history of florence-第48节

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his　son　Cosmo。



The　Volterran　ambassadors　grew　weary　of　lying　in　prison；　and　to　obtain

their　liberty　promised　to　comply　with　the　commands　of　the　Florentines。

Being　set　free　and　returned　to　their　city；　the　time　arrived　for　the

new　Priors　to　enter　upon　office；　and　among　those　who　were　drawn；　was

one　named　Giusto；　a　plebeian；　but　possessing　great　influence　with　his

class；　and　one　of　those　who　had　been　imprisoned　at　Florence。　He；　being

inflamed　with　hatred　against　the　Florentines　on　account　of　his　public

as　well　as　personal　injuries；　was　further　stimulated　by　Giovanni　di

Contugi；　a　man　of　noble　family；　and　his　colleague　in　office；　to　induce

the　people；　by　the　authority　of　the　Priors　and　his　own　influence；　to

withdraw　their　country　from　the　power　of　the　Florentines；　and　make

himself　prince。　Prompted　by　these　motives；　Giusto　took　arms；　rode

through　the　city；　seized　the　Capitano；　who　resided　in　it；　on　behalf　of

the　Florentines；　and　with　the　consent　of　the　people；　became　lord　of

Volterra。　This　circumstance　greatly　displeased　the　Florentines；　but

having　just　made　peace　with　the　duke；　and　the　treaty　being　yet

uninfringed　on　either　side；　they　bethought　themselves　in　a　condition

to　recover　the　place；　and　that　the　opportunity　might　not　be　lost；　they

immediately　appointed　Rinaldo　degli　Albizzi　and　Palla　Strozzi

commissaries；　and　sent　them　upon　the　expedition。　In　the　meantime；

Giusto；　who　expected　the　Florentines　would　attack　him；　requested

assistance　of　Lucca　and　Sienna。　The　latter　refused；　alleging　her

alliance　with　Florence；　and　Pagolo　Guinigi；　to　regain　the　favor　of　the

Florentines；　which　he　imagined　he　had　lost　in　the　war　with　the　duke

and　by　his　friendship　for　Filippo；　not　only　refused　assistance　to

Giusto；　but　sent　his　messenger　prisoner　to　Florence。



The　commissaries；　to　come　upon　the　Volterrani　unawares；　assembled

their　cavalry；　and　having　raised　a　good　body　of　infantry　in　the　Val

d'Arno　Inferiore；　and　the　country　about　Pisa；　proceeded　to　Volterra。

Although　attacked　by　the　Florentines　and　abandoned　by　his　neighbors；

Giusto　did　not　yield　to　fear；　but；　trusting　to　the　strength　of　the

city　and　the　ruggedness　of　the　country　around　it；　prepared　for　his

defense。



There　lived　at　Volterra　one　Arcolano；　brother　of　that　Giovanni　Contugi

who　had　persuaded　Giusto　to　assume　the　command。　He　possessed　influence

among　the　nobility；　and　having　assembled　a　few　of　his　most

confidential　friends；　he　assured　them　that　by　this　event；　God　had　come

to　the　relief　of　their　necessities；　for　if　they　would　only　take　arms；

deprive　Giusto　of　the　Signory；　and　give　up　the　city　to　the

Florentines；　they　might　be　sure　of　obtaining　the　principal　offices；

and　the　place　would　retain　all　its　ancient　privileges。　Having　gained

them　over；　they　went　to　the　palace　in　which　Giusto　resided；　and　while

part　of　them　remained　below；　Arcolano；　with　three　others；　proceeded　to

the　chamber　above；　where　finding　him　with　some　citizens；　they　drew　him

aside；　as　if　desirous　to　communicate　something　of　importance；　and

conversing　on　different　subjects；　let　him　to　the　lower　apartment；　and

fell　upon　him　with　their　swords。　They；　however；　were　not　so　quick　as

to　prevent　Giusto　from　making　use　of　his　own　weapon；　for　with　it　he

seriously　wounded　two　of　them；　but　being　unable　to　resist　so　many；　he

was　at　last　slain；　and　his　body　thrown　into　the　street。　Arcolano　and

his　party　gave　up　the　city　to　the　Florentine　commissaries；　who；　being

at　hand　with　their　forces；　immediately　took　possession；　but　the

condition　of　Volterra　was　worse　than　before；　for　among　other　things

which　operated　to　her　disadvantage；　most　of　the　adjoining　countryside

was　separated　from　her；　and　she　was　reduced　to　the　rank　of　a

vicariate。



Volterra　having　been　lost　and　recovered　almost　at　the　same　time；

present　circumstances　afforded　nothing　of　sufficient　importance　to

occasion　a　new　war；　if　ambition　had　not　again　provoked　one。　Niccolo

Fortebraccio；　the　son　of　a　sister　of　Braccio　da　Perugia；　had　been　in

the　service　of　the　Florentines　during　most　of　their　wars　with　the

duke。　Upon　the　restoration　of　peace　he　was　discharged；　but　when　the

affair　of　Volterra　took　place；　being　encamped　with　his　people　at

Fucecchio；　the　commissaries　availed　themselves　both　of　himself　and　his

forces。　Some　thought　that　while　Rinaldo　conducted　the　expedition　along

with　him；　he　persuaded　him；　under　one　pretext　or　another；　to　attack

