history of florence-第79部分

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factions；　assembled　in　the　palace　in　the　presence　of　the　Signory；　and

spoke　respecting　the　state　of　the　city　and　the　reconciliation　of

parties；　and　as　the　infirmities　of　Piero　prevented　him　from　being

present；　they；　with　one　exception；　unanimously　determined　to　wait　upon

him　at　his　house。　Niccolo　Soderini　having　first　placed　his　children

and　his　effects　under　the　care　of　his　brother　Tommaso；　withdrew　to　his

villa；　there　to　await　the　event；　but　apprehended　misfortune　to　himself

and　ruin　to　his　country。　The　other　citizens　coming　into　Piero's

presence；　one　of　them　who　had　been　appointed　spokesman；　complained　of

the　disturbances　that　had　arisen　in　the　city；　and　endeavored　to　show；

that　those　must　be　most　to　blame　who　had　been　first　to　take　up　arms；

and　not　knowing　what　Piero　（who　was　evidently　the　first　to　do　so）

intended；　they　had　come　in　order　to　be　informed　of　his　design；　and　if

it　had　in　view　the　welfare　of　the　city；　they　were　desirous　of

supporting　it。　Piero　replied；　that　not　those　who　first　take　arms　are

the　most　to　blame；　but　those　who　give　the　first　occasion　for　it；　and

if　they　would　reflect　a　little　on　their　mode　of　proceeding　toward

himself；　they　would　cease　to　wonder　at　what　he　had　done；　for　they

could　not　fail　to　perceive；　that　nocturnal　assemblies；　the　enrollment

of　partisans；　and　attempts　to　deprive　him　both　of　his　authority　and

his　life；　had　caused　him　to　take　arms；　and　they　might　further　observe；

that　as　his　forces　had　not　quitted　his　own　house；　his　design　was

evidently　only　to　defend　himself　and　not　to　injure　others。　He　neither

sought　nor　desired　anything　but　safety　and　repose；　neither　had　his

conduct　ever　manifested　a　desire　for　ought　else；　for　when　the

authority　of　the　Balia　expired；　he　never　made　any　attempt　to　renew　it；

and　was　very　glad　the　magistrates　had　governed　the　city　and　had　been

content。　They　might　also　remember　that　Cosmo　and　his　sons　could　live

respected　in　Florence；　either　with　the　Balia　or　without　it；　and　that

in　1458；　it　was　not　his　family；　but　themselves；　who　had　renewed　it。

That　if　they　did　not　wish　for　it　at　present；　neither　did　he；　but　this

did　not　satisfy　them；　for　he　perceived　that　they　thought　it　impossible

to　remain　in　Florence　while　he　was　there。　It　was　entirely　beyond　all

his　anticipations　that　his　own　or　his　father's　friends　should　think

themselves　unsafe　with　him　in　Florence；　having　always　shown　himself

quiet　and　peaceable。　He　then　addressed　himself　to　Diotisalvi　and　his

brothers；　who　were　present；　reminding　them　with　grave　indignation；　of

the　benefits　they　had　received　from　Cosmo；　the　confidence　he　had

reposed　in　them　and　their　subsequent　ingratitude；　and　his　words　so

strongly　excited　some　present；　that　had　he　not　interfered；　they　would

certainly　have　torn　the　Neroni　to　pieces　on　the　spot。　He　concluded　by

saying；　that　he　should　approve　of　any　determination　of　themselves　and

the　Signory；　and　that　for　his　own　part；　he　only　desired　peace　and

safety。　After　this；　many　things　were　discussed；　but　nothing

determined；　excepting　generally；　that　it　was　necessary　to　reform　the

administration　of　the　city　and　government。



The　Gonfalon　of　Justice　was　then　in　the　hands　of　Bernardo　Lotti；　a　man

not　in　the　confidence　of　Piero；　who　was　therefore　disinclined　to

