the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第66部分

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represented　the　three　Ages　of　Man；　the　　other　the　Ages　of　the　World；　ingeniously　set　forth　in　five　scenes　of　　Roman　history；　and　in　two　allegories　of　the　golden　age　of　Saturn　and　of　　its　final　return。　The　imagination　displayed　in　the　adornment　of　the　　chariots；　when　the　great　Florentine　artists　undertook　the　work；　made　　the　scene　so　impressive　that　such　representations　became　in　time　a　　permanent　element　in　the　popular　life。　Hitherto　the　subject　cities　had　　been　satisfied　merely　to　present　their　symbolical　giftscostly　stuffs　　and　wax…candles　on　the　day　when　they　annually　did　homage。　The　guild　　of　merchants　now　built　ten　chariots；　to　which　others　were　afterwards　to　　be　added；　not　so　much　to　carry　as　to　symbolize　the　tribute；　and　Andrea　　del　Sarto；　who　painted　some　of　them；　no　doubt　did　his　work　to　　perfection。　These　cars；　whether　used　to　hold　tribute　or　trophies；　now　　formed　part　of　all　such　celebrations；　even　when　there　was　not　much　　money　to　be　laid　out。　The　Sienese　announced；　in　1477；　the　alliance　　between　Ferrante　and　Sixtus　IV；　with　which　they　themselves　were　　associated；　by　driving　a　chariot　round　the　city；　with　'one　clad　as　the　　goddess　of　peace　standing　on　a　hauberk　and　other　arms。'

At　the　Venetian　festivals　the　processions；　not　on　land　but　on　water；　　were　marvelous　in　their　fantastic　splendor。　The　sailing　of　the　　Bucentaur　to　meet　the　Princesses　of　Ferrara　in　the　year　1491　seems　to　　have　been　something　belonging　to　fairyland。　Countless　vessels　with　　garlands　and　hangings；　filled　with　the　richly　dressed　youth　of　the　　city；　moved　in　front；　genii　with　attributes　symbolizing　the　various　　gods；　floated　on　machines　hung　in　the　air；　below　stood　others　grouped　　as　tritons　and　nymphs；　the　air　was　filled　with　music；　sweet　odors；　and　　the　fluttering　of　embroidered　banners。　The　Bucentaur　was　followed　by　　such　a　crowd　of　boats　of　every　sort　that　for　a　mile　all　round　_（octo　　stadia）　_the　water　could　not　be　seen。　With　regard　to　the　rest　of　the　　festivities；　besides　the　pantomime　mentioned　above；　we　may　notice　as　　something　new　a　boat…race　of　fifty　powerful　girls。　In　the　sixteenth　　century　the　nobility　were　divided　into　corporations　with　a　view　to　　these　festivals；　whose　most　noteworthy　feature　was　some　extraordinary　　machine　placed　on　a　ship。　So；　for　instance；　in　the　year　1541；　at　the　　festival　of　the　'Sempiterni；'　a　round　'universe'　floated　along　the　　Grand　Canal；　and　a　splendid　ball　was　given　inside　it。　The　Carnival；　　too；　in　this　city　was　famous　for　its　dances；　processions；　and　　exhibitions　of　every　kind。　The　Square　of　St。　Mark　was　found　to　give　　space　enough　not　only　for　tournaments；　but　for　'Trionfi；'　similar　to　　those　common　on　the　mainland。　At　a　festival　held　on　the　conclusion　of　　peace；　the　pious　brotherhoods　（'scuole'）　took　each　its　part　in　the　　procession。　There；　among　golden　chandeliers　with　red　candles；　among　　crowds　of　musicians　and　winged　boys　with　golden　bowls　and　horns　of　　plenty；　was　seen　a　car　on　which　Noah　and　David　sat　together　enthroned；　　then　came　Abigail；　leading　a　camel　laden　with　treasures；　and　a　second　　car　with　a　group　of　political　figures…　…Italy　sitting　be　tween　Venice　　and　Liguriaand　on　a　raised　step　three　female　symbolical　figures　with　　the　arms　of　the　allied　princes。　This　was　followed　by　a　great　globe　with　　the　constellations；　as　it　seems；　round　it。　The　princes　themselves；　or　　rather　their　bodily　representatives；　appeared　on　other　chariots　with　　their　servants　and　their　coats　of　arms；　if　we　have　rightly　interpreted　　our　author。

