history of florence-第78部分

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adversaries　in　the　Pieta。　The　latter　being　anxious　for　Piero's　ruin；

had　induced　many　citizens　to　subscribe　their　names　as　favorable　to　the

undertaking。　Upon　one　occasion；　particularly　when　considering　the

course　to　be　adopted；　although　all　agreed　that　the　power　of　the　Medici

ought　to　be　reduced；　different　opinions　were　given　concerning　the

means　by　which　it　should　be　effected；　one　party；　the　most　temperate

and　reasonable；　held　that　as　the　authority　of　the　balia　had　ceased；

they　must　take　care　to　prevent　its　renewal；　it　would　then　be　found　to

be　the　universal　wish　that　the　magistrates　and　councils　should　govern

the　city；　and　in　a　short　time　Piero's　power　would　be　visibly

diminished；　and；　as　a　consequence　of　his　loss　of　influence　in　the

government；　his　commercial　credit　would　also　fail；　for　his　affairs

were　in　such　a　state；　that　if　they　could　prevent　him　from　using　the

public　money　his　ruin　must　ensue。　They　would　thus　be　in　no　further

danger　from　him；　and　would　succeed　in　the　recovery　of　their　liberty；

without　the　death　or　exile　of　any　individual；　but　if　they　attempted

violence　they　would　incur　great　dangers；　for　mankind　are　willing　to

allow　one　who　falls　of　himself　to　meet　his　fate；　but　if　pushed　down

they　would　hasten　to　his　relief；　so　that　if　they　adopted　no

extraordinary　measures　against　him；　he　will　have　no　reason　for　defense

or　aid；　and　if　he　were　to　seek　them　it　would　be　greatly　to　his　own

injury；　by　creating　such　a　general　suspicion　as　would　accelerate　his

ruin；　and　justify　whatever　course　they　might　think　proper　to　adopt。

Many　of　the　assembly　were　dissatisfied　with　this　tardy　method　of

proceeding；　they　thought　delay　would　be　favorable　to　him　and　injurious

to　themselves；　for　if　they　allowed　matters　to　take　their　ordinary

course；　Piero　would　be　in　no　danger　whatever；　while　they　themselves

would　incur　many；　for　the　magistrates　who　were　opposed　to　him　would

allow　him　to　rule　the　city；　and　his　friends　would　make　him　a　prince；

and　their　own　ruin　would　be　inevitable；　as　happened　in　1458；　and

though　the　advice　they　had　just　heard　might　be　most　consistent　with

good　feeling；　the　present　would　be　found　to　be　the　safest。　That　it

would　therefore　be　best；　while　the　minds　of　men　were　yet　excited

against　him；　to　effect　his　destruction。　It　must　be　their　plan　to　arm

themselves；　and　engage　the　assistance　of　the　marquis　of　Ferrara；　that

they　might　not　be　destitute　of　troops；　and　if　a　favorable　Signory　were

drawn；　they　would　be　in　condition　to　make　use　of　them。　They　therefore

determined　to　wait　the　formation　of　the　new　Signory；　and　be　governed

by　circumstances。



Among　the　conspirators　was　Niccolo　Fedini；　who　had　acted　as　president

of　their　assemblies。　He；　being　induced　by　most　certain　hopes；

disclosed　the　whole　affair　to　Piero；　and　gave　him　a　list　of　those　who

had　subscribed　their　names；　and　also　of　the　conspirators。　Piero　was

