the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第7部分

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urpose　of　luxury　or　　display。　Even　the　genuine　Spaniards　seem　to　have　almost　always　　degenerated　in　Italy；　but　the　end　of　this　cross…bred　house　（1494　and　　1503）　gives　clear　proof　of　a　want　of　blood。　Ferrante　died　of　mental　　care　and　trouble；　Alfonso　accused　his　brother　Federigo；　the　only　honest　　member　of　the　family；　of　treason；　and　insulted　him　in　the　vilest　　manner。　At　length；　though　he　had　hitherto　passed　for　one　of　the　ablest　　generals　in　Italy；　he　lost　his　head　and　fled　to　Sicily；　leaving　his　　son；　the　younger　Ferrante；　a　prey　to　the　French　and　to　domestic　　treason。　A　dynasty　which　had　ruled　as　this　had　done　must　at　least　have　　sold　its　life　dear；　if　its　children　were　ever　to　hope　for　a　　restoration。　But；　as　Comines　one…sidedly；　and　yet　on　the　whole　rightly　　observes　on　this　occasion；　'_Jamais　homme　cruel　ne　fut　hardi_'：　there　　was　never　a　more　cruel　man。　

The　despotism　of　the　Dukes　of　Milan；　whose　government　from　the　time　of　　Giangaleazzo　onwards　was　an　absolute　monarchy　of　the　most　thorough…　going　sort；　shows　the　genuine　Italian　character　of　the　fifteenth　　century。　The　last　of　the　Visconti　Filippo　Maria　（1412…1447）；　is　a　　character　of　peculiar　interest；　and　of　which　fortunately　an　admirable　　description　has　been　left　us。　What　a　man　of　uncommon　gifts　and　high　　position　can　be　made　by　the　passion　of　fear；　is　here　shown　with　what　　may　be　called　a　mathematical　completeness。　All　the　resources　of　the　　State　were　devoted　to　the　one　end　of　securing　his　personal　safety；　　though　happily　his　cruel　egotism　did　not　degenerate　into　a　purposeless　　thirst　for　blood。　He　lived　in　the　Citadel　of　Milan；　surrounded　by　　magnificent　gardens；　arbors；　and　lawns。　For　years　he　never　set　foot　in　　the　city；　making　his　excursions　only　in　the　country；　where　lay　several　　of　his　splendid　castles；　the　flotilla　which；　drawn　by　the　swiftest　　horses；　conducted　him　to　them　along　canals　constructed　for　the　purpose；　　was　so　arranged　as　to　allow　of　the　application　of　the　most　rigorous　　etiquette。　Whoever　entered　the　citadel　was　watched　by　a　hundred　eyes；　　it　was　forbidden　even　to　stand　at　the　window；　lest　signs　should　be　　given　to　those　without。　All　who　were　admitted　among　the　personal　　followers　of　the　Prince　were　subjected　to　a　series　of　the　strictest　　examinations；　then；　once　accepted；　were　charged　with　the　highest　　diplomatic　commissions；　as　well　as　with　the　humblest　personal　services　　both　in　this　Court　being　alike　honorable。　And　this　was　the　man　who　　conducted　long　and　difficult　wars；　who　dealt　habitually　with　political　　affairs　of　the　first　importance；　and　every　day　sent　his　　plenipotentiaries　to　all　parts　of　Italy。　His　safety　lay　in　the　fact　　that　none　of　his　servants　trusted　the　others；　that　his　Condottieri　were　　watched　and　misled　by　spies；　and　that　the　ambassadors　and　higher　　officials　were　baffled　and　kept　apart　by　artificially　nourished　　jealousies；　and　in　particular　by　the　device　of　coupling　an　honest　man　　with　a　knave。　His　inward　faith；　too；　rested　upon　opposed　and　　contradictory　systems；　he　believed　in　blind　necessity；　and　in　the　　influence　of　the　stars；　and　offering　prayers　at　one　and　the　same　time　　to　helpers　of　every　sort；　he　was　a　student　of　the　ancient　authors；　as　　well　as　of　French　tales　of　chivalry。　And　yet　the　same　man；　who　would　　never　suffer　death　to　be　mentioned　in　his　presence；　and　caused　his　　dying　favorites　to　be　removed　from　the　castle；　that　no　shadow　might　　fall　on　the　abode　of　happiness；　deliberately　hastened　his　own　death　by　　closing　up　a　wound；　and；　refusing　to　be　bled；　died　at　last　with　dignity　　and　grace。　

