history of florence-第85部分

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　　conspiracyThe　king　of　Naples　becomes　a　party　to　itNames　of　the

　　conspiratorsThe　conspirators　make　many　ineffectual　attempts　to

　　kill　Lorenzo　and　Giuliano　de'　MediciThe　final　arrangementOrder

　　of　the　conspiracy。



This　book；　commencing　between　two　conspiracies；　the　one　at　Milan

already　narrated；　the　other　yet　to　be　recorded；　it　would　seem

appropriate；　and　in　accordance　with　our　usual　custom；　were　we　to　treat

of　the　nature　and　importance　of　these　terrible　demonstrations。　This　we

should　willingly　do　had　we　not　discussed　the　matter　elsewhere；　or

could　it　be　comprised　in　few　words。　But　requiring　much　consideration；

and　being　already　noticed　in　another　place；　it　will　be　omitted；　and　we

shall　proceed　with　our　narrative。　The　government　of　the　Medici　having

subdued　all　its　avowed　enemies　in　order　to　obtain　for　that　family

undivided　authority；　and　distinguish　them　from　other　citizens　in　their

relation　to　the　rest；　found　it　necessary　to　subdue　those　who　secretly

plotted　against　them。　While　Medici　contended　with　other　families；

their　equals　in　authority　and　reputation；　those　who　envied　their　power

were　able　to　oppose　them　openly　without　danger　of　being　suppressed　at

the　first　demonstration　of　hostility；　for　the　magistrates　being　free；

neither　party　had　occasion　to　fear；　till　one　or　other　of　them　was

overcome。　But　after　the　victory　of　1466；　the　government　became　so

entirely　centred　in　the　Medici；　and　they　acquired　so　much　authority；

that　discontented　spirits　were　obliged　either　to　suffer　in　silence；

or；　if　desirous　to　destroy　them；　to　attempt　it　in　secrecy；　and　by

clandestine　means；　which　plots　rarely　succeed　and　most　commonly

involve　the　ruin　of　those　concerned　in　them；　while　they　frequently

contribute　to　the　aggrandizement　of　those　against　whom　they　are

directed。　Thus　the　prince　of　a　city　attacked　by　a　conspiracy；　if　not

slain　like　the　duke　of　Milan　（which　seldom　happens）；　almost　always

attains　to　a　greater　degree　of　power；　and　very　often　has　his　good

disposition　perverted　to　evil。　The　proceedings　of　his　enemies　give　him

cause　for　fear；　fear　suggests　the　necessity　of　providing　for　his　own

safety；　which　involves　the　injury　of　others；　and　hence　arise

animosities；　and　not　unfrequently　his　ruin。　Thus　these　conspiracies

quickly　occasion　the　destruction　of　their　contrivers；　and；　in　time；

inevitably　injure　their　primary　object。



Italy；　as　we　have　seen　above；　was　divided　into　two　factions；　the　pope

and　the　king　on　one　side；　on　the　other；　the　Venetians；　the　duke；　and

the　Florentines。　Although　the　flames　of　war　had　not　yet　broken　out；

every　day　gave　rise　to　some　new　occasion　for　rekindling　them；　and　the

pope；　in　particular；　in　all　his　plans　endeavored　to　annoy　the

Florentine　government。　Thus　Filippo　de'　Medici；　archbishop　of　Pisa；

being　dead；　Francesco　Salviati；　a　declared　enemy　of　the　Medici；　was

appointed　his　successor；　contrary　to　the　wish　of　the　Signory　of

Florence；　who　being　unwilling　to　give　him　possession；　there　arose

between　them　and　the　pope　many　fresh　grounds　of　offense；　before　the

matter　was　settled。　Besides　this；　he　conferred；　at　Rome；　many　favors

upon　the　family　of　the　Pazzi；　and　opposed　that　of　the　Medici；　whenever

an　opportunity　offered。　The　Pazzi　were　at　this　time；　both　on　account

of　nobility　of　birth　and　their　great　wealth；　the　most　brilliant　in