attempt　aught　while　he　was　in　office；　but　no　inconvenience　would

result　from　the　delay；　as　his　magistracy　was　on　the　point　of　expiring。

Upon　the　election　of　Signors　for　the　months　of　September　and　October；

1466；　Roberto　Lioni　was　appointed　to　the　supreme　magistracy；　and　as

soon　as　he　assumed　its　duties；　every　requisite　arrangement　having　been

previously　made；　the　people　were　called　to　the　piazza；　and　a　new　Balia

created；　wholly　in　favor　of　Piero；　who　soon　afterward　filled　all　the

offices　of　government　according　to　his　own　pleasure。　These

transactions　alarmed　the　leaders　of　the　opposite　faction；　and　Agnolo

Acciajuoli　fled　to　Naples；　Diotisalvi　Neroni　and　Niccolo　Soderini　to

Venice。　Luca　Pitti　remained　in　Florence；　trusting　to　his　new

relationship　and　the　promises　of　Piero。　The　refugees　were　declared

rebels；　and　all　the　family　of　the　Neroni　were　dispersed。　Giovanni　di

Neroni；　then　archbishop　of　Florence；　to　avoid　a　greater　evil；　became　a

voluntary　exile　at　Rome；　and　to　many　other　citizens　who　fled；　various

places　of　banishment　were　appointed。　Nor　was　this　considered

sufficient；　for　it　was　ordered　that　the　citizens　should　go　in　solemn

procession　to　thank　God　for　the　preservation　of　the　government　and　the

reunion　of　the　city；　during　the　performance　of　which；　some　were　taken

and　tortured；　and　part　of　them　afterward　put　to　death　and　exiled。　In

this　great　vicissitude　of　affairs；　there　was　not　a　more　remarkable

instance　of　the　uncertainty　of　fortune　than　Luca　Pitti；　who　soon　found

the　difference　between　victory　and　defeat；　honor　and　disgrace。　His

house　now　presented　only　a　vast　solitude；　where　previously　crowds　of

citizens　had　assembled。　In　the　streets；　his　friends　and　relatives；

instead　of　accompanying；　were　afraid　even　to　salute　him。　Some　of　them

were　deprived　of　the　honors　of　government；　others　of　their　property；

and　all　alike　threatened。　The　superb　edifices　he　had　commenced　were

abandoned　by　the　builders；　the　benefits　that　had　been　conferred　upon

him；　where　now　exchanged　for　injuries；　the　honors　for　disgrace。　Hence

many　of　those　who　had　presented　him　with　articles　of　value　now

demanded　them　back　again；　as　being　only　lent；　and　those　who　had　been

in　the　habit　of　extolling　him　as　a　man　of　surpassing　excellence；　now

termed　him　violent　and　ungrateful。　So　that；　when　too　late；　he

regretted　not　having　taken　the　advice　of　Niccolo　Soderini；　and

preferred　an　honorable　death　in　battle；　than　to　a　life　of　ignominy

among　his　victorious　enemies。



The　exiles　now　began　to　consider　various　means　of　recovering　that

citizenship　which　they　had　not　been　able　to　preserve。　However；　Agnolo

Acciajuoli　being　at　Naples；　before　he　attempted　anything　else；

resolved　to　sound　Piero；　and　try　if　he　could　effect　a　reconciliation。

For　this　purpose；　he　wrote　to　him　in　the　following　terms：　〃I　cannot

help　laughing　at　the　freaks　of　fortune；　perceiving　how；　at　her

pleasure；　she　converts　friends　into　enemies；　and　enemies　into　friends。

You　may　remember　that　during　your　father's　exile；　regarding　more　the

injury　done　to　him　than　my　own　misfortunes；　I　was　banished；　and　in

danger　of　death；　and　never　during　Cosmo's　life　failed　to　honor　and

support　your　family；　neither　have　I　since　his　death　ever　entertained　a

wish　to　injure　you。　True；　it　is；　that　your　own　sickness；　and　the

tender　years　of　your　sons；　so　alarmed　me；　that　I　judged　it　desirable