The　Carnival；　properly　so　called；　apart　from　these　great　triumphal　　marches；　had　nowhere；　perhaps；　in　the　fifteenth　century　so　varied　a　　character　as　in　Rome。　There　were　races　of　every　kindof　horses；　asses；　　buffaloes；　old　men；　young　men；　Jews；　and　so　on。　Paul　II　entertained　the　　people　in　crowds　before　the　Palazzo　di　Venezia；　in　which　he　lived。　The　　games　in　the　Piazza　Navona；　which　had　probably　never　altogether　ceased　　since　the　classical　times；　were　remarkable　for　their　warlike　splendor。　　We　read　of　a　sham　fight　of　cavalry；　and　a　review　of　all　the　citizens　in　　arms。　The　greatest　freedom　existed　with　regard　to　the　use　of　masks；　　which　were　sometimes　allowed　for　several　months　together。　Sixtus　IV　　ventured；　in　the　most　populous　part　of　the　cityat　the　Campofiore　and　　near　the　Banchi　to　make　his　way　through　crowds　of　masks；　though　he　　declined　to　receive　them　as　visitors　in　the　Vatican。　Under　Innocent　　VIII；　a　discreditable　usage；　which　had　already　appeared　among　the　　Cardinals；　attained　its　height。　In　the　Carnival　of　1491；　they　sent　one　　another　chariots　full　of　splendid　masks；　of　singers；　and　of　buffoons；　　chanting　scandalous　verses。　They　were　accompanied　by　men　on　horseback。　　Apart　from　the　Carnival；　the　Romans　seem　to　have　been　the　first　to　　discover　the　effect　of　a　great　procession　by　torchlight。　When　Pius　II　　came　back　from　the　Congress　of　Mantua　in　1459；　the　people　waited　on　him　　with　a　squadron　of　horsemen　bearing　torches；　who　rode　in　shining　　circles　before　his　palace。　Sixtus　IV；　however；　thought　it　better　to　　decline　a　nocturnal　visit　of　the　people；　who　proposed　to　wait　on　him　　with　torches　and　olive…branches。

But　the　Florentine　Carnival　surpassed　the　Roman　in　a　certain　class　of　　processions；　which　have　left　their　mark　even　in　literature。　Among　a　　crowd　of　masks　on　foot　and　on　horseback　appeared　some　huge；　fantastic　　chariots；　and　upon　each　an　allegorical　figure　or　group　of　figures　with　　the　proper　accompaniments；　such　as　Jealousy　with　four　spectacled　faces　　on　one　head；　the　four　temperaments　with　the　planets　belonging　to　them；　　the　three　Fates；　Prudence　enthroned　above　Hope　and　Fear；　which　lay　　bound　before　her；　the　four　Elements；　Ages；　Winds；　Seasons；　and　so　on；　　as　well　as　the　famous　chariot　of　Death　with　the　coffins；　which　　presently　opened。　Sometimes　we　meet　with　a　splendid　scene　from　　classical　mythologyBacchus　and　Ariadne；　Paris　and　Helen；　and　others。　　Or　else　a　chorus　of　figures　forming　some　single　class　or　category；　as　　the　beggars；　the　hunters　and　nymphs；　the　lost　souls　who　in　their　　lifetime　were　hardhearted　women；　the　hermits；　the　astrologers；　the　　vagabonds；　the　devils；　the　sellers　of　various　kinds　of　wares；　and　even　　on　one　occasion　'il　popolo；'　the　people　as　such；　who　all　reviled　one　　another　in　their　songs。　The　songs；　which　still　remain　and　have　been　　collected；　give　the　explanation　of　the　masquerade　sometimes　pathetic；　　sometimes　in　a　humorous；　and　sometimes　in　an　excessively　indecent　tone。　　Some　of　the　worst　in　this　respect　are　attributed　to　Lorenzo　the　　Magnificent；　probably　because　the　real　author　did　not　venture　to　　declare　himself。　However　this　may　be；　we　must　certainly　ascribe　to　him　　the　beautiful　song　which　accompanied　the　masque　of　Bacchus　and　Ariadne；　　whose　refrain　still　echoes　to　us　from　the　fifteenth　century；　like　a　　regretful　presentiment　of　the　brief　splendor　of　the　Renaissance　itself：