the　Lucchese；　assuring　him；　that　if　he　did　so；　the　Florentines　would

consent　to　undertake　an　expedition　against　them；　and　would　appoint　him

to　the　command。　When　Volterra　was　recovered；　and　Niccolo　returned　to

his　quarters　at　Fucecchio；　he；　either　at　the　persuasion　of　Rinaldo；　or

of　his　own　accord；　in　November；　1429；　took　possession　of　Ruoti　and

Compito；　castles　belonging　to　the　Lucchese；　with　three　hundred　cavalry

and　as　many　infantry；　and　then　descending　into　the　plain；　plundered

the　inhabitants　to　a　vast　amount。　The　news　of　this　incursion　having

reached　Florence；　persons　of　all　classes　were　seen　gathered　in　parties

throughout　the　city　discussing　the　matter；　and　nearly　all　were　in

favor　of　an　expedition　against　Lucca。　Of　the　Grandees　thus　disposed；

were　the　Medici　and　their　party；　and　with　them　also　Rinaldo；　either

because　he　thought　the　enterprise　beneficial　to　the　republic；　or

induced　by　his　own　ambition　and　the　expectation　of　being　appointed　to

the　command。　Niccolo　da　Uzzano　and　his　party　were　opposed　to　the　war。

It　seems　hardly　credible　that　such　contrary　opinions　should　prevail；

though　at　different　times；　in　the　same　men　and　the　same　city；　upon　the

subject　of　war；　for　the　same　citizens　and　people　that；　during　the　ten

years　of　peace　had　incessantly　blamed　the　war　undertaken　against　Duke

Filippo；　in　defense　of　liberty；　now；　after　so　much　expense　and

trouble；　with　their　utmost　energy；　insisted　on　hostilities　against

Lucca；　which；　if　successful；　would　deprive　that　city　of　her　liberty；

while　those　who　had　been　in　favor　of　a　war　with　the　duke；　were　opposed

to　the　present；　so　much　more　ready　are　the　multitude　to　covet　the

possessions　of　others　than　to　preserve　their　own；　and　so　much　more

easily　are　they　led　by　the　hope　of　acquisition　than　by　the　fear　of

loss。　The　suggestions　of　the　latter　appear　incredible　till　they　are

verified；　and　the　pleasing　anticipations　of　the　former　are　cherished

as　facts；　even　while　the　advantages　are　very　problematical；　or　at

best；　remote。　The　people　of　Florence　were　inspired　with　hope；　by　the

acquisitions　which　Niccolo　Fortebraccio　had　made；　and　by　letters

received　from　their　rectors　in　the　vicinity　of　Lucca；　for　their

deputies　at　Vico　and　Pescia　had　written；　that　if　permission　were　given

to　them　to　receive　the　castles　that　offered　to　surrender；　the　whole

country　of　Lucca　would　very　soon　be　obtained。　It　must；　however；　be

added；　that　an　ambassador　was　sent　by　the　governor　of　Lucca　to

Florence；　to　complain　of　the　attack　made　by　Niccolo；　and　to　entreat

that　the　Signory　would　not　make　war　against　a　neighbor；　and　a　city

that　had　always　been　friendly　to　them。　The　ambassador　was　Jacopo

Viviani；　who；　a　short　time　previously；　had　been　imprisoned　by　Pagolo

Guinigi；　governor　of　Lucca；　for　having　conspired　against　him。　Although

he　had　been　found　guilty；　his　life　was　spared；　and　as　Pagolo　thought

the　forgiveness　mutual；　he　reposed　confidence　in　him。　Jacopo；　more

mindful　of　the　danger　he　had　incurred　than　of　the　lenity　exercised

toward　him；　on　his　arrival　in　Florence　secretly　instigated　the

citizens　to　hostilities；　and　these　instigations；　added　to　other　hopes；

induced　the　Signory　to　call　the　Council　together；　at　which　498

citizens　assembled；　before　whom　the　principal　men　of　the　city

discussed　the　question。



Among　the　first　who　addressed　the　assembly　in　favor　of　the　expedition；

was　Rinaldo。　He　pointed　out　the　advantage　that　would　accrue　from　the

acquisition；　and　justified　the　enterprise　from　its　being　left　open　to

them　by　the　Venetians　and　the　duke；　and　that　as　the　pope　was　engaged

in　the　affairs　of　Naples；　he　could　not　interfere。　He　then　remarked

upon　the　facility　of　the　expedition；　showing　that　Lucca；　being　now　in

bondage　to　one　of　her　own　citizens；　had　lost　her　natural　vigor　and

former　anxiety　for　the　preservation　of　her　liberty；　and　would　either

be　surrendered　to　them　by　the　people　in　order　to　expel　the　tyrant；　or

by　the　tyrant　for　fear　of　the　people。　He　recalled　the　remembrance　of

the　injuries　done　to　the　republic　by　the　governor　of　Lucca；　his

malevolent　disposition　toward　them；　and　their　embarrassing　situation

with　regard　to　him；　if　the　pope　or　the　duke　were　to　make　war　upon

them；　and　concluded　that　no　enterprise　was　ever　undertaken　by　the

people　of　Florence　with　such　perfect　facility；　more　positive

advantage；　or　greater　justice　in　its　favor。



In　a　reply　to　this；　Niccolo　da　Uzzano　stated　that　the　city　of　Florence

never　entered　on　a　more　unjust　or　more　dangerous　project；　or　one　more

pregnant　with　evil；　than　this。　In　th