history of florence-第44节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



legate　of　Bologna；　in　opposition　to　his　engagement　respecting　the

Panaro。　These　things　disturbed　the　minds　of　the　citizens；　and　made

them；　apprehensive　of　new　troubles；　consider　the　means　to　be　adopted

for　their　defense。



The　dissatisfaction　of　the　Florentines　coming　to　the　knowledge　of

Filippo；　he；　either　to　justify　himself；　or　to　become　acquainted　with

their　prevailing　feelings；　or　to　lull　them　to　repose；　sent　ambassadors

to　the　city；　to　intimate　that　he　was　greatly　surprised　at　the

suspicions　they　entertained；　and　offered　to　revoke　whatever　he　had

done　that　could　be　thought　a　ground　of　jealousy。　This　embassy　produced

no　other　effect　than　that　of　dividing　the　citizens；　one　party；　that　in

greatest　reputation；　judged　it　best　to　arm；　and　prepare　to　frustrate

the　enemy's　designs；　and　if　he　were　to　remain　quiet；　it　would　not　be

necessary　to　go　to　war　with　him；　but　an　endeavor　might　be　made　to

preserve　peace。　Many　others；　whether　envious　of　those　in　power；　or

fearing　a　rupture　with　the　duke；　considered　it　unadvisable　so　lightly

to　entertain　suspicions　of　an　ally；　and　thought　his　proceedings　need

not　have　excited　so　much　distrust；　that　appointing　the　ten　and　hiring

forces　was　in　itself　a　manifest　declaration　of　war；　which；　if

undertaken　against　so　great　a　prince；　would　bring　certain　ruin　upon

the　city　without　the　hope　of　any　advantage；　for　possession　could　never

be　retained　of　the　conquests　that　might　be　made；　because　Romagna　lay

between；　and　the　vicinity　of　the　church　ought　to　prevent　any　attempt

against　Romagna　itself。　However　the　views　of　those　who　were　in　favor

of　war　prevailed；　the　Council　of　Ten　were　appointed；　forces　were

hired；　and　new　taxes　levied；　which；　as　they　were　more　burdensome　upon

the　lower　than　the　upper　ranks；　filled　the　city　with　complaints；　and

all　condemned　the　ambition　and　avarice　of　the　great；　declaring　that；

to　gratify　themselves　and　oppress　the　people；　they　would　go　to　war

without　any　justifiable　motive。



They　had　not　yet　come　to　an　open　rupture　with　the　duke；　but　everything

tended　to　excite　suspicion；　for　Filippo　had；　at　the　request　of　the

legate　of　Bologna　（who　was　in　fear　of　Antonio　Bentivogli；　an　emigrant

of　Bologna　at　Castel　Bolognese）；　sent　forces　to　that　city；　which；

being　close　upon　the　Florentine　territory；　filled　the　citizens　with

apprehension；　but　what　gave　every　one　greater　alarm；　and　offered

sufficient　occasion　for　the　declaration　of　war；　was　the　expedition

made　by　the　duke　against　Furli。　Giorgio　Ordelaffi　was　lord　of　Furli；

who　dying；　left　Tibaldo；　his　son；　under　the　guardianship　of　Filippo。

The　boy's　mother；　suspicious　of　his　guardian；　sent　him　to　Lodovico

Alidossi；　her　father；　who　was　lord　of　Imola；　but　she　was　compelled　by

the　people　of　Furli　to　obey　the　will　of　her　deceased　husband；　to

withdraw　him　from　the　natural　guardian；　and　place　him　in　the　hands　of

the　duke。　Upon　this　Filippo；　the　better　to　conceal　his　purpose；　caused

the　Marquis　of　Ferrara　to　send　Guido　Torello　as　his　agent；　with

forces；　to　seize　the　government　of　Furli；　and　thus　the　territory　fell

into　the　duke's　hands。　When　this　was　known　at　Florence；　together　with

the　arrival　of　forces　at　Bologna；　the　arguments　in　favor　of　war　were

greatly　strengthened；　but　there　were　still　many　opposed　to　it；　and

among　the　rest　Giovanni　de'　Medici；　who　publicly　endeavored　to　show；

that　even　if　the　ill　designs　of　the　duke　were　perfectly　manifest；　it

would　still　be　better　to　wait　and　let　him　commence　the　attack；　than　to

assail　him；　for　in　the　former　case　they　would　be　justified　in　the　view

of　the　princes　of　Italy　as　well　as　in　their　own；　but　if　they　were　to

strike　the　first　blow　at　the　duke；　public　opinion　would　be　as

favorable　to　him　as　to　themselves；　and　besides；　they　could　not　so

confidently　demand　assistance　as　assailants；　as　they　might　do　if

assailed；　and　that　men　always　defend　themselves　more　vigorously　when

they　attack　others。　The　advocates　of　war　considered　it　improper　to

await　the　enemy　in　their　houses；　and　better　to　go　and　seek　him；　that

fortune　is　always　more　favorable　to　assailants　than　to　such　as　merely

act　on　the　defensive；　and　that　it　is　less　injurious；　even　when

attended　with　greater　immediate　expense；　to　make　war　at　another's　door

than　at　our　own。　These　views　prevailed；　and　it　was　resolved　that　the

ten　should　provide　all　the　means　in　their　power　for　rescuing　Furli

from　the　hands　of　the　duke。



Filippo；　finding　the　Florentines　resolved　to　occupy　the　places　he　had