'Quanto　？bella　giovinezza；　Che　si　fugge　tuttavia！　Chi　vuol　esser　lieto；　sia：　Di　doman　non　c'？certezza。'

Part　Six

MORALITY　AND　RELIGION

Morality　and　Judgement

The　relation　of　the　various　peoples　of　the　earth　to　the　supreme　　interests　of　life；　to　God；　virtue；　and　immortality；　may　be　investigated　　up　to　a　certain　point；　but　can　never　be　compared　to　one　another　with　　absolute　strictness　and　certainty。　The　more　plainly　in　these　matters　　our　evidence　seems　to　speak；　the　more　carefully　must　we　refrain　from　　unqualified　assumptions　and　rash　generalizations。

This　remark　is　especially　true　with　regard　to　our　judgement　on　　questions　of　morality。　It　may　be　possible　to　indicate　many　contrasts　　and　shades　of　difference　among　different　nations；　but　to　strike　the　　balance　of　the　whole　is　not　given　to　human　insight。　The　ultimate　truth　　with　respect　to　the　character；　the　conscience；　and　the　guilt　of　a　　people　remains　for　ever　a　secret；　if　only　for　the　reason　that　its　　defects　have　another　side；　where　they　reappear　as　peculiarities　or　even　　as　virtues。　We　must　leave　those　who　find　pleasure　in　passing　sweeping　　censures　on　whole　nations；　to　do　so　as　they　like。　The　people　of　Europe　　can　maltreat；　but　happily　not　judge　one　another。　A　great　nation；　　interwoven　by　its　civilization；　its　achievements；　and　its　fortunes　with　　the　whole　life　of　the　modern　world；　can　afford　to　ignore　both　its　　advocates　and　its　accusers。　It　lives　on　with　or　without　the　approval　of　　theorists。

Accordingly；　what　here　follows　is　no　judgement；　but　rather　a　string　of　　marginal　notes；　suggested　by　a　study　of　the　Italian　Renaissance　　extending　over　some　years。　The　value　to　be　attached　to　them　is　all　the　　more　qualified　as　they　mostly　touch　on　the　life　of　the　upper　classes；　　with　respect　to　which　we　are　far　better　informed　in　Italy　than　in　any　　other　country　in　Europe　at　that　period。　But　though　both　fame　and　infamy　　sound　louder　here　than　elsewhere；　we　are　not　helped　thereby　in　forming　　an　adequate　moral　estimate　of　the　people。

What　eye　can　pierce　the　depths　in　which　the　character　and　fate　of　　nations　are　determined？in　which　that　which　is　inborn　and　that　which　　has　been　experienced　combine　to　form　a　new　whole　and　a　fresh　nature？　in　which　even　those　intellectual　capacities　which　at　first　sight　we　　should　take　to　be　most　original　are　in　fact　evolved　late　and　slowly？　　Who　can　tell　if　the　Italian　before　the　thirteenth　century　possessed　　that　flexible　activity　and　certainty　in　his　whole　beingthat　play　of　　power　in　shaping　whatever　subject　he　dealt　with　in　word　or　in　form；　　which　was　peculiar　to　him　later？　And　if　no　answer　can　be　found　to　these　　questions；　how　can　we　possibly　judge　of　the　infinite　and　infinitely　　intricate　channels　through　which　character　and　intellect　are　　incessantly　pouring　their　influence　one　upon　the　other。　A　tribunal　　there　is　for　each　one　of　us；　whose　voice　is　our　conscience；　but　let　us　　have　done　with　these　generalities　about　nations。　For　the　people　that　　seems　to　be　most　sick　the　cure　may　be　at　hand；　and　one　that　appears　to　　be　healthy　may　bear　within　it　the　ripening　germs　of　death；　which　the　　hour　of　danger　will　bring　forth　from　their　hiding…place。

Morality　and　Immorality

At　the　beginning　of　the　sixteenth　century；　when　the　civilization　of　the　　Renaissance　had　reached　its　highest　pitch；　and　at　the　same　time　the　　political　ruin　of　the　nation　seemed　inevitable；　there　wer