history of florence-第88部分

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to　what　a　dreadful　point　ill　fortune　has　reduced　our　family；　when

among　friends；　amidst　our　own　relatives；　nay；　in　God's　holy　temple；　we

have　found　our　greatest　foes。　Those　who　are　in　danger　turn　to　their

friends　for　assistance；　they　call　upon　their　relatives　for　aid；　but　we

found　ours　armed；　and　resolved　on　our　destruction。　Those　who　are

persecuted；　either　from　public　or　private　motives；　flee　for　refuge　to

the　altars；　but　where　others　are　safe；　we　are　assassinated；　where

parricides　and　assassins　are　secure；　the　Medici　find　their　murderers。

But　God；　who　has　not　hitherto　abandoned　our　house；　again　saved　us；　and

has　undertaken　the　defense　of　our　just　cause。　What　injury　have　we　done

to　justify　so　intense　desire　of　our　destruction？　Certainly　those　who

have　shown　themselves　so　much　our　enemies；　never　received　any　private

wrong　from　us；　for；　had　we　wished　to　injure　them；　they　would　not　have

had　an　opportunity　of　injuring　us。　If　they　attribute　public　grievances

to　ourselves　（supposing　any　had　been　done　to　them）；　they　do　the

greater　injustices　to　you；　to　this　palace；　to　the　majesty　of　this

government；　by　assuming　that　on　our　account　you　would　act　unfairly　to

any　of　your　citizens；　and　such　a　supposition；　as　we　all　know；　is

contradicted　by　every　view　of　the　circumstances；　for　we；　had　we　been

able；　and　you；　had　we　wished　it；　would　never　have　contributed　to　so

abominable　a　design。　Whoever　inquires　into　the　truth　of　these　matters；

will　find　that　our　family　has　always　been　exalted　by　you；　and　from

this　sole　cause；　that　we　have　endeavored　by　kindness；　liberality；　and

beneficence；　to　do　good　to　all；　and　if　we　have　honored　strangers；　when

did　we　ever　injure　our　relatives？　If　our　enemies'　conduct　has　been

adopted；　to　gratify　their　desire　for　power　（as　would　seem　to　be　the

case　from　their　having　taken　possession　of　the　palace　and　brought　an

armed　force　into　the　piazza）；　the　infamous；　ambitious；　and　detestable

motive　is　at　once　disclosed。　If　they　were　actuated　by　envy　and　hatred

of　our　authority；　they　offend　you　rather　than　us；　for　from　you　we　have

derived　all　the　influence　we　possess。　Certainly　usurped　power　deserves

to　be　detested；　but　not　distinctions　conceded　for　acts　of　kindness；

generosity；　and　magnificence。　And　you　all　know　that　our　family　never

attained　any　rank　to　which　this　palace　and　your　united　consent　did　not

raise　it。　Cosmo；　my　grandfather；　did　not　return　from　exile　with　arms

and　violence；　but　by　your　unanimous　desire　and　approbation。　It　was　not

my　father；　old　and　inform；　who　defended　the　government　against　so　many

enemies；　but　yourselves　by　your　authority　and　benevolence　defended

him；　neither　could　I；　after　his　death；　being　then　a　boy；　have

maintained　the　position　of　my　house　except　by　your　favor　and　advice。

Nor　should　we　ever　be　able　to　conduct　the　affairs　of　this　republic；　if

you　did　not　contribute　to　our　support。　Therefore；　I　know　not　the

reason　of　their　hatred　toward　us；　or　what　just　cause　they　have　of

envy。　Let　them　direct　their　enmity　against　their　own　ancestors；　who；

by　their　pride　and　avarice；　lost　the　reputation　which　ours；　by　very

opposite　conduct；　were　enabled　to　acquire。　But　let　it　be　granted　we

have　greatly　injured　them；　and　that　they　are　justified　in　seeking　our