France。　The　head　of　this　family　was　Jacopo；　whom　the　people；　on

account　of　his　distinguished　pre…eminence；　had　made　a　knight。　He　had

no　children；　except　one　natural　daughter；　but　many　nephews；　sons　of

his　brothers　Piero　and　Antonio；　the　first　of　whom　were　Guglielmo；

Francesco；　Rinato；　Giovanni；　and　then；　Andrea；　Niccolo；　and　Galeotto。

Cosmo　de'　Medici；　noticing　the　riches　and　rank　of　this　family；　had

given　his　granddaughter；　Bianca；　to　Guglielmo；　hoping　by　this　marriage

to　unite　the　houses；　and　obviate　those　enmities　and　dissensions　so

frequently　occasioned　by　jealousy。　However　（so　uncertain　and

fallacious　are　our　expectations）；　very　different　feelings　were　thus

originated；　for　Lorenzo's　advisers　pointed　out　to　him　how　dangerous　it

was；　and　how　injurious　to　his　authority；　to　unite　in　the　same

individuals　so　much　wealth　and　power。　In　consequence；　neither　Jacopo

nor　his　nephews　obtained　those　degrees　of　honor；　which　in　the　opinion

of　other　citizens　were　their　due。　This　gave　rise　to　anger　in　the

Pazzi；　and　fear　on　the　part　of　the　Medici；　as　the　former　of　these

increased；　so　did　the　latter；　and　upon　all　occasions；　when　the　Pazzi

came　in　competition　with　other　citizens；　their　claims　to　distinction；

however　strong；　were　set　aside　by　the　magistracy。　Francesco　de'　Pazzi；

being　at　Rome；　the　Council　of　Eight；　upon　some　trivial　occasion；

compelled　him　to　return；　without　treating　him　with　the　respect　usually

observed　toward　great　citizens；　so　that　the　Pazzi　everywhere　bitterly

complained　of　the　ill　usage　they　experienced；　and　thus　excited

suspicion　in　others；　and　brought　down　greater　evils　upon　themselves。

Giovanni　de'　Pazzi　had　married　the　daughter　of　Giovanni　Buonromei；　a

very　wealthy　man；　whose　riches　on　his　decease；　without　other　children；

came　to　his　daughter。　His　nephew；　Carlo；　however；　took　possession　of

part；　and　the　question　being　litigated；　a　law　was　passed；　by　virtue　of

which　the　wife　of　Giovanni　de'　Pazzi　was　robbed　of　her　inheritance；

and　it　was　given　to　Carlo。　In　this　piece　of　injustice　the　Pazzi　at

once　recognized　the　influence　of　the　Medici。　Giuliano　de'　Medici　often

complained　to　his　brother　Lorenzo　of　the　affair；　saying　he　was　afraid

that　by　grasping　at　too　much　they　would　lose　all。



Lorenzo；　flushed　with　youth　and　power；　would　assume　the　direction　of

everything；　and　resolved　that　all　transactions　should　bear　an　impress

of　his　influence。　The　Pazzi；　with　their　nobility　and　wealth　unable　to

endure　so　many　affronts；　began　to　devise　some　means　of　vengeance。　The

first　who　spoke　of　any　attempt　against　the　Medici；　was　Francesco；　who；

being　more　sensitive　and　resolute　than　the　others；　determined　either

to　obtain　what　was　withheld　from　him；　or　lose　what　he　still　possessed。

As　the　government　of　Florence　gave　him　great　offense；　he　resided

almost　constantly　at　Rome；　where；　like　other　Florentine　merchants；　he

conducted　extensive　commercial　operations；　and　being　a　most　intimate

friend　of　Count　Girolamo；　they　frequently　complained　to　each　other　of

the　conduct　of　the　Medici。　After　a　while　they　began　to　think　that　for

the　count　to　retain　his　estates；　or　the　Pazzi　their　rights　in　the

city；　it　would　be　necessary　to　change　the　government　of　Florence；　and

this　they　considered　could　not　be　done　without　the　death　of　Giuliano

and　Lorenzo。　They　imagined　the　pope　and　the　king　would　be　easily