His　son…in…law　and　successor；　the　fortunate　Condottiere　Francesco　　Sforza　（1450…　1466）；　was　perhaps　of　all　the　Italians　of　the　fifteenth　　century　the　man　most　after　the　heart　of　his　age。　Never　was　the　triumph　　of　genius　and　individual　power　more　brilliantly　displayed　than　in　him；　　and　those　who　would　P。et　recognize　his　merit　were　at　least　forced　to　　wonder　at　him　as　the　spoilt　child　of　fortune。　The　Milanese　claimed　it　　openly　as　an　honour　to　be　governed　by　so　distinguished　a　master；　when　　he　entered　the　city　the　thronging　populace　bore　him　on　horseback　into　　the　cathedral；　without　giving　him　the　chance　to　dismount。　Let　us　listen　　t　o　the　balance…sheet　of　his　life；　in　the　estimate　of　Pope　Pius　II；　a　　judge　in　such　matters：　'In　the　year　1459；　when　the　Duke　came　to　the　　congress　at　Mantua；　he　was　60　（really　58）　years　old；　on　horseback　he　　looked　like　a　young　man；　of　a　lofty　and　imposing　figure；　with　serious　　features；　calm　and　affable　in　conversation；　princely　in　his　whole　　bearing；　with　a　combination　of　bodily　and　intellectual　gifts　unrivalled　　in　our　time；　unconquered　on　the　field　of　battle　…　such　was　the　man　who　　raised　himself　from　a　humble　position　to　the　control　of　an　empire。　His　　wife　was　beautiful　and　virtuous；　his　children　were　like　the　angels　of　　heaven；　he　was　seldom　ill；　and　all　his　chief　wishes　were　fulfilled。　And　　yet　he　was　not　without　misfortune。　His　wife；　out　of　jealousy；　killed　　his　mistress；　his　old　comrades　and　friends；　Troilo　and　Brunoro；　　abandoned　him　and　went　over　to　King　Alfonso；　another；　Ciarpollone；　he　　was　forced　to　hang　for　treason；　he　had　to　suffer　it　that　his　brother　　Alessandro　set　the　French　upon　him；　one　of　his　sons　formed　intrigues　　against　him；　and　was　imprisoned；　the　March　of　Ancona；　which　he　h　ad　won　　in　war；　he　lost　again　the　same　way。　No　man　enjoys　so　unclouded　a　　fortune　that　he　has　not　somewhere　to　struggle　with　adversity。　He　is　　happy　who　has　but　few　troubles。'　With　this　negative　definition　of　　happiness　the　learned　Pope　dismisses　the　reader。　Had　he　been　able　to　　see　into　the　future；　or　been　willing　to　stop　and　discuss　the　　consequences　of　an　uncontrolled　despotism；　one　pervading　fact　would　not　　have　escaped　his　notice　the　absence　of　all　guarantee　for　the　future。　　Those　children；　beautiful　as　angels；　carefully　and　thoroughly　educated　　as　they　were；　fell　victims；　when　they　grew　up；　to　the　corruption　of　a　　measureless　egotism。　Galeazzo　Maria　（1466…1476）；　solicitous　only　of　　outward　effect；　too　k　pride　in　the　beauty　of　his　hands；　in　the　high　　salaries　he　paid；　in　the　financial　credit　he　enjoyed；　in　his　treasure　　of　two　million　pieces　of　gold；　in　the　distinguished　people　who　　surrounded　him；　and　in　the　army　and　birds　of　chase　which　he　maintained。　　He　was　fond　of　the　sound　of　his　own　voice；　and　spoke　well；　most　　fluently；　perhaps；　when　he　had　the　chance　of　insulting　a　Venetian　　ambassador。　He　was　subject　to　caprices；　such　as　having　a　room　painted　　with　figures　in　a　single　night；　and；　what　was　worse；　to　fits　of　　senseless　debauchery　and　of　revolting　cruelty　to　his　nearest　friends。　　To　a　handful　of　enthusiasts；　he　seemed　a　tyrant　too　bad　to　live；　they　　murdered　him；　and　thereby　delivered　the　State　into　the　power　of　his　　brothers；　one　of　whom；　Lodovico　il　Moro；　threw　his　nephew　into　prison；　　and　took　the　government　into　his　own　hands。　From　this　usurpation　　followed　the　French　intervention；　and　the　disasters　which　befell　the　　whole　of　Italy。　

