history of florence-第67部分

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surrender；　on　that　fortress　being　wrested　from　the　enemy's　hands。　The

count　obeyed；　though　he　would　have　preferred　crossing　the　Adda　and

attacking　the　Brescian　territory。　Having　encamped　before　Caravaggio；

he　so　strongly　entrenched　himself；　that　if　the　enemy　attempted　to

relieve　the　place；　they　would　have　to　attack　him　at　a　great

disadvantage。　The　Venetian　army；　led　by　Micheletto；　approached　within

two　bowshots　of　the　enemy's　camp；　and　many　skirmishes　ensued。　The

count　continued　to　press　the　fortress；　and　reduced　it　to　the　very　last

extremity；　which　greatly　distressed　the　Venetians；　since　they　knew　the

loss　of　it　would　involve　the　total　failure　of　their　expedition。　Very

different　views　were　entertained　by　their　military　officers　respecting

the　best　mode　of　relieving　the　place；　but　they　saw　no　course　open

except　to　attack　the　enemy　in　his　trenches；　in　spite　of　all　obstacles。

The　castle　was；　however；　considered　of　such　paramount　importance；　that

the　Venetian　senate；　though　naturally　timid；　and　averse　to　all

hazardous　undertakings；　chose　rather　to　risk　everything　than　allow　it

to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。



They　therefore　resolved　to　attack　the　count　at　all　events；　and　early

the　next　morning　commenced　their　assault　upon　a　point　which　was　least

defended。　At　the　first　charge；　as　commonly　happens　in　a　surprise；

Francesco's　whole　army　was　thrown　into　dismay。　Order；　however；　was

soon　so　completely　restored　by　the　count；　that　the　enemy；　after

various　efforts　to　gain　the　outworks；　were　repulsed　and　put　to　flight；

and　so　entirely　routed；　that　of　twelve　thousand　horse　only　one

thousand　escaped　the　hands　of　the　Milanese；　who　took　possession　of　all

the　carriages　and　military　stores；　nor　had　the　Venetians　ever　before

suffered　such　a　thorough　rout　and　overthrow。　Among　the　plunder　and

prisoners；　crouching　down；　as　if　to　escape　observation；　was　found　a

Venetian　commissary；　who；　in　the　course　of　the　war　and　before　the

fight；　had　spoken　contemptuously　of　the　count；　calling　him　〃bastard；〃

and　〃base…born。〃　Being　made　prisoner；　he　remembered　his　faults；　and

fearing　punishment；　being　taken　before　the　count；　was　agonized　with

terror；　and；　as　is　usual　with　mean　minds　（in　prosperity　insolent；　in

adversity　abject　and　cringing）；　prostrated　himself；　weeping　and

begging　pardon　for　the　offenses　he　had　committed。　The　count；　taking

him　by　the　arm；　raised　him　up；　and　encouraged　him　to　hope　for　the

best。　He　then　said　he　wondered　how　a　man　so　prudent　and　respectable　as

himself；　could　so　far　err　as　to　speak　disparagingly　of　those　who　did

not　merit　it；　and　as　regarded　the　insinuations　which　he　had　made

against　him；　he　really　did　not　know　how　Sforza　his　father；　and　Madonna

Lucia　his　mother；　had　proceeded　together；　not　having　been　there；　and

having　no　opportunity　of　interfering　in　the　matter；　so　that　he　was　not

liable　either　to　blame　or　praise。　However；　he　knew　very　well；　that　in

regard　to　his　own　actions　he　had　conducted　himself　so　that　no　one

could　blame　him；　and　in　proof　of　this　he　would　refer　both　the　Venetian

senate　and　himself　to　what　had　happened　that　day。　He　then　advised　him

in　future　to　be　more　respectful　in　speaking　of　others；　and　more

cautious　in　regard　to　his　own　proceedings。







