history of florence-第101节

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greatest　expectation；　for　it　being　generally　understood　that　the　war

was　undertaken　for　the　sole　purpose　of　effecting　his　destruction；　the

power　of　his　enemies　invested　his　name　with　additional　lustre。　Being

admitted　to　the　king's　presence；　he　spoke　with　so　much　propriety　upon

the　affairs　of　Italy；　the　disposition　of　her　princes　and　people；　his

hopes　from　peace；　his　fears　of　the　results　of　war；　that　Ferrando　was

more　astonished　at　the　greatness　of　his　mind；　the　promptitude　of　his

genius；　his　gravity　and　wisdom；　than　he　had　previously　been　at　his

power。　He　consequently　treated　him　with　redoubled　honor；　and　began　to

feel　compelled　rather　to　part　with　him　as　a　friend；　than　detain　him　as

an　enemy。　However；　under　various　pretexts　he　kept　Lorenzo　from

December　till　March；　not　only　to　gain　the　most　perfect　knowledge　of

his　own　views；　but　of　those　of　his　city；　for　he　was　not　without

enemies；　who　would　have　wished　the　king　to　detain　and　treat　him　in　the

same　manner　as　Jacopo　Piccinino；　and；　with　the　ostensible　view　of

sympathizing　for　him；　pointed　out　all　that　would；　or　rather　that　they

wished　should；　result　from　such　a　course；　at　the　same　time　opposing　in

the　council　every　proposition　at　all　likely　to　favor　him。　By　such

means　as　these　the　opinion　gained　ground；　that　if　he　were　detained　at

Naples　much　longer；　the　government　of　Florence　would　be　changed。　This

caused　the　king　to　postpone　their　separation　more　than　he　would　have

otherwise　done；　to　see　if　any　disturbance　were　likely　to　arise。　But

finding　everything　go　quietly　on；　Ferrando　allowed　him　to　depart　on

the　sixth　of　March；　1479；　having；　with　every　kind　of　attention　and

token　of　regard；　endeavored　to　gain　his　affection；　and　formed　with　him

a　perpetual　alliance　for　their　mutual　defense。　Lorenzo　returned　to

Florence；　and　upon　presenting　himself　before　the　citizens；　the

impressions　he　had　created　in　the　popular　mind　surrounded　him　with　a

halo　of　majesty　brighter　than　before。　He　was　received　with　all　the　joy

merited　by　his　extraordinary　qualities　and　recent　services；　in　having

exposed　his　own　life　to　the　most　imminent　peril；　in　order　to　restore

peace　to　his　country。　Two　days　after　his　return；　the　treaty　between

the　republic　of　Florence　and　the　king；　by　which　each　party　bound

itself　to　defend　the　other's　territories；　was　published。　The　places

taken　from　the　Florentines　during　the　war　were　to　be　taken　up　at　the

discretion　of　the　king；　the　Pazzi　confined　in　the　tower　of　Volterra

were　to　be　set　at　liberty；　and　a　certain　sum　of　money；　for　a　limited

period；　was　to　be　paid　to　the　duke　of　Calabria。



As　soon　as　this　peace　was　publicly　known；　the　pope　and　the　Venetians

were　transported　with　rage；　the　pope　thought　himself　neglected　by　the

king；　the　Venetians　entertained　similar　ideas　with　regard　to　the

Florentines；　and　complained　that；　having　been　companions　in　the　war；

they　were　not　allowed　to　participate　in　the　peace。　Reports　of　this

description　being　spread　abroad；　and　received　with　entire　credence　at

Florence；　caused　a　general　fear　that　the　peace　thus　made　would　give

rise　to　greater　wars；　and　therefore　the　leading　members　of　the

government　determined　to　confine　the　consideration　of　the　most

important　affairs　to　a　smaller　number；　and　formed　a　council　of　seventy

citizens；　in　whom　the　principal　authority　was　invested。　This　new

regulation　calmed　the　minds　of　those　desirous　of　change；　by　convincing

them　of　the　futility　of　their　efforts。　To　establish　their　authority；

they　in　the　first　place　ratified　the　treaty　of　peace　with　the　king；

and　sent　as　ambassadors　to　the　pope　Antonio　Ridolfi　and　Piero　Nasi。

But；　notwithstanding　the　peace；　Alfonso；　duke　of　Calabria；　still

remained　at　Sienna　with　his　forces；　pretending　to　be　detained　by

discords　among　the　citizens；　which；　he　said；　had　risen　so　high；　that

while　he　resided　outside　the　city　they　had　compelled　him　to　enter　and

assume　the　office　of　arbitrator　between　them。　He　took　occasion　to　draw

large　sums　of　money　from　the　wealthiest　citizens　by　way　of　fines；

imprisoned　many；　banished　others；　and　put　some　to　death；　he　thus

became　suspected；　not　only　by　the　Siennese　but　by　the　Florentines；　of

a　design　to　usurp　the　sovereignty　of　Sienna；　nor　was　any　remedy　then

available；　for　the　republic　had　formed　a　new　alliance　with　the　king；

and　were　at　enmity　with　the　pope　and　the　Venetians。　This　suspicion　was

entertained　not　only　by　the　great　body　of　the　Florentine　people；　who