Lodovico　Sforza；　called　'il　Moro；'　the　Moor；　is　the　most　perfect　type　　of　the　despot　of　that　age；　and；　as　a　kind　of　natural　product；　almost　　disarms　our　moral　judgement。　Notwithstanding　the　profound　immorality　of　　the　means　he　employed；　he　used　them　with　perfect　ingenuousness；　no　o　ne　　would　probably　have　been　more　astonished　than　himself　to　learn　that　for　　the　choice　of　means　as　well　as　of　ends　a　human　being　is　　morally。responsible；　he　would　rather　have　reckoned　it　as　a　singular　　virtue　that；　so　far　as　possible；　he　had　abstained　from　too　free　a　use　　of　the　punishment　of　death。　He　accepted　as　no　more　than　his　due　the　　almost　fabulous　respect　of　the　Italians　for　his　political　genius。　In　　1486　he　boasted　that　the　Pope　Alexander　was　his　chaplain；　the　Emperor　　Maximilian　his　Condottiere；　Venice　his　chamberlain；　and　the　King　of　　France　his　courier；　who　must　come　and　go　at　his　bidding。　With　marvelous　　presence　of　mind　he　weighed；　even　in　his　last　extremity　（1499）；　a　　possible　means　of　escape；　and　at　length　he　decided；　to　his　honour；　to　　trust　to　the　goodness　of　human　nature；　he　rejected　the　proposal　of　his　　brother；　the　Cardinal　Ascanio；　who　wished　to　remain　in　the　Citadel　of　　Milan；　on　the　ground　of　a　former　quarrel：　'Monsignore；　take　it　not　ill；　　but　I　trust　you　not；　brother　though　you　be'；　and　appointed　to　the　　command　of　the　castle；　'that　pledge　of　his　return　；'　a　man　to　whom　he　　had　always　done　good；　but　who　nevertheless　betrayed　him。　At　home　the　　Moor　was　a　good　and　useful　ruler；　and　to　the　last　he　reckoned　on　his　　popularity　both　in　Milan　and　in　Como。　In　later　years　（after　1496）　he　　had　overstrained　the　resources　of　his　State；　and　at　Cremona　had　　ordered；　out　of　pure　expediency；　a　respectable　citizen；　who　had　spoken　　again　st　the　new　taxes；　to　be　quietly　strangled。　Since　that　time；　in　　holding　audiences；　he　kept　his　visitors　away　from　his　person　by　means　　of　a　bar；　so　that　in　conversing　with　him　they　were　compelled　to　speak　　at　the　top　of　their　voices。　At　his　court；　the　most　brilliant　in　Europe；　　since　that　of　Burgundy　had　ceased　to　exist；　immorality　of　the　worst　　kind　was　prevalent；　the　daughter　was　sold　by　the　father；　the　wife　by　　the　husband；　the　sister　by　the　brother。　The　Prince　himself　was　　incessantly　active；　and；　as　son　of　his　own　deeds；　claimed　relationship　　with　all　who；　like　himself；　stood　on　their　personal　merits　with　　scholars；　poets；　artists；　and　musicians。　The　academy　which　he　founded　6　　served　rather　for　his　own　purposes　than　for　the　instruction　of　　scholars；　nor　was　it　the　fame　of　the　distinguished　men　who　surrounded　　him　which　he　heeded；　so　much　as　their　society　and　their　services。　It　is　　certain　that　Bramante　was　scantily　paid　at　first；　Leonardo；　on　the　　other　hand；　was　up　to　1496　suitably　remunerated　and　besides；　what　kept　　him　at　the　court；　if　not　his　own　free　will　The　world　lay　open　to　him；　　as　perhaps　to　no　other　mortal　man　of　that　day；　and　if　proof　were　　wanting　of　the　loftier　element　in　the　nature　of　Lodovico　il　Moro；　it　is　　found　in　the　long　stay　of　the　enigmatic　master　at　his　court。　That　　afterwards　Leonardo　entered　the　service　of　Cesare　Borgia　and　Francis　I　　was　probably　due　to　the　interest　he　felt　in　the　unusual　and　striking　　character　of　the　two　men。　

After　the　fall　of　the　Moor；　his　sons　were　badly　brought　up　among　　strangers。