CHAPTER　IV



　　The　count's　successesThe　Venetians　come　to　terms　with　himViews

　　of　the　VenetiansIndignation　of　the　Milanese　against　the　count

　　Their　ambassador's　address　to　himThe　count's　moderation　and

　　replyThe　count　and　the　Milanese　prepare　for　warMilanese

　　ambassadors　at　VeniceLeague　of　the　Venetians　and　MilaneseThe

　　count　dupes　the　Venetians　and　MilaneseHe　applies　for　assistance

　　to　the　FlorentinesDiversity　of　opinions　in　Florence　on　the

　　subjectNeri　di　Gino　Capponi　averse　to　assisting　the　countCosmo

　　de'　Medici　disposed　to　do　soThe　Florentines　sent　ambassadors　to

　　the　count。



After　this　victory；　the　count　marched　into　the　Brescian　territory；

occupied　the　whole　country；　and　then　pitched　his　camp　within　two　miles

of　the　city。　The　Venetians；　having　well…grounded　fears　that　Brescia

would　be　next　attacked；　provided　the　best　defense　in　their　power。　They

then　collected　the　relics　of　their　army；　and；　by　virtue　of　the　treaty；

demanded　assistance　of　the　Florentines；　who；　being　relieved　from　the

war　with　Alfonso；　sent　them　one　thousand　foot　and　two　thousand　horse；

by　whose　aid　the　Venetians　were　in　a　condition　to　treat　for　peace。　At

one　time　it　seemed　the　fate　of　their　republic　to　lose　by　war　and　win

by　negotiation；　for　what　was　taken　from　them　in　battle　was　frequently

restored　twofold　on　the　restoration　of　peace。　They　knew　the　Milanese

were　jealous　of　the　count；　and　that　he　wished　to　be　not　their　captain

merely；　but　their　sovereign；　and　as　it　was　in　their　power　to　make

peace　with　either　of　the　two　（the　one　desiring　it　from　ambition；　the

other　from　fear）；　they　determined　to　make　choice　of　the　count；　and

offer　him　assistance　to　effect　his　design；　persuading　themselves；　that

as　the　Milanese　would　perceive　they　had　been　duped　by　him；　they　would

in　revenge　place　themselves　in　the　power　of　any　one　rather　than　in

his；　and　that；　becoming　unable　either　to　defend　themselves　or　trust

the　count；　they　would　be　compelled；　having　no　other　resource；　to　fall

into　their　hands。　Having　taken　this　resolution；　they　sounded　the

count；　and　found　him　quite　disposed　for　peace；　evidently　desirous　that

the　honor　and　advantage　of　the　victory　at　Caravaggio　should　be　his

own；　and　not　accrue　to　the　Milanese。　The　parties　therefore　entered

into　an　agreement；　in　which　the　Venetians　undertook　to　pay　the　count

thirteen　thousand　florins　per　month；　till　he　should　obtain　Milan；　and

to　furnish　him；　during　the　continuance　of　the　war；　four　thousand　horse

and　two　thousand　foot。　The　count　engaged　to　restore　to　the　Venetians

the　towns；　prisoners；　and　whatever　else　had　been　taken　by　him　during

the　late　campaigns；　and　content　himself　with　those　territories　which

the　duke　possessed　at　the　time　of　his　death。



When　this　treaty　became　known　at　Milan；　it　grieved　the　citizens　more

than　the　victory　at　Caravaggio　had　exhilarated　them。　The　rulers　of　the

city　mourned；　the　people　complained；　women　and　children　wept；　and　all

exclaimed　against　the　count　as　false　and　perfidious。　Although　they

could　not　hope　that　either　prayers　or　promises　would　divert　him　from

his　ungrateful　design；　they　sent　ambassadors　to　see　with　what　kind　of

color　he　would　invest　his　unprincipled　proceedings；　and　being　admitted

to　his　presence；　one　of　them　spoke　to　the　following　effect；〃It　is

customary　with　those　who　wish　to　obtain　a　favor；　to　make　use　either　of

