history of florence-第21节

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CHAPTER　V



　　The　emigrants　attempt　to　re…enter　Florence；　but　are　not　allowed　to

　　do　soThe　companies　of　the　people　restoredRestless　conduct　of

　　Corso　DonatiThe　ruin　of　Corso　DonatiCorso　Donati　accused　and

　　condemnedRiot　at　the　house　of　CorsoDeath　of　CorsoHis

　　characterFruitless　attempt　of　the　Emperor　Henry　against　the

　　FlorentinesThe　emigrants　are　restored　to　the　cityThe　citizens

　　place　themselves　under　the　king　of　Naples　for　five　yearsWar　with

　　Uguccione　della　FaggiuolaThe　Florentines　routedFlorence

　　withdraws　herself　from　subjection　to　King　Robert；　and　expels　the

　　Count　NovelloLando　d'AgobbioHis　tyrannyHis　departure。



The　legate　being　returned　to　Rome；　and　hearing　of　the　new　disturbance

which　had　occurred；　persuaded　the　pope　that　if　he　wished　to　unite　the

Florentines；　it　would　be　necessary　to　have　twelve　of　the　first

citizens　appear　before　him；　and　having　thus　removed　the　principal

causes　of　disunion；　he　might　easily　put　a　stop　to　it。　The　pontiff　took

this　advice；　and　the　citizens；　among　whom　was　Corso　Donati；　obeyed　the

summons。　These　having　left　the　city；　the　legate　told　the　exiles　that

now；　when　the　city　was　deprived　of　her　leaders；　was　the　time　for　them

to　return。　They；　therefore；　having　assembled；　came　to　Florence；　and

entering　by　a　part　of　the　wall　not　yet　completed；　proceeded　to　the

piazza　of　St。　Giovanni。　It　is　worthy　of　remark；　that　those　who；　a

short　time　previously；　when　they　came　unarmed　and　begged　to　be

restored　to　their　country；　had　fought　for　their　return；　now；　when　they

saw　them　in　arms　and　resolved　to　enter　by　force；　took　arms　to　oppose

them　（so　much　more　was　the　common　good　esteemed　than　private

friendship）；　and　being　joined　by　the　rest　of　the　citizens；　compelled

them　to　return　to　the　places　whence　they　had　come。　They　failed　in

their　undertaking　by　having　left　part　of　their　force　at　Lastra；　and　by

not　having　waited　the　arrival　of　Tolosetto　Uberti；　who　had　to　come

from　Pistoia　with　three　hundred　horse；　for　they　thought　celerity

rather　than　numbers　would　give　them　the　victory；　and　it　often　happens；

in　similar　enterprises；　that　delay　robs　us　of　the　occasion；　and　too

great　anxiety　to　be　forward　prevents　us　of　the　power；　or　makes　us　act

before　we　are　properly　prepared。



The　banished　having　retired；　Florence　again　returned　to　her　old

divisions；　and　in　order　to　deprive　the　Cavalcanti　of　their　authority；

the　people　took　from　them　the　Stinche；　a　castle　situated　in　the　Val　di

Greve；　and　anciently　belonging　to　the　family。　And　as　those　who　were

taken　in　it　were　the　first　who　were　put　into　the　new　prisons；　the

latter　were；　and　still　continue；　named　after　it；the　Stinche。　The

leaders　of　the　republic　also　re…established　the　companies　of　the

people；　and　gave　them　the　ensigns　that　were　first　used　by　the

companies　of　the　Arts；　the　heads　of　which　were　called　Gonfaloniers　of

the　companies　and　colleagues　of　the　Signory；　and　ordered；　that　when

any　disturbance　arose　they　should　assist　the　Signory　with　arms；　and　in

peace　with　counsel。　To　the　two　ancient　rectors　they　added　an　executor；

or　sheriff；　who；　with　the　Gonfaloniers；　was　to　aid　in　repressing　the

insolence　of　the　nobility。



In　the　meantime　the　pope　died。　Corso；　with　the　other　citizens；

returned　from　Rome；　and　all　would　have　been　well　if　his　restless　mind

had　not　occasioned　new　troubles。　It　was　his　common　practice　to　be　of　a

contrary　opinion　to　the　most　powerful　men　in　the　city；　and　whatever　he

saw　the　people　inclined　to　do；　he　exercised　his　utmost　influence　to

effect；　in　order　to　attach　them　to　himself；　so　that　he　was　a　leader　in

all　differences；　at　the　head　of　every　new　scheme；　and　whoever　wished

to　obtain　anything　extraordinary　had　recourse　to　him。　This　conduct

caused　him　to　be　hated　by　many　of　the　highest　distinction；　and　their

hatred　increased　to　such　a　degree　that　the　Neri　faction　to　which　he

belonged；　became　completely　divided；　for　Corso；　to　attain　his　ends；

had　availed　himself　of　private　force　and　authority；　and　of　the　enemies

of　the　state。　But　so　great　was　the　influence　attached　to　his　person；

that　everyone　feared　him。　Nevertheless；　in　order　to　strip　him　of　the

popular　favor　（which　by　this　means　may　easily　be　done）；　a　report　was

set　on　foot　that　he　intended　to　make　himself　prince　of　the　city；　and

to　the　design　his　conduct　gave　great　appearance　of　probability；　for

his　way　of　living　quite　exceeded　all　civil　bounds；　and　the　opinion