to　give　such　a　form　to　the　government；　that　after　your　death　our

country　might　not　be　ruined；　and　hence；　the　proceedings；　which　not

against　you；　but　for　the　safety　of　the　state；　have　been　adopted；

which；　if　mistaken；　will　surely　obtain　forgiveness；　both　for　the　good

design　in　view；　and　on　account　of　my　former　services。　Neither　can　I

apprehend；　that　your　house；　having　found　me　so　long　faithful；　should

now　prove　unmerciful；　or　that　you　could　cancel　the　impression　of　so

much　merit　for　so　small　a　fault。〃　Piero　replied：　〃Your　laughing　in

your　present　abode　is　the　cause　why　I　do　not　weep；　for　were　you　to

laugh　in　Florence；　I　should　have　to　weep　at　Naples。　I　confess　you　were

well　disposed　toward　my　father；　and　you　ought　to　confess　you　were　well

paid　for　it；　and　the　obligation　is　so　much　the　greater　on　your　part

than　on　ours；　as　deeds　are　of　greater　value　than　words。　Having　been

recompensed　for　your　good　wishes；　it　ought　not　to　surprise　you　that

you　now　receive　the　due　reward　of　your　bad　ones。　Neither　will　a

pretense　of　your　patriotism　excuse　you；　for　none　will　think　the　city

less　beloved　or　benefited　by　the　Medici；　than　by　the　Acciajuoli。　It；

therefore；　seems　but　just；　that　you　should　remain　in　dishonor　at

Naples；　since　you　knew　not　how　to　live　with　honor　at　home。〃



Agnolo；　hopeless　of　obtaining　pardon；　went　to　Rome；　where；　joining　the

archbishop　and　other　refugees；　they　used　every　available　means　to

injure　the　commercial　credit　of　the　Medici　in　that　city。　Their

attempts　greatly　annoyed　Piero；　but　by　his　friends'　assistance；　he　was

enabled　to　render　them　abortive。　Diotisalvi　Neroni　and　Niccolo

Soderini　strenuously　urged　the　Venetian　senate　to　make　war　upon　their

country；　calculating；　that　in　case　of　an　attack；　the　government　being

new　and　unpopular；　would　be　unable　to　resist。　At　this　time　there

resided　at　Ferrara；　Giovanni　Francesco；　son　of　Palla　Strozzi；　who；

with　his　father；　was　banished　from　Florence　in　the　changes　of　1434。　He

possessed　great　influence；　and　was　considered　one　of　the　richest

merchants。　The　newly　banished　pointed　out　to　Giovanni　Francesco　how

easily　they　might　return　to　their　country；　if　the　Venetians　were　to

undertake　the　enterprise；　and　that　it　was　most　probable　they　would　do

so；　if　they　had　pecuniary　assistance；　but　that　otherwise　it　would　be

doubtful。　Giovanni　Francesco；　wishing　to　avenge　his　own　injuries；　at

once　fell　in　with　their　ideas；　and　promised　to　contribute　to　the

success　of　the　attempt　all　the　means　in　his　power。　On　this　they　went

to　the　Doge；　and　complained　of　the　exile　they　were　compelled　to

endure；　for　no　other　reason；　they　said；　than　for　having　wished　their

country　should　be　subject　to　equal　laws；　and　that　the　magistrates

should　govern；　not　a　few　private　individuals；　that　Piero　de'　Medici；

with　his　adherents；　who　were　accustomed　to　act　tyrannically；　had

secretly　taken　up　arms；　deceitfully　induced　them　to　lay　their　own

aside；　and　thus；　by　fraud；　expelled　them　from　their　country；　that；　not

content　with　this；　they　made　the　Almighty　himself　a　means　of

oppression　to　several；　who；　trusting　to　their　promises；　had　remained

in　the　city　and　were　there　betrayed；　for；　during　public　worship　and

solemn　supplications；　that　the　Deity　might　seem　to　participate　in

their　treachery；　many　citizens　had　been　seized；　imprisoned；　tor