities　were　injurious　to　him　in　a　factious　community；

which　in　an　harmonious　one　would　have　done　him　honor。



When　the　forces　returned　from　Arezzo；　Niccolo　being　then　gone；　the

commissaries　presented　themselves　at　the　Borgo；　the　people　of　which

were　willing　to　submit　to　the　Florentines；　but　their　offer　was

declined；　and　while　negotiations　were　pending；　the　pope's　legate

imagined　the　commissaries　designed　to　take　it　from　the　church。　Hard

words　were　exchanged　and　hostilities　might　have　ensued　between　the

Florentine　and　ecclesiastical　forces；　if　the　misunderstanding　had

continued　much　longer；　but　as　it　was　brought　to　the　conclusion　desired

by　the　legate；　peace　was　restored。



While　the　affair　of　the　Borgo　San　Sepolcro　was　in　progress；　Niccolo

Piccinino　was　supposed　to　have　marched　toward　Rome；　other　accounts

said　La　Marca；　and　hence　the　legate　and　the　count's　forces　moved

toward　Perugia　to　relieve　La　Marca　or　Rome；　as　the　case　might　be；　and

Bernardo　de　Medici　accompanied　them。　Neri　led　the　Florentine　forces　to

recover　the　Casentino；　and　pitched　his　camp　before　Rassina；　which　he

took；　together　with　Bibbiena；　Prato　Vecchio；　and　Romena。　From　thence

he　proceeded　to　Poppi　and　invested　it　on　two　sides　with　his　forces；　in

one　direction　toward　the　plain　of　Certomondo；　in　the　other　upon　the

hill　extending　to　Fronzole。　The　count　finding　himself　abandoned　to　his

fate；　had　shut　himself　up　in　Poppi；　not　with　any　hope　of　assistance；

but　with　a　view　to　make　the　best　terms　he　could。　Neri　pressing　him；　he

offered　to　capitulate；　and　obtained　reasonable　conditions；　namely；

security　for　himself　and　family；　with　leave　to　take　whatever　he　could

carry　away；　on　condition　of　ceding　his　territories　and　government　to

the　Florentines。　When　he　perceived　the　full　extent　of　his　misfortune；

standing　upon　the　bridge　which　crosses　the　Arno；　close　to　Poppi；　he

turned　to　Neri　in　great　distress；　and　said；　〃Had　I　well　considered　my

own　position　and　the　power　of　the　Florentines；　I　should　now　have　been

a　friend　of　the　republic　and　congratulating　you　on　your　victory；　not

an　enemy　compelled　to　supplicate　some　alleviation　of　my　woe。　The

recent　events　which　to　you　bring　glory　and　joy；　to　me　are　full　of

wretchedness　and　sorrow。　Once　I　possessed　horses；　arms；　subjects；

grandeur　and　wealth：　can　it　be　surprising　that　I　part　with　them

reluctantly？　But　as　you　possess　both　the　power　and　the　inclination　to

command　the　whole　of　Tuscany；　we　must　of　necessity　obey　you；　and　had　I

not　committed　this　error；　my　misfortune　would　not　have　occurred；　and

your　liberality　could　not　have　been　exercised；　so；　that　if　you　were　to

rescue　me　from　entire　ruin；　you　would　give　the　world　a　lasting　proof

of　your　clemency。　Therefore；　let　your　pity　pass　by　my　fault；　and　allow

me　to　retain　this　single　house　to　leave　to　the　descendants　of　those

from　whom　your　fathers　have　received　innumerable　benefits。〃　To　this

Neri　replied：　〃That　his　having　expected　great　results　from　men　who

were　capable　of　doing　only　very　little；　had　led　him　to　commit　so　great

a　fault　against　the　republic　of　Florence；　that；　every　circumstance

considered；　he　must　surrender　all　those　places　to　the　Florentines；　as

an　enemy；　which　he　was　unwilling　to　hold　as　a　friend：　that　he　had　set

such　an　example；　as　it　would　be　most　highly　impolitic　to　encourage；

for；　upon　a　change　of　fortune；　it　might　injure　the　republic；　and　it

was　not　himself　they　feared；　but　his　power　while　lord　of　the

Casentino。　If；　however；　he　could　live　as　a　prince　in　Germany；　the

citizens　would　be　very　much　gratified；　and　out　of　love　to　those

ancestors　of　whom　he　had　spoken；　they　would　be　glad　to　assist　him。〃　To

this；　the　count；　in　great　anger；　replied：　〃He　wished　the　Florentines

at　a　much　greater　distance。〃　Attempting　no　longer　to　preserve　the

least　urbanity　of　demeanor；　he　ceded　the　place　and　all　its

dependencies　to　the　Florentines；　and　with　his　treasure；　wife；　and

children；　took　his　departure；　mourning　the　loss　of　a　territory　which

his　forefathers　had　held　during　four　hundred　years。　When　all　these

victories　were　known　at　Florence；　the　government　and　people　were

transported　with　joy。　Benedetto　de'　Medici；　finding　the　report　of

Niccolo　having　proceeded　either　to　Rome　or　to　La　Marca；　incorrect；

returned　with　his　forces　to　Neri；　and　they　proceeded　together　to

Florence；　where　the　highest　honors　were　decreed　to　them　which　it　was

customary　with　the　city　to　bestow　upon　her　victorious　citizens；　and