gained　further　strength；　upon　his　taking　to　wife　a　daughter　of

Uguccione　della　Faggiuola；　head　of　the　Ghibelline　and　Bianchi　faction；

and　one　of　the　most　powerful　men　in　Tuscany。



When　this　marriage　became　known　it　gave　courage　to　his　adversaries；

and　they　took　arms　against　him；　for　the　same　reason　the　people　ceased

to　defend　him；　and　the　greater　part　of　them　joined　the　ranks　of　his

enemies；　the　leaders　of　whom　were　Rosso　della　Tosa；　Pazino　dei　Pazzi；

Geri　Spini；　and　Berto　Brunelleschi。　These；　with　their　followers；　and

the　greater　part　of　the　people；　assembled　before　the　palace　of　the

Signory；　by　whose　command　a　charge　was　made　before　Piero　Branca；

captain　of　the　people；　against　Corso；　of　intending；　with　the　aid　of

Uguccione；　to　usurp　the　government。　He　was　then　summoned；　and　for

disobedience；　declared　a　rebel；　nor　did　two　hours　pass　over　between

the　accusation　and　the　sentence。　The　judgment　being　given；　the

Signory；　with　the　companies　of　the　people　under　their　ensigns；　went　in

search　of　him；　who；　although　seeing　himself　abandoned　by　many　of　his

followers；　aware　of　the　sentence　against　him；　the　power　of　the

Signory；　and　the　multitude　of　his　enemies；　remained　undaunted；　and

fortified　his　houses；　in　the　hope　of　defending　them　till　Uguccione；

for　whom　he　had　sent；　should　come　to　his　Relief。　His　residences；　and

the　streets　approaching　them；　were　barricaded　and　taken　possession　of

by　his　partisans；　who　defended　them　so　bravely　that　the　enemy；

although　in　great　numbers；　could　not　force　them；　and　the　battle　became

one　of　the　hottest；　with　wounds　and　death　on　all　sides。　But　the

people；　finding　they　could　not　drive　them　from　their　ground；　took

possession　of　the　adjoining　houses；　and　by　unobserved　passages

obtained　entry。　Corso；　thus　finding　himself　surrounded　by　his　foes；　no

longer　retaining　any　hope　of　assistance　from　Uguccione；　and　without　a

chance　of　victory；　thought　only　of　effecting　his　personal　safety；　and

with　Gherardo　Bordoni；　and　some　of　his　bravest　and　most　trusted

friends；　fought　a　passage　through　the　thickest　of　their　enemies；　and

effected　their　escape　from　the　city　by　the　Gate　of　the　Cross。　They

were；　however；　pursued　by　vast　numbers；　and　Gherardo　was　slain　upon

the　bridge　of　Affrico　by　Boccaccio　Cavicciulli。　Corso　was　overtaken

and　made　prisoner　by　a　party　of　Catalan　horse；　in　the　service　of　the

Signory；　at　Rovezzano。　But　when　approaching　Florence；　that　he　might

avoid　being　seen　and　torn　to　pieces　by　his　victorious　enemies；　he

allowed　himself　to　fall　from　horseback；　and　being　down；　one　of　those

who　conducted　him　cut　his　throat。　The　body　was　found　by　the　monks　of

San　Salvi；　and　buried　without　any　ceremony　due　to　his　rank。　Such　was

the　end　of　Corso；　to　whom　his　country　and　the　Neri　faction　were

indebted　for　much　both　of　good　and　evil；　and　if　he　had　possessed　a

cooler　spirit　he　would　have　left　behind　him　a　more　happy　memory。

Nevertheless；　he　deserves　to　be　enumerated　among　the　most

distinguished　men　our　city　has　produced。　True　it　is；　that　his　restless

conduct　made　both　his　country　and　his　party　forgetful　of　their

obligation　to　him。　The　same　cause　also　produced　his　miserable　end；　and

brought　many　troubles　upon　both　his　friends　and　his　country。

Uguccione；　coming　to　the　assistance　of　his　relative；　learned　at　Remoli

that　Corso　had　been　overcome　by　the　people；　and　finding　that　he　could

not　render　him　any　assistance；　in　order　to　avoid　bringing　evil　upon

himself　without　occasion；　he　returned　home。



After　the　death　of　Corso；　which　occurred　in　the　year　1308；　the

disturbances　were　appeased；　and　the　people　lived　quietly　till　it　was

reported　that　the　Emperor　Henry　was　coming　into　Italy；　and　with　him

all　the　Florentine　emigrants；　to　whom　he　had　promised　restoration　to

their　country。　The　leaders　of　the　government　thought；　that　in　order　to

lessen　the　number　of　their　enemies；　it　would　be　well　to　recall；　of

their　own　will；　all　who　had　been　expelled；　excepting　such　as　the　law

had　expressly　forbidden　to　return。　Of　the　number　not　admitted；　were

the　greater　part　of　the　Ghibellines；　and　some　of　those　of　the　Bianchi

faction；　among　whom　were　Dante　Alighieri；　the　sons　of　Veri　de'　Cerchi

and　of　Giano　della　Bella。　Besides　this　they　sent　for　aid　to　Robert；

king　of　Naples；　and　not　being　able　to　obtain　it　of　him　as　friends；

they　gave　their　city　to　him　for　five　years；　that　he　might　defend　them

as　his　own　people。　The　emperor　entered　Italy　by　the　way　of　Pisa；　and

proceeded　by　the　marshes　to　Rome；　where　he　was　crowned　in　the　year

1312。　Then；　having　dete