alarmed　on　discovering　the　number　and　quality　of　those　who　were

opposed　to　him；　and　by　the　advice　of　his　friends　he　resolved　to　take

the　signatures　of　those　who　were　inclined　to　favor　him。　Having

employed　one　of　his　most　trusty　confidants　to　carry　his　design　into

effect；　he　found　so　great　a　disposition　to　change　and　instability；

that　many　who　had　previously　set　down　their　names　among　the　number　of

his　enemies；　now　subscribed　them　in　his　favor。







CHAPTER　III



　　Niccolo　Soderini　drawn　Gonfalonier　of　JusticeGreat　hopes　excited

　　in　consequenceThe　two　parties　take　armsThe　fears　of　the

　　SignoryTheir　conduct　with　regard　to　PieroPiero's　reply　to　the

　　SignoryReform　of　government　in　favor　of　Piero　de'　Medici

　　Dispersion　of　his　enemiesFall　of　Lucca　PittiLetter　of　Agnolo

　　Acciajuoli　to　Piero　de'　MediciPiero's　answerDesigns　of　the

　　Florentine　exilesThey　induce　the　Venetians　to　make　war　on

　　Florence。



In　the　midst　of　these　events；　the　time　arrived　for　the　renewal　of　the

supreme　magistracy；　and　Niccolo　Soderini　was　drawn　Gonfalonier　of

Justice。　It　was　surprising　to　see　by　what　a　concourse；　not　only　of

distinguished　citizens；　but　also　of　the　populace；　he　was　accompanied

to　the　palace；　and　while　on　the　way　thither　an　olive　wreath　was　placed

upon　his　head；　to　signify　that　upon　him　depended　the　safety　and

liberty　of　the　city。　This；　among　many　similar　instances；　serves　to

prove　how　undesirable　it　is　to　enter　upon　office　or　power　exciting

inordinate　expectations；　for；　being　unable　to　fulfil　them　（many

looking　for　more　than　it　is　possible　to　perform）；　shame　and

disappointment　are　the　ordinary　results。　Tommaso　and　Niccolo　Soderini

were　brothers。　Niccolo　was　the　more　ardent　and　spirited；　Tommaso　the

wiser　man；　who；　being　very　much　the　friend　of　Piero；　and　knowing　that

his　brother　desired　nothing　but　the　liberty　of　the　city；　and　the

stability　of　the　republic；　without　injury　to　any；　advised　him　to　make

new　Squittini；　by　which　means　the　election　purses　might　be　filled　with

the　names　of　those　favorable　to　his　design。　Niccolo　took　his　brother's

advice；　and　thus　wasted　the　period　of　his　magistracy　in　vain　hopes；

which　his　friends；　the　leading　conspirators；　allowed　him　to　do　from

motives　of　envy；　for　they　were　unwilling　that　the　government　should　be

reformed　by　the　authority　of　Niccolo；　and　thought　they　would　be　in

time　enough　to　effect　their　purpose　under　another　gonfalonier。　Thus

the　magistracy　of　Niccolo　expired；　and　having　commenced　many　things

without　completing　aught；　he　retired　from　office　with　much　less　credit

than　when　he　had　entered　upon　it。



This　circumstance　caused　the　aggrandizement　of　Piero's　party；　whose

friends　entertained　stronger　hopes；　while　those　who　had　been　neutral

or　wavering　became　his　adherents；　so　that　both　sides　being　balanced；

many　months　elapsed　without　any　open　demonstration　of　their　particular

designs。　Piero's　party　continuing　to　gather　strength；　his　enemies'

