history of florence-第76部分

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as　mine。〃　A　few　hours　before　his　death；　his　wife　asked　him　why　he　kept

his　eyes　shut；　and　he　said；　〃to　get　them　in　the　way　of　it。〃　Some

citizens　saying　to　him；　after　his　return　from　exile；　that　he　injured

the　city；　and　that　it　was　offensive　to　God　to　drive　so　many　religious

persons　out　of　it；　he　replied　that；　〃it　was　better　to　injure　the　city；

than　to　ruin　it；　that　two　yards　of　rose…colored　cloth　would　make　a

gentleman；　and　that　it　required　something　more　to　direct　a　government

than　to　play　with　a　string　of　beads。〃　These　words　gave　occasion　to　his

enemies　to　slander　him；　as　a　man　who　loved　himself　more　than　his

country；　and　was　more　attached　to　this　world　than　to　the　next。　Many

others　of　his　sayings　might　be　adduced；　but　we　shall　omit　them　as

unnecessary。　Cosmo　was　a　friend　and　patron　of　learned　men。　He　brought

Argiripolo；　a　Greek　by　birth；　and　one　of　the　most　erudite　of　his　time；

to　Florence；　to　instruct　the　youth　in　Hellenic　literature。　He

entertained　Marsilio　Ficino；　the　reviver　of　the　Platonic　philosophy；

in　his　own　house；　and　being　much　attached　to　him；　have　him　a　residence

near　his　palace　at　Careggi；　that　he　might　pursue　the　study　of　letters

with　greater　convenience；　and　himself　have　an　opportunity　of　enjoying

his　company。　His　prudence；　his　great　wealth；　the　uses　to　which　he

applied　it；　and　his　splendid　style　of　living；　caused　him　to　be　beloved

and　respected　in　Florence；　and　obtained　for　him　the　highest

consideration；　not　only　among　the　princes　and　governments　of　Italy；

but　throughout　all　Europe。　He　thus　laid　a　foundation　for　his

descendants；　which　enabled　them　to　equal　him　in　virtue；　and　greatly

surpass　him　in　fortune；　while　the　authority　they　possessed　in　Florence

and　throughout　Christendom　was　not　obtained　without　being　merited。

Toward　the　close　of　his　life　he　suffered　great　affliction；　for；　of　his

two　sons；　Piero　and　Giovanni；　the　latter；　of　whom　he　entertained　the

greatest　hopes；　died；　and　the　former　was　so　sickly　as　to　be　unable　to

attend　either　to　public　or　private　business。　On　being　carried　from　one

apartment　to　another；　after　Giovanni's　death；　he　remarked　to　his

attendants；　with　a　sigh；　〃This　is　too　large　a　house　for　so　small　a

family。〃　His　great　mind　also　felt　distressed　at　the　idea　that　he　had

not　extended　the　Florentine　dominions　by　any　valuable　acquisition；　and

he　regretted　it　the　more；　from　imagining　he　had　been　deceived　by

Francesco　Sforza；　who；　while　count；　had　promised；　that　if　he　became

lord　of　Milan；　he　would　undertake　the　conquest　of　Lucca　for　the

Florentines；　a　design；　however；　that　was　never　realized；　for　the

count's　ideas　changed　upon　his　becoming　duke；　he　resolved　to　enjoy　in

peace；　the　power　he　had　acquired　by　war；　and　would　not　again　encounter

its　fatigues　and　dangers；　unless　the　welfare　of　his　own　dominions

required　it。　This　was　a　source　of　much　annoyance　to　Cosmo；　who　felt　he

had　incurred　great　expense　and　trouble　for　an　ungrateful　and

perfidious　friend。　His　bodily　infirmities　prevented　him　from　attending

either　to　public　or　private　affairs；　as　he　had　been　accustomed；　and　he

consequently　witnessed　both　going　to　decay；　for　Florence　was　ruined　by

her　own　citizens；　and　his　fortune　by　his　agents　and　children。　He　died；

however；　at　the　zenith　of　his　glory　and　in　the　enjoyment　of　the

