history of florence-第102节

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

inflamed　it　by　still　worse　actions；　it　having　been　terminated　by　the

kindness　of　others　rather　than　by　any　merit　of　their　own。　The　formula

of　agreement　and　benediction　was　then　read；　and；　in　addition　to　what

had　already　been　considered　and　agreed　upon　between　the　parties；　the

pope　said；　that　if　the　Florentines　wished　to　enjoy　the　fruit　of　his

forgiveness；　they　must　maintain　fifteen　galleys；　armed；　and　equipped；

at　their　own　expense；　as　long　as　the　Turks　should　make　war　upon　the

kingdom　of　Naples。　The　ambassadors　complained　much　of　this　burden　in

addition　to　the　arrangement　already　made；　but　were　unable　to　obtain

any　alleviation。　However；　after　their　return　to　Florence；　the　Signory

sent；　as　ambassador　to　the　pope；　Guidantonio　Vespucci；　who　had

recently　returned　from　France；　and　who　by　his　prudence　brought

everything　to　an　amicable　conclusion；　obtained　many　favors　from　the

pontiff；　which　were　considered　as　presages　of　a　closer　reconciliation。



Having　settled　their　affairs　with　the　pope；　Sienna　being　free；

themselves　released　from　the　fear　of　the　king；　by　the　departure　of　the

duke　of　Calabria　from　Tuscany；　and　the　war　with　the　Turks　still

continuing；　the　Florentines　pressed　the　king　to　restore　their

fortresses；　which　the　duke　of　Calabria；　upon　quitting　the　country；　had

left　in　the　hands　of　the　Siennese。　Ferrando；　apprehensive　that　if　he

refused；　they　would　withdraw　from　the　alliance　with　him；　and　by　new

wars　with　the　Siennese　deprive　him　of　the　assistance　he　hoped　to

obtain　from　the　pope　and　other　Italian　powers；　consented　that　they

should　be　given　up；　and　by　new　favors　endeavored　to　attach　the

Florentines　to　his　interests。　It　is　thus　evident；　that　force　and

necessity；　not　deeds　and　obligations；　induce　princes　to　keep　faith。



The　castles　being　restored；　and　this　new　alliance　established；　Lorenzo

de'　Medici　recovered　the　reputation　which　first　the　war　and　then　the

peace；　when　the　king's　designs　were　doubtful；　had　deprived　him　of；　for

at　this　period　there　was　no　lack　of　those　who　openly　slandered　him

with　having　sold　his　country　to　save　himself；　and　said；　that　in　war

they　had　lost　their　territories；　and　in　peace　their　liberty。　But　the

fortresses　being　recovered；　an　honorable　treaty　ratified　with　the

king；　and　the　city　restored　to　her　former　influence；　the　spirit　of

public　discourse　entirely　changed　in　Florence；　a　place　greatly

addicted　to　gossip；　and　in　which　actions　are　judged　by　the　success

attending　them；　rather　than　by　the　intelligence　employed　in　their

direction；　therefore；　the　citizens　praised　Lorenzo　extravagantly；

declaring　that　by　his　prudence　he　had　recovered　in　peace；　what

unfavorable　circumstances　had　taken　from　them　in　war；　and　that　by　his

discretion　and　judgment　he　had　done　more　than　the　enemy　with　all　the

force　of　their　arms。







CHAPTER　V



　　New　occasions　of　war　in　ItalyDifferences　between　the　marquis　of

　　Ferrara；　and　the　VenetiansThe　king　of　Naples　and　the　Florentines

　　attack　the　papal　statesThe　pope's　defensive　arrangementsThe

　　Neapolitan　army　routed　by　the　papal　forcesProgress　of　the

　　Venetians　against　the　marquis　of　FerraraThe　pope　makes　peace；

　　and　enters　into　a　league　against　the　VenetiansOperations　of　the

　　League　against　the　VenetiansThe　Venetians　routed　at　Bondeno

　　Their　lossesDisunion　among　the　LeagueLodovico　Sforza　makes

　　peace　with　the　VenetiansRatified　by　the　other　parties。



The　invasion　of　the　Turks　had　deferred　the　war　which　was　about　to

break　forth　from　the　anger　of　the　pope　and　the　Venetians　at　the　peace

between　the　Florentines　and　the　king。　But　as　the　beginning　of　that

invasion　was　unexpected　and　beneficial；　its　conclusion　was　equally

unlooked　for　and　injurious；　for　Mahomet　dying　suddenly；　dissensions

arose　among　his　sons；　and　the　forces　which　were　in　Puglia　being

abandoned　by　their　commander；　surrendered　Otranto　to　the　king。　The

fears　which　restrained　the　pope　and　the　Venetians　being　thus　removed；

everyone　became　apprehensive　of　new　troubles。　On　the　one　hand；　was　the

league　of　the　pope　and　the　Venetians；　and　with　them　the　Genoese；

Siennese；　and　other　minor　powers；　on　the　other；　the　Florentines；　the

king；　and　the　duke；　with　whom　were　the　Bolognese　and　many　princes。　The

Venetians　wished　to　become　lords　of　Ferrara；　and　thought　they　were

justified　by　circumstances　in　making　the　attempt；　and　hoping　for　a

favorable　result。　Their　differences　arose　thus：　the　marquis　of　Ferrara