indignation　increased　in　proportion；　and　they　now　determined　to　effect

by　force　what　they　either　could　not　accomplish；　or　were　unwilling　to

attempt　by　the　medium　of　the　magistrates；　which　was　assassination　of

Piero；　who　lay　sick　at　Careggi；　and　to　this　end　order　the　marquis　of

Ferrara　nearer　to　the　city　with　his　forces；　that　after　Piero's　death

he　might　lead　them　into　the　piazza；　and　thus　compel　the　Signory　to

form　a　government　according　to　their　own　wishes；　for　though　all　might

not　be　friendly；　they　trusted　they　would　be　able　to　induce　those　to

submit　by　fear　who　might　be　opposed　to　them　from　principle。



Diotisalvi；　the　better　to　conceal　his　design；　frequently　visited

Piero；　conversed　with　him　respecting　the　union　of　the　city；　and

advised　him　to　effect　it。　The　conspirators'　designs　had　already　been

fully　disclosed　to　Piero；　besides　this；　Domenico　Martelli　had　informed

him；　that　Francesco　Neroni；　the　brother　of　Diotisalvi；　had　endeavored

to　induce　him　to　join　them；　assuring　him　the　victory　was　certain；　and

their　object　all　but　attained。　Upon　this；　Piero　resolved　to　take

advantage　of　his　enemies'　tampering　with　the　marquis　of　Ferrara；　and

be　first　in　arms。　He　therefore　intimated　that　he　had　received　a　letter

from　Giovanni　Bentivogli；　prince　of　Bologna；　which　informed　him　that

the　marquis　of　Ferrara　was　upon　the　river　Albo；　at　the　head　of　a

considerable　force；　with　the　avowed　intention　of　leading　it　to

Florence；　that　upon　this　advice　he　had　taken　up　arms；　after　which；　in

the　midst　of　a　strong　force；　he　came　to　the　city；　when　all　who　were

disposed　to　support　him；　armed　themselves　also。　The　adverse　party　did

the　same；　but　not　in　such　good　order；　being　unprepared。　The　residence

of　Diotisalvi　being　near　that　of　Piero；　he　did　not　think　himself　safe

in　it；　but　first　went　to　the　palace　and　begged　the　Signory　would

endeavor　to　induce　Piero　to　lay　down　his　arms；　and　thence　to　Luca

Pitti；　to　keep　him　faithful　in　their　cause。　Niccolo　Soderini　displayed

the　most　activity；　for　taking　arms；　and　being　followed　by　nearly　all

the　plebeians　in　his　vicinity；　he　proceeded　to　the　house　of　Luca；　and

begged　that　he　would　mount　his　horse；　and　come　to　the　piazza　in

support　of　the　Signory；　who　were；　he　said；　favorable；　and　that　the

victory　would；　undoubtedly；　be　on　their　side；　that　he　should　not　stay

in　the　house　to　be　basely　slain　by　their　armed　enemies；　or

ignominiously　deceived　by　those　who　were　unarmed；　for；　in　that　case；

he　would　soon　repent　of　having　neglected　an　opportunity　irrecoverably

lost；　that　if　he　desired　the　forcible　ruin　of　Piero；　he　might　easily

effect　it；　and　that　if　he　were　anxious　for　peace；　it　would　be　far

better　to　be　in　a　condition　to　propose　terms　than　to　be　compelled　to

accept　any　that　might　be　offered。　These　words　produced　no　effect　upon

Luca；　whose　mind　was　now　quite　made　up；　he　had　been　induced　to　desert

his　party　by　new　conditions　and　promises　of　alliance　from　Piero；　for

one　of　his　nieces　had　been　married　to　Giovanni　Tornabuoni。　He；

therefore；　advised　Niccolo　to　dismiss　his　followers　and　return　home；

telling　him　he　ought　to　be　satisfied；　if　the　city　were　governed　by　the

magistrates；　which　would　certainly　be　the　case；　and　that　all　ought　to

lay　aside　their　weapons；　for　the　Signory；　most　of　whom　were　friendly；

would　decide　their　differences。　Niccolo；　finding　him　impracticable；

returned　home；　but　before　he　left；　he　said；　〃I　can　do　the　city　no　good

alone；　but　I　can　easily　foresee　the　evils　that　will　befall　her。　This

resolution　of　yours　will　rob　our　country　of　her　liberty；　you　will　lose

the　government；　I　shall　lose　my　property；　and　the　rest　will　be

exiled。〃



During　this　disturbance　the　Signory　closed　the　palace　and　kept　their

magistrates　about　them；　without　showing　favor　to　either　party。　The

citizens；　especially　those　who　had　followed　Luca　Pitti；　finding　Piero

fully　prepared　and　his　adversaries　unarmed；　began　to　consider；　not　how

they　might　injure　him；　but　how；　with　least　observation；　glide　into　the

ranks　of　his　friends。　The　principal　citizens；　the　leaders　of　both

factions；　assembled　in　the　palace　in　the　prese