prayers；　presents；　or　threats；　that　pity；　convenience；　or　fear；　may

induce　a　compliance　with　their　requests。　But　as　with　cruel；

avaricious；　or；　in　their　own　conceit；　powerful　men；　these　arguments

have　no　weight；　it　is　vain　to　hope；　either　to　soften　them　by　prayers；

win　them　by　presents；　or　alarm　them　by　menaces。　We；　therefore；　being

now；　though　late；　aware　of　thy　pride；　cruelty；　and　ambition；　come

hither；　not　to　ask　aught；　nor　with　the　hope；　even　if　we　were　so

disposed；　of　obtaining　it；　but　to　remind　thee　of　the　benefits　thou

hast　received　from　the　people　of　Milan；　and　to　prove　with　what

heartless　ingratitude　thou　hast　repaid　them；　that　at　least；　under　the

many　evils　oppressing　us；　we　may　derive　some　gratification　from

telling　thee　how　and　by　whom　they　have　been　produced。　Thou　canst　not

have　forgotten　thy　wretched　condition　at　the　death　of　the　duke

Filippo；　the　king　and　the　pope　were　both　thine　enemies；　thou　hadst

abandoned　the　Florentines　and　the　Venetians；　who；　on　account　of　their

just　indignation；　and　because　they　stood　in　no　further　need　of　thee；

were　almost　become　thy　declared　enemies。　Thou　wert　exhausted　by　thy

wars　against　the　church；　with　few　followers；　no　friends；　or　any　money；

hopeless　of　being　able　to　preserve　either　thy　territories　or　thy

reputation。　From　these　circumstances　thy　ruin　must　have　ensued；　but

for　our　simplicity；　we　received　thee　to　our　home；　actuated　by

reverence　for　the　happy　memory　of　our　duke；　with　whom；　being　connected

by　marriage　and　renewed　alliance；　we　believed　thy　affection　would

descend　to　those　who　had　inherited　his　authority；　and　that；　if　to　the

benefits　he　had　conferred　on　thee；　our　own　were　added；　the　friendship

we　sought　to　establish　would　not　only　be　firm；　but　inseparable；　with

this　impression；　we　added　Verona　or　Brescia　to　thy　previous

appointments。　What　more　could　we　either　give　or　promise　thee？　What

else　couldst　thou；　not　from　us　merely；　but　from　any　others；　have

either　had　or　expected？　Thou　receivedst　from　us　an　unhoped…for

benefit；　and　we；　in　return；　an　unmerited　wrong。　Neither　hast　thou

deferred　until　now　the　manifestation　of　thy　base　designs；　for　no

sooner　wert　thou　appointed　to　command　our　armies；　than；　contrary　to

every　dictate　of　propriety；　thou　didst　accept　Pavia；　which　plainly

showed　what　was　to　be　the　result　of　thy　friendship；　but　we　bore　with

the　injury；　in　hope　that　the　greatness　of　the　advantage　would　satisfy

thy　ambition。　Alas！　those　who　grasp　at　all　cannot　be　satisfied　with　a

part。　Thou　didst　promise　that　we　should　possess　the　conquests　which

thou　might　afterward　make；　for　thou　wert　well　aware　that　what　was

given　at　many　times　might　be　withdrawn　at　once；　as　was　the　case　after

the　victory　at　Caravaggio；　purchased　by　our　money　and　blood；　and

followed　by　our　ruin。　Oh！　unhappy　states；　which　have　to　guard　against

their　oppressor；　but　much　more　wretched　those　who　have　to　trust　to

mercenary　and　faithless　arms　like　thine！　May　our　example　instruct

posterity；　since　that　of　Thebes　and　Philip　of　Macedon；　who；　after

victory　over　her　enemies；　from　being　her　captain　became　her　foe　and

her　prince；　could　not　avail　us。



〃The　only　fault　of　which　we　are　conscious　is　our　over…weening

confidence　in　one　whom　we　ought　not　to　have　trusted；　for　thy　past

life；　thy　restless　mind；　incapable　of　repose；　ought　to　have　put　us　on

o