history of florence-第55节

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Florence；　and　it　has　seldom　occurred　that　any　citizen；　coming　home

triumphant　from　victory；　was　received　by　so　vast　a　concourse　of

people；　or　such　unqualified　demonstrations　of　regard　as　he　was　upon

his　return　from　banishment；　for　by　universal　consent　he　was　hailed　as

the　benefactor　of　the　people；　and　the　FATHER　OF　HIS　COUNTRY。









BOOK　V







CHAPTER　I



　　The　vicissitudes　of　empiresThe　state　of　ItalyThe　military

　　factions　of　Sforza　and　BraccioThe　Bracceschi　and　the　Sforzeschi

　　attack　the　pope；　who　is　expelled　by　the　RomansWar　between　the

　　pope　and　the　duke　of　MilanThe　Florentines　and　the　Venetians

　　assist　the　popePeace　between　the　pope　and　the　duke　of　Milan

　　Tyranny　practiced　by　the　party　favorable　to　the　Medici。



It　may　be　observed；　that　provinces　amid　the　vicissitudes　to　which　they

are　subject；　pass　from　order　into　confusion；　and　afterward　recur　to　a

state　of　order　again；　for　the　nature　of　mundane　affairs　not　allowing

them　to　continue　in　an　even　course；　when　they　have　arrived　at　their

greatest　perfection；　they　soon　begin　to　decline。　In　the　same　manner；

having　been　reduced　by　disorder；　and　sunk　to　their　utmost　state　of

depression；　unable　to　descend　lower；　they；　of　necessity；　reascend；　and

thus　from　good　they　gradually　decline　to　evil；　and　from　evil　again

return　to　good。　The　reason　is；　that　valor　produces　peace；　peace；

repose；　repose；　disorder；　disorder；　ruin；　so　from　disorder　order

springs；　from　order　virtue；　and　from　this；　glory　and　good　fortune。

Hence；　wise　men　have　observed；　that　the　age　of　literary　excellence　is

subsequent　to　that　of　distinction　in　arms；　and　that　in　cities　and

provinces；　great　warriors　are　produced　before　philosophers。　Arms

having　secured　victory；　and　victory　peace；　the　buoyant　vigor　of　the

martial　mind　cannot　be　enfeebled　by　a　more　excusable　indulgence　than

that　of　letters；　nor　can　indolence；　with　any　greater　or　more　dangerous

deceit；　enter　a　well　regulated　community。　Cato　was　aware　of　this　when

the　philosophers；　Diogenes　and　Carneades；　were　sent　ambassadors　to　the

senate　by　the　Athenians；　for　perceiving　with　what　earnest　admiration

the　Roman　youth　began　to　follow　them；　and　knowing　the　evils　that　might

result　to　his　country　from　this　specious　idleness；　he　enacted　that　no

philosopher　should　be　allowed　to　enter　Rome。　Provinces　by　this　means

sink　to　ruin；　from　which；　men's　sufferings　having　made　them　wiser；

they　again　recur　to　order；　if　they　be　not　overwhelmed　by　some

extraordinary　force。　These　causes　made　Italy；　first　under　the　ancient

Tuscans；　and　afterward　under　the　Romans；　by　turns　happy　and　unhappy；

and　although　nothing　has　subsequently　arisen　from　the　ruins　of　Rome　at

all　corresponding　to　her　ancient　greatness　（which　under　a　well…

organized　monarchy　might　have　been　gloriously　effected）；　still　there

was　so　much　bravery　and　intelligence　in　some　of　the　new　cities　and

governments　that　afterward　sprang　up；　that　although　none　ever　acquired

dominion　over　the　rest；　they　were；　nevertheless；　so　balanced　and

regulated　among　themselves；　as　to　enable　them　to　live　in　freedom；　and

defend　their　country　from　the　barbarians。



Among　these　governments；　the　Florentines；　although　they　possessed　a

smaller　extent　of　territory；　were　not　inferior　to　any　in　power　and

authority；　for　being　situated　in　the　middle　of　Italy；　wealthy；　and

prepared　for　action；　they　either　defended　themselves　against　such　as