highest　renown。　The　city；　and　all　the　Christian　princes；　condoled　with

his　son　Piero　for　his　loss。　His　funeral　was　conducted　with　the　utmost

pomp　and　solemnity；　the　whole　city　following　his　corpse　to　the　tomb　in

the　church　of　St。　Lorenzo；　on　which；　by　public　decree；　he　was

inscribed；　〃FATHER　OF　HIS　COUNTRY。〃　If；　in　speaking　of　Cosmo's

actions；　I　have　rather　imitated　the　biographies　of　princes　than

general　history；　it　need　not　occasion　wonder；　for　of　so　extraordinary

an　individual　I　was　compelled　to　speak　with　unusual　praise。







CHAPTER　II



　　The　duke　of　Milan　becomes　lord　of　GenoaThe　king　of　Naples　and

　　the　duke　of　Milan　endeavor　to　secure　their　dominions　to　their

　　heirsJacopo　Piccinino　honorably　received　at　Milan；　and　shortly

　　afterward　murdered　at　NaplesFruitless　endeavors　of　Pius　II。　to

　　excite　Christendom　against　the　TurksDeath　of　Francesco　Sforza；

　　duke　of　MilanPerfidious　counsel　given　to　Piero　de'　Medici　by

　　Diotisalvi　NeroniConspiracy　of　Diotisalvi　and　others　against

　　PieroFutile　attempts　to　appease　the　disordersPublic　spectacles

　　Projects　of　the　conspirators　against　Piero　de'　MediciNiccolo

　　Fedini　discloses　to　Piero　the　plots　of　his　enemies。



While　Florence　and　Italy　were　in　this　condition；　Louis　XI。　of　France

was　involved　in　very　serious　troubles　with　his　barons；　who；　with　the

assistance　of　Francis；　duke　of　Brittany；　and　Charles；　duke　of

Burgundy；　were　in　arms　against　him。　This　attack　was　so　serious；　that

he　was　unable　to　render　further　assistance　to　John　of　Anjou　in　his

enterprise　against　Genoa　and　Naples；　and；　standing　in　need　of　all　the

forces　he　could　raise；　he　gave　over　Savona　（which　still　remained　in

the　power　of　the　French）　to　the　duke　of　Milan；　and　also　intimated；

that　if　he　wished；　he　had　his　permission　to　undertake　the　conquest　of

Genoa。　Francesco　accepted　the　proposal；　and　with　the　influence

afforded　by　the　king's　friendship；　and　the　assistance　of　the　Adorni；

he　became　lord　of　Genoa。　In　acknowledgment　of　this　benefit；　he　sent

fifteen　hundred　horse　into　France　for　the　king's　service；　under　the

command　of　Galeazzo；　his　eldest　son。　Thus　Ferrando　of　Aragon　and

Francesco　Sforza　became；　the　latter；　duke　of　Lombardy　and　prince　of

Genoa；　and　the　former；　sovereign　of　the　whole　kingdom　of　Naples。　Their

families　being　allied　by　marriage；　they　thought　they　might　so　confirm

their　power　as　to　secure　to　themselves　its　enjoyment　during　life；　and

at　their　deaths；　its　unencumbered　reversion　to　their　heirs。　To　attain

this　end；　they　considered　it　necessary　that　the　king　should　remove　all

ground　of　apprehension　from　those　barons　who　had　offended　him　in　the

war　of　John　of　Anjou；　and　that　the　duke　should　extirpate　the　adherents

of　the　Bracceschi；　the　natural　enemies　of　his　family；　who；　under

Jacopo　Piccinino；　had　attained　the　highest　reputation。　The　latter　was

now　the　first　general　in　Italy；　and　possessing　no　territory；　he

naturally　excited　the　apprehension　of　all　who　had　dominions；　and

especially　of　the　duke；　who；　conscious　of　what　he　had　himself　done；

thought　he　could　neither　enjoy　his　own　estate　in　safety；　nor　leave

them　with　any　degree　of　security　to　his　son　during　Jacopo's　lifetime。

The　king；　therefore；　strenuously　endeavored　to　come　to　terms　with　his

barons；　and　using　his　utmost　ingenuity　to　secure　them；　succeeded　in