induced　to　consent；　because　each　could　be　convinced　of　the　facility　of

the　enterprise。　Having　acquired　these　ideas；　they　communicated　them　to

Francesco　Salviati；　archbishop　of　Pisa；　who；　being　ambitious　and

recently　offended　by　the　Medici；　willingly　adopted　their　views。

Considering　their　next　step；　they　resolved；　in　order　to　facilitate　the

design；　to　obtain　the　consent　of　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi；　without　whose

concurrence　they　feared　it　would　be　impracticable。　With　this　view；　it

was　resolved　that　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　should　go　to　Florence；　while　the

archbishop　and　the　count　were　to　remain　at　Rome；　to　be　ready　to

communicate　with　the　pope　when　a　suitable　opportunity　occurred。

Francesco　found　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　more　cautious　and　difficult　to

persuade　than　he　could　have　wished；　and　on　imparting　this　to　his

friends　at　Rome；　it　was　thought　he　desired　the　sanction　of　some

greater　authority　to　induce　him　to　adopt　their　views。　Upon　this；　the

archbishop　and　the　count　communicated　the　whole　affair　to　Giovanni

Batista　da　Montesecco；　a　leader　of　the　papal　forces；　possessing

military　reputation；　and　under　obligations　to　the　pope　and　the　count。

To　him　the　affair　seemed　difficult　and　dangerous；　while　the　archbishop


endeavored　to　obviate　his　objections　by　showing　how　much　assistance

the　pope　and　the　king　would　lend　to　the　enterprise；　the　hatred　of　the

Florentines　toward　the　Medici；　the　numerous　friends　the　Salviati　and

the　Pazzi　would　bring　with　them；　the　readiness　with　which　the　young

men　might　be　slain；　on　account　of　their　going　about　the　city

unaccompanied　and　without　suspicion；　and　the　facility　with　which　the

government　might　then　be　changed。　These　things　Giovanni　Batista　did

not　in　reality　believe；　for　he　had　heard　from　many　Florentines　quite

contrary　statements。



While　occupied　with　these　deliberations；　Carlo；　lord　of　Faenza；　was

taken　ill；　and　tears　were　entertained　for　his　life。　This　circumstance

seemed　to　the　archbishop　and　the　count　to　offer　an　opportunity　for

sending　Giovanni　Batista　to　Florence；　and　thence　to　Romagna；　under

pretence　of　recovering　certain　territories　belonging　to　the　latter；　of

which　the　lord　of　Faenza　had　taken　possession。　The　count　therefore

commissioned　Giovanni　Batista　to　have　an　interview　with　Lorenzo　de'

Medici；　and　on　his　part　request　his　advice　how　to　proceed　with　respect

to　the　affair　of　Romagna；　that　he　should　then　see　Francesco　de'　Pazzi；

and　in　conjunction　with　him　endeavor　to　induce　his　uncle　Jacopo　to

adopt　their　ideas。　To　render　the　pope's　authority　available　in　their

behalf；　Giovanni　Batista　was　ordered；　before　his　departure；　to

communicate　with　the　pontiff；　who　offered　every　means　at　his　disposal

in　favor　of　their　enterprise。　Giovanni　Batista；　having　arrived　at

Florence；　obtained　an　interview　with　Lorenzo；　by　whom　he　was　most

graciously　received；　and　with　regard　to　the　advice　he　was　commissioned

to　ask；　obtained　a　wise　and　friendly　answer；　so　that　he　was　astonished

at　finding　him　quite　a　different　character　from　what　he　had　been

represented；　and　considered　him　to　possess　great　sagacity；　an

affectionate　heart；　and　most　amicably　disposed　toward　the　count。　He

found　Francesco　de'　Pazzi　had　gone　to　Lucca；　and　spoke　to　Jacopo；　who

was　at　first　quite　opposed　to　their　design