ruin；　why　do　they　come　and　take　possession　of　the　palace？　Why　enter

into　league　with　the　pope　and　the　king；　against　the　liberties　of　this

republic？　Why　break　the　long…continued　peace　of　Italy？　They　have　no

excuse　for　this；　they　ought　to　confine　their　vengeance　to　those　who　do

them　wrong；　and　not　confound　private　animosities　with　public

grievances。　Hence　it　is　that　since　their　defeat　our　misfortune　is　the

greater；　for　on　their　account　the　pope　and　the　king　make　war　upon　us；

and　this　war；　they　say；　is　directed　against　my　family　and　myself。　And

would　to　God　that　this　were　true；　then　the　remedy　would　be　sure　and

unfailing；　for　I　would　not　be　so　base　a　citizen　as　to　prefer　my　own

safety　to　yours；　I　would　at　once　resolve　to　ensure　your　security；　even

though　my　own　destruction　were　the　immediate　and　inevitable

consequence。　But　as　the　wrongs　committed　by　princes　are　usually

concealed　under　some　less　offensive　covering；　they　have　adopted　this

plea　to　hide　their　more　abominable　purpose。　If；　however；　you　think

otherwise；　I　am　in　your　hands；　it　is　with　you　to　do　with　me　what　you

please。　You　are　my　fathers；　my　protectors；　and　whatever　you　command　me

to　do　I　will　perform　most　willingly；　nor　will　I　ever　refuse；　when　you

find　occasion　to　require　it；　to　close　the　war　with　my　own　blood　which

was　commenced　with　that　of　my　brother。〃　While　Lorenzo　spoke；　the

citizens　were　unable　to　refrain　from　tears；　and　the　sympathy　with

which　he　had　been　heard　was　extended　to　their　reply；　delivered　by　one

of　them　in　the　name　of　the　rest；　who　said　that　the　city　acknowledged

many　advantages　derived　from　the　good　qualities　of　himself　and　his

family；　and　encouraged　them　to　hope　that　with　as　much　promptitude　as

they　had　used　in　his　defense；　and　in　avenging　his　brother's　death；

they　would　secure　to　him　his　influence　in　the　government；　which　he

should　never　lose　while　they　retained　possession　of　the　country。　And

that　their　deeds　might　correspond　with　their　words；　they　immediately

appointed　a　number　of　armed　men；　as　a　guard　for　the　security　of　his

person　against　domestic　enemies。







CHAPTER　III



　　The　Florentines　prepare　for　war　against　the　popeThey　appeal　to　a

　　future　councilPapal　and　Neapolitan　movements　against　the

　　FlorentinesThe　Venetians　refuse　to　assist　the　Florentines

　　Disturbances　in　MilanGenoa　revolts　from　the　dukeFutile

　　endeavors　to　effect　peace　with　the　popeThe　Florentines　repulse

　　their　enemies　from　the　territory　of　PisaThey　attack　the　papal

　　statesThe　papal　forces　routed　upon　the　borders　of　the　Lake　of

　　Perugia。



The　Florentines　now　prepared　for　war；　by　raising　money　and　collecting

as　large　a　force　as　possible。　Being　in　league　with　the　duke　of　Milan

and　the　Venetians；　they　applied　to　both　for　assistance。　As　the　pope

had　proved　himself　a　wolf　rather　than　a　shepherd；　to　avoid　being

devoured　under　false　accusations；　they　justified　their　cause　with　all

available　arguments；　and　filled　Italy　with　accounts　of　the　treachery

practiced　against　their　government；　exposing　the　impiety　and　injustice

of　the　pontiff；　and　assured　the　world　that　the　pontificate　which　he

had　wickedly　attained；　he　would　as　impiously　fill；　for　he　had　sent

those　whom　he　had　advanced　to　the　highest　order　of　prelacy；　in　the

company　of　traitors　and　parricides；　to　commit　the　most　horrid

treachery　in　the　church　in　the　midst　of　divine　service　and　during　the