affirmed　he　was　under　no　obligation　to　take　salt　from　the　Venetians；

or　to　admit　their　governor；　the　terms　of　convention　between　them

declaring；　that　after　seventy　years；　the　city　was　to　be　free　from　both

impositions。　The　Venetians　replied；　that　so　long　as　he　held　the

Polesine；　he　was　bound　to　receive　their　salt　and　their　governor。　The

marquis　refusing　his　consent；　the　Venetians　considered　themselves

justified　in　taking　arms；　and　that　the　present　moment　offered　a

suitable　opportunity；　for　the　pope　was　indignant　against　the

Florentines　and　the　king；　and　to　attach　the　pope　still　further；　the

Count　Girolamo；　who　was　then　at　Venice；　was　received　with　all　possible

respect；　first　admitted　to　the　privileges　of　a　citizen；　and　then

raised　to　the　rank　of　a　senator；　the　highest　distinctions　the　Venetian

senate　can　confer。　To　prepare　for　the　war；　they　levied　new　taxes；　and

appointed　to　the　command　of　the　forces；　Roberto　da　San　Severino；　who

being　offended　with　Lodovico；　governor　of　Milan；　fled　to　Tortona；

whence；　after　occasioning　some　disturbances；　he　went　to　Genoa；　and

while　there；　was　sent　for　by　the　Venetians；　and　placed　at　the　head　of

their　troops。



These　circumstances　becoming　known　to　the　opposite　league；　induced　it

also　to　provide　for　war。　The　duke　of　Milan　appointed　as　his　general；

Federigo　d'Urbino；　the　Florentines　engaged　Costanzo；　lord　of　Pesaro；

and　to　sound　the　disposition　of　the　pope；　and　know　whether　the

Venetians　made　war　against　Ferrara　with　his　consent　or　not；　King

Ferrando　sent　Alfonso；　duke　of　Calabria；　with　his　army　across　the

Tronto；　and　asked　the　pontiff's　permission　to　pass　into　Lombardy　to

assist　the　marquis；　which　was　refused　in　the　most　peremptory　manner。

The　Florentines　and　the　king；　no　longer　doubtful　about　the　pope's

intentions；　determined　to　harass　him；　and　thus　either　compel　him　to

take　part　with　them；　or　throw　such　obstacles　in　his　way；　as　would

prevent　him　from　helping　the　Venetians；　who　had　already　taken　the

field；　attacked　the　marquis；　overran　his　territory；　and　encamped

before　Figaruolo；　a　fortress　of　the　greatest　importance。　In　pursuance

of　the　design　of　the　Florentines　and　the　king；　the　duke　of　Calabria；

by　the　assistance　of　the　Colonna　family　（the　Orsini　had　joined　the

pope）；　plundered　the　country　about　Rome　and　committed　great

devastation；　while　the　Florentines；　with　Niccolo　Vitelli；　besieged　and

took　Citta　di　Castello；　expelling　Lorenzo　Vitelli；　who　held　it　for　the

pope；　and　placing　Niccolo　in　it　as　prince。



The　pope　now　found　himself　in　very　great　straits；　for　the　city　of　Rome

was　disturbed　by　factions　and　the　country　covered　with　enemies。　But

acting　with　courage　and　resolution；　he　appointed　Roberto　da　Rimino　to

take　the　command　of　his　forces；　and　having　sent　for　him　to　Rome；　where

his　troops　were　assembled；　told　him　how　great　would　be　the　honor；　if

he　could　deliver　the　church　from　the　king's　forces；　and　the　troubles

in　which　it　was　involved；　how　greatly　indebted；　not　only　himself；　but

all　his　successors　would　be；　and；　that　not　mankind　merely；　but　God

himself　would　be　under　obligations　to　him。　The　magnificent　Roberto；

having　considered　the　forces　and　preparations　already　made；　advised

the　pope　to　raise　as　numerous　a　body　of　infantry　as　possible；　which

was　done　without　delay。　The　duke　of　Calabria　was　at　hand；　and

constantly　harassed　the　country　up　to　the　very　gates　of　Rome；　which　so

roused　the　indignation　of　the　citizens；　that　many　offered　their

assistance　to　Roberto；　and　all　were　thankfully　received。　The　duke；

hearing　of　these　preparations；　withdrew　a　short　distance　from　the

city；　that　in　the　belief　of　finding　him　gone；　the　magnificent　Roberto

would　not　pursue　him；　and　also　in　expectation　of　his　brother　Federigo；

whom　their　father　had　sent　to　him　with　additional　forces。　But　Roberto；

finding　himself　nearly　equal　to　the　duke　in　cavalry；　and　superior　in

infantry；　marched　boldly　out　of　Rome　and　took　a　position　within　two

miles　of　the　enemy。　The　duke；　seeing　his　adversaries　close　upon　him；

found　he　must　either　fight　or　disgracefully　retire。　To　avoid　a　retreat

unbecoming　a　king's　son；　he　resolved　to　face　the　enemy；　and　a　battle

ensued　which　continued　from　morning　till　midday。　In　this　engagement；

greater　valor　was　exhibited　on　both　sides　than　had　been　shown　in　any

other　during　the　last　fifty　years；　upward　of　a　thousand　dead　being

left　upon　the　field。　The　troops　of　the　church　were　at　length

victorious；　for　her　numerous　infantry　s