were　subtle　interpreters　of　appearances；　but　by　the　principal　members

of　the　government；　and　it　was　agreed；　on　all　hands；　that　the　city

never　was　in　so　much　danger　of　losing　her　liberty。　But　God；　who　in

similar　extremities　has　always　been　her　preserver；　caused　an　unhoped…

for　event　to　take　place；　which　gave　the　pope；　the　king；　and　the

Venetians　other　matters　to　think　of　than　those　in　Tuscany。



The　Turkish　emperor；　Mahomet　II。　had　gone　with　a　large　army　to　the

siege　of　Rhodes；　and　continued　it　for　several　months；　but　though　his

forces　were　numerous；　and　his　courage　indomitable；　he　found　them　more

than　equalled　by　those　of　the　besieged；　who　resisted　his　attack　with

such　obstinate　valor；　that　he　was　at　last　compelled　to　retire　in

disgrace。　Having　left　Rhodes；　part　of　his　army；　under　the　Pasha

Achmet；　approached　Velona；　and；　either　from　observing　the　facility　of

the　enterprise；　or　in　obedience　to　his　sovereign's　commands；　coasting

along　the　Italian　shores；　he　suddenly　landed　four　thousand　soldiers；

and　attacked　the　city　of　Otranto；　which　he　easily　took；　plundered；　and

put　all　the　inhabitants　to　the　sword。　He　then　fortified　the　city　and

port；　and　having　assembled　a　large　body　of　cavalry；　pillaged　the

surrounding　country。　The　king；　learning　this；　and　aware　of　the

redoubtable　character　of　his　assailant；　immediately　sent　messengers　to

all　the　surrounding　powers；　to　request　assistance　against　the　common

enemy；　and　ordered　the　immediate　return　of　the　duke　of　Calabria　with

the　forces　at　Sienna。



This　attack；　however　it　might　annoy　the　duke　and　the　rest　of　Italy；

occasioned　the　utmost　joy　at　Florence　and　Sienna；　the　latter　thinking

it　had　recovered　its　liberty；　and　the　former　that　she　had　escaped　a

storm　which　threatened　her　with　destruction。　These　impressions；　which

were　not　unknown　to　the　duke；　increased　the　regret　he　felt　at　his

departure　from　Sienna；　and　he　accused　fortune　of　having；　by　an

unexpected　and　unaccountable　accident；　deprived　him　of　the　sovereignty

of　Tuscany。　The　same　circumstance　changed　the　disposition　of　the　pope；

for　although　he　had　previously　refused　to　receive　any　ambassador　from

Florence；　he　was　now　so　mollified　as　to　be　anxious　to　listen　to　any

overtures　of　peace；　and　it　was　intimated　to　the　Florentines；　that　if

they　would　condescend　to　ask　the　pope's　pardon；　they　would　be　sure　of

obtaining　it。　Thinking　it　advisable　to　seize　the　opportunity；　they

sent　twelve　ambassadors　to　the　pontiff；　who；　on　their　arrival；

detained　them　under　different　pretexts　before　he　would　admit　them　to

an　audience。　However；　terms　were　at　length　settled；　and　what　should　be

contributed　by　each　in　peace　or　war。　The　messengers　were　then　admitted

to　the　feet　of　the　pontiff；　who；　with　the　utmost　pomp；　received　them

in　the　midst　of　his　cardinals。　They　apologized　for　past　occurrences；

first　showing　they　had　been　compelled　by　necessity；　then　blaming　the

malignity　of　others；　or　the　rage　of　the　populace；　and　their　just

indignation；　and　enlarging　on　the　unfortunate　condition　of　those　who

are　compelled　either　to　fight　or　die；　saying；　that　since　every

extremity　is　endured　in　order　to　avoid　death；　they　had　suffered　war；

interdicts；　and　other　inconveniences；　brought　upon　them　by　recent

events；　that　their　republic　might　escape　slavery；　which　is　the　death

of　free　cities。　However；　if　in　their　necessities　they　had　committed

any　offense；　they　were　desirous　to　make　atonement；　and　trusted　in　his

clemency；　who；　after　the　example　of　the　blessed　Redeemer；　would

receive　them　into　his　compassionate　arms。



The　pope's　reply　was　indignant　and　haughty。　After　reiterating　all　the

offenses　against　the　church　during　the　late　transactions；　he　said

that；　to　comply　with　the　precepts　of　God；　he　would　grant　the　pardon

they　asked；　but　would　have　them　understand；　that　it　was　their　duty　to

obey；　and　that　upon　the　next　instance　of　their　disobedience；　they

would　inevitably　forfeit；　and　that　most　deservedly；　the　liberty　which

they　had　just　been　upon　the　point　of　losing；　for　those　merit　freedom

who　exercise　themselves　in　good　works　and　avoid　evil；　that　liberty；

improperly　used；　injures　itself　and　others；　that　to　think　little　of

God；　and　less　of　his　church；　is　not　the　part　of　a　free　man；　but　a

fool；　and　one　disposed　to　evil　rather　than　good；　and　to　effect　whose

correction　is　the　duty　not　only　of　princes　but　of　every　Christian；　so

that　in　respect　of　the　recent　events；　they　had　only　themselves　to

blame；　who；　by　their　evil　deeds；　had　given　rise　to　the　war；　and

inflamed　it　by