celebration　of　the　holy　sacrament；　and　that　then；　having　failed　to

murder　the　citizens；　change　the　government；　and　plunder　the　city；

according　to　his　intention；　he　had　suspended　the　performance　of　all

religious　offices；　and　injuriously　menaced　and　injured　the　republic

with　pontifical　maledictions。　But　if　God　was　just；　and　violence　was

offensive　to　him；　he　would　be　displeased　with　that　of　his　viceregent；

and　allow　his　injured　people　who　were　not　admitted　to　communion　with

the　latter；　to　offer　up　their　prayers　to　himself。　The　Florentines；

therefore；　instead　of　receiving　or　obeying　the　interdict；　compelled

the　priests　to　perform　divine　service；　assembled　a　council　in　Florence


of　all　the　Tuscan　prelates　under　their　jurisdiction；　and　appealed

against　the　injuries　suffered　from　the　pontiff　to　a　future　general

council。



The　pope　did　not　neglect　to　assign　reasons　in　his　own　justification；

and　maintained　it　was　the　duty　of　a　pontiff　to　suppress　tyranny；

depress　the　wicked；　and　exalt　the　good；　and　that　this　ought　to　be　done

by　every　available　means；　but　that　secular　princes　had　no　right　to

detain　cardinals；　hang　bishops；　murder；　mangle；　and　drag　about　the

bodies　of　priests；　destroying　without　distinction　the　innocent　with

the　guilty。



Notwithstanding　these　complaints　and　accusations；　the　Florentines

restored　to　the　pope　the　cardinal　whom　they　had　detained；　in　return

for　which　he　immediately　assailed　them　with　his　own　forces　and　those

of　the　king。　The　two　armies；　under　the　command　of　Alfonso；　eldest　son

of　Ferrando；　and　duke　of　Calabria；　who　had　as　his　general；　Federigo；

count　of　Urbino；　entered　the　Chianti；　by　permission　of　the　Siennese；

who　sided　with　the　enemy；　occupied　Radda　with　many　other　fortresses；

and　having　plundered　the　country；　besieged　the　Castellina。　The

Florentines　were　greatly　alarmed　at　these　attacks；　being　almost

destitute　of　forces；　and　finding　their　friends　slow　to　assist；　for

though　the　duke　sent　them　aid；　the　Venetians　denied　all　obligation　to

support　the　Florentines　in　their　private　quarrels；　since　the

animosities　of　individuals　were　not　to　be　defended　at　the　public

expense。　The　Florentines；　in　order　to　induce　the　Venetians　to　take　a

more　correct　view　of　the　case；　sent　Tommaso　Soderini　as　their

ambassador　to　the　senate；　and；　in　the　meantime；　engaged　forces；　and

appointed　Ercole；　marquis　of　Ferrara；　to　the　command　of　their　army。

While　these　preparations　were　being　made；　the　Castellina　was　so　hard

pressed　by　the　enemy；　that　the　inhabitants；　despairing　of　relief；

surrendered；　after　having　sustained　a　siege　of　forty…two　days。　The

enemy　then　directed　their　course　toward　Arezzo；　and　encamped　before

San　Savino。　The　Florentine　army　being　now　in　order；　went　to　meet　them；

and　having　approached　within　three　miles；　caused　such　annoyance；　that

Federigo　d'Urbino　demanded　a　truce　for　a　few　days；　which　was　granted；

but　proved　so　disadvantageous　to　the　Florentines；　that　those　who　had

made　the　request　were　astonished　at　having　obtained　it；　for；　had　it

been　refused；　they　would　have　been　compelled　to　retire　in　disgrace。

Having　gained　these　few　days　to　recruit　themselves；　as　soon　as　they

were　expired；　they　took　the　castle　in　the　presence　of　their　enemies。

Winter　being　now　come；　the　forces　of　the　pope　and　king　retired　for

convenient　q