his　object；　for　they　perceived　their　ruin　to　be　inevitable　if　they

continued　in　war　with　their　sovereign；　though　from　submission　and

confidence　in　him；　they　would　still　have　reason　for　apprehension。

Mankind　are　always　most　eager　to　avoid　a　certain　evil；　and　hence

inferior　powers　are　easily　deceived　by　princes。　The　barons；　conscious

of　the　danger　of　continuing　the　war；　trusted　the　king's　promises；　and

having　placed　themselves　in　his　hands；　they　were　soon　after　destroyed

in　various　ways；　and　under　a　variety　of　pretexts。　This　alarmed　Jacopo

Piccinino；　who　was　with　his　forces　at　Sulmona；　and　to　deprive　the　king

of　the　opportunity　of　treating　him　similarly；　he　endeavored；　by　the

mediation　of　his　friends；　to　be　reconciled　with　the　duke；　who；　by　the

most　liberal　offers；　induced　Jacopo　to　visit　him　at　Milan；　accompanied

by　only　a　hundred　horse。



Jacopo　had　served　many　years　with　his　father　and　brother；　first　under

Duke　Filippo；　and　afterward　under　the　Milanese　republic；　so　that　by

frequent　intercourse　with　the　citizens　he　had　acquired　many　friends

and　universal　popularity；　which　present　circumstances　tended　to

increase；　for　the　prosperity　and　newly　acquired　power　of　the

Sforzeschi　had　occasioned　envy；　while　Jacopo's　misfortunes　and　long

absence　had　given　rise　to　compassion　and　a　great　desire　to　see　him。

These　various　feelings　were　displayed　upon　his　arrival；　for　nearly　all

the　nobility　went　to　meet　him；　the　streets　through　which　he　passed

were　filled　with　citizens；　anxious　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　him；　while

shouts　of　〃The　Bracceschi！　the　Bracceschi！〃　resounded　on　all　sides。

These　honors　accelerated　his　ruin；　for　the　duke's　apprehensions

increased　his　desire　of　destroying　him；　and　to　effect　this　with　the

least　possible　suspicion；　Jacopo's　marriage　with　Drusiana；　the　duke's

natural　daughter；　was　now　celebrated。　The　duke　then　arranged　with

Ferrando　to　take　him　into　pay；　with　the　title　of　captain　of　his

forces；　and　give　him　100；000　florins　for　his　maintenance。　After　this

agreement；　Jacopo；　accompanied　by　a　ducal　ambassador　and　his　wife

Drusiana；　proceeded　to　Naples；　where　he　was　honorably　and　joyfully

received；　and　for　many　days　entertained　with　every　kind　of　festivity；

but　having　asked　permission　to　go　to　Sulmona；　where　his　forces　were；

the　king　invited　him　to　a　banquet　in　the　castle；　at　the　conclusion　of

which　he　and　his　son　Francesco　were　imprisoned；　and　shortly　afterward

put　to　death。　It　was　thus　our　Italian　princes；　fearing　those　virtues

in　others　which　they　themselves　did　not　possess；　extirpated　them；　and

hence　the　country　became　a　prey　to　the　efforts　of　those　by　whom　it　was

not　long　afterward　oppressed　and　ruined。



At　this　time；　Pope　Pius　II。　having　settled　the　affairs　of　Romagna；　and

witnessing　a　universal　peace；　thought　it　a　suitable　opportunity　to

lead　the　Christians　against　the　Turks；　and　adopted　measures　similar　to

those　which　his　predecessors　had　used。　All　the　princes　promised

assistance　either　in　men　or　money；　while　Matthias；　king　of　Hungary；

and　Charles；　duke　of　Burgundy；　intimated　their　intention　of　joining

the　enterprise　in　person；　and　were　by　the　pope　appointed　leaders　of

the　expedition。　The　pontiff　was　so　full　of　expectation；　that　he　left

Rome　and　proceeded　to　Ancona；　where　it　had　been　arranged　that　the

whole　army　should　be　assembled；　and　the　Venetians