undertaken　to　defend；　postponed　all　personal　considerations；　and　sent

Agnolo　della　Pergola　with　a　strong　force　against　Imola；　that　Ludovico；

having　to　provide　for　the　defense　of　his　own　possessions；　might　be

unable　to　protect　the　interests　of　his　grandson。　Agnolo　approached

Imola　while　the　forces　of　the　Florentines　were　at　Modigliana；　and　an

intense　frost　having　rendered　the　ditches　of　the　city　passable；　he

crossed　them　during　the　night；　captured　the　place；　and　sent　Lodovico　a

prisoner　to　Milan。　The　Florentines　finding　Imola　in　the　hands　of　the

enemy；　and　the　war　publicly　known；　sent　their　forces　to　Furli　and

besieged　it　on　all　sides。　That　the　duke's　people　might　not　relieve　it；

they　hired　Count　Alberigo；　who　from　Zagonara；　his　own　domain；　overran

the　country　daily；　up　to　the　gates　of　Imola。　Agnolo　della　Pergola；

finding　the　strong　position　which　the　Florentines　had　taken　prevented

him　from　relieving　Furli；　determined　to　attempt　the　capture　of

Zagonara；　thinking　they　would　not　allow　that　place　to　be　lost；　and

that　in　the　endeavor　to　relieve　it　they　would　be　compelled　to　give　up

their　design　against　Furli；　and　come　to　an　engagement　under　great

disadvantage。　Thus　the　duke's　people　compelled　Alberigo　to　sue　for

terms；　which　he　obtained　on　condition　of　giving　up　Zagonara；　if　the

Florentines　did　not　relieve　him　within　fifteen　days。　This　misfortune

being　known　in　the　Florentine　camp　and　in　the　city；　and　all　being

anxious　that　the　enemy　should　not　obtain　the　expected　advantage；　they

enabled　him　to　secure　a　greater；　for　having　abandoned　the　siege　of

Furli　to　go　to　the　relief　of　Zagonara；　on　encountering　the　enemy　they

were　soon　routed；　not　so　much　by　the　bravery　of　their　adversaries　as

by　the　severity　of　the　season；　for；　having　marched　many　hours　through

deep　mud　and　heavy　rain；　they　found　the　enemy　quite　fresh；　and　were

therefore　easily　vanquished。　Nevertheless；　in　this　great　defeat；

famous　throughout　all　Italy；　no　death　occurred　except　those　of

Lodovico　degli　Obizi　and　two　of　his　people；　who　having　fallen　from

their　horses　were　drowned　in　the　morass。







CHAPTER　II



　　The　Florentines　murmur　against　those　who　had　been　advocates　of　the

　　warRinaldo　degli　Albizzi　encourages　the　citizensMeasures　for

　　the　prosecution　of　the　warAttempt　of　the　higher　classes　to

　　deprive　the　plebeians　of　their　share　in　the　governmentRinaldo

　　degli　Albizzi　addresses　an　assembly　of　citizens　and　advises　the

　　restoration　of　the　/Grandi/Niccolo　da　Uzzano　wishes　to　have

　　Giovanni　de'　Medici　on　their　sideGiovanni　disapproves　of　the

　　advice　of　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi。



The　defeat　at　Zagonara　spread　consternation　throughout　Florence；　but

none　felt　it　so　severely　as　the　nobility；　who　had　been　in　favor　of　the

war；　for　they　perceived　their　enemies　to　be　inspirited　and　themselves

disarmed；　without　friends；　and　opposed　by　the　people；　who　at　the

corners　of　streets　insulted　them　with　sarcastic　expressions；

complaining　of　the　heavy　taxes；　and　the　unnecessary　war；　and　saying；

〃Oh！　they　appointed　the　ten　to　frighten　the　enemy。　Have　they　relieved

Furli；　and　rescued　her　from　the　hands　of　the　duke？　No！　but　their

designs　have　been　discovered；　and　what　had　they　in　view？　not　the

defense　of　liberty；　for　they　do　not　love　her；　but　to　aggrandize　their

own　power；　which　God　has　very　justly　abated。　This　is　not　the　only

enterprise　by　many　a　one　with　which　they　have　oppressed　the　city；　for

the　war　against　King　Ladislaus　was　of　a　similar　kind。　To　whom　will

they　flee　for　assistance　now？　to　Pope　Martin；　whom　they　ridiculed

before　the　face　of　Braccio；　or　to　Queen　Giovanna；　whom　they　abandoned；

and　compelled　to　throw　herself　under　the　protection　of　the　king　of

Aragon？〃　To　these　reproaches　was　added　all　that　might　be　expected　from

an　enraged　multitude。



Seeing　the　discontent　so　prevalent；　the　Signory　resolved　to　assemble　a

few　citizens；　and　with　soft　words　endeavor　to　soothe　the　popular

irritation。　On　this　occasion；　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi；　the　eldest　son　of

Maso；　who；　by　his　own　talents　and　the　respect　he　derived　from　the

memory　of　his　father；　aspired　to　the　first　offices　in　the　government；

spoke　at　great　length；　showing　that　it　is　not　right　to　judge　of

actions　merely　by　their　effects；　for　it　often　happens　that　what　has

been　very　maturely　considered　is　attended　with　unfavorable　results：

that　if　we　are　to　applaud　evil　counsels　because　they　are　sometimes

followed　by　fortunate　events；　we　should　only　encourage　men　in　error

which　w