thought　proper　to　assail　them；　or　decided　victory　in　favor　of　those　to

whom　they　became　allies。　From　the　valor；　therefore；　of　these　new

governments；　if　no　seasons　occurred　of　long…continued　peace；　neither

were　any　exposed　to　the　calamities　of　war；　for　that　cannot　be　called

peace　in　which　states　frequently　assail　each　other　with　arms；　nor　can

those　be　considered　wars　in　which　no　men　are　slain；　cities　plundered；

or　sovereignties　overthrown；　for　the　practice　of　arms　fell　into　such　a

state　of　decay；　that　wars　were　commenced　without　fear；　continued

without　danger；　and　concluded　without　loss。　Thus　the　military　energy

which　is　in　other　countries　exhausted　by　a　long　peace；　was　wasted　in

Italy　by　the　contemptible　manner　in　which　hostilities　were　carried　on；

as　will　be　clearly　seen　in　the　events　to　be　described　from　1434　to

1494；　from　which　it　will　appear　how　the　barbarians　were　again　admitted

into　Italy；　and　she　again　sunk　under　subjection　to　them。　Although　the

transactions　of　our　princes　at　home　and　abroad　will　not　be　viewed　with

admiration　of　their　virtue　and　greatness　like　those　of　the　ancients；

perhaps　they　may　on　other　accounts　be　regarded　with　no　less　interest；

seeing　what　masses　of　high　spirited　people　were　kept　in　restraint　by

such　weak　and　disorderly　forces。　And　if；　in　detailing　the　events　which

took　place　in　this　wasted　world；　we　shall　not　have　to　record　the

bravery　of　the　soldier；　the　prudence　of　the　general；　or　the　patriotism

of　the　citizen；　it　will　be　seen　with　what　artifice；　deceit；　and

cunning；　princes；　warriors；　and　leaders　of　republics　conducted

themselves；　to　support　a　reputation　they　never　deserved。　This；

perhaps；　will　not　be　less　useful　than　a　knowledge　of　ancient　history；

for；　if　the　latter　excites　the　liberal　mind　to　imitation；　the　former

will　show　what　ought　to　be　avoided　and　decried。



Italy　was　reduced　to　such　a　condition　by　her　rulers；　that　when；　by

consent　of　her　princes；　peace　was　restored；　it　was　soon　disturbed　by

those　who　retained　their　armies；　so　that　glory　was　not　gained　by　war

nor　repose　by　peace。　Thus　when　the　league　and　the　duke　of　Milan　agreed

to　lay　aside　their　arms　in　1433；　the　soldiers；　resolved　upon　war；

directed　their　efforts　against　the　church。　There　were　at　this　time　two

factions　or　armed　parties　in　Italy；　the　Sforzesca　and　the　Braccesca。

The　leader　of　the　former　was　the　Count　Francesco；　the　son　of　Sforza；

and　of　the　latter；　Niccolo　Piccinino　and　Niccolo　Fortebraccio。　Under

the　banner　of　one　or　other　of　these　parties　almost　all　the　forces　of

Italy　were　assembled。　Of　the　two；　the　Sforzesca　was　in　greatest

repute；　as　well　from　the　bravery　of　the　count　himself；　as　from　the

promise　which　the　duke　of　Milan　had　made　him　of　his　natural　daughter；

Madonna　Bianca；　the　prospect　of　which　alliance　greatly　strengthened

his　influence。　After　the　peace　of　Lombardy；　these　forces；　from　various

causes　attacked　Pope　Eugenius。　Niccolo　Fortebraccio　was　instigated　by

the　ancient　enmity　which　Braccio　had　always　entertained　against　the

church；　the　count　was　induced　by　ambition：　so　that　Niccolo　assailed

Rome；　and　the　count　took　possession　of　La　Marca。



The　Romans；　in　order　to　avoid　the　war；　drove　Pope　Eugenius　from　their

city：　and　he；　having　with　difficulty　escaped；　came　to　Florence；　where

seeing　the　imminent　danger　of　his　situation；　being　abandoned　by　the

princes　（for　they　were　unwilling　again　to　take　up　arms　in　his　cause；

after　having　been　so　anxious　to　lay　them　aside）；　he　came　to　terms　with

the　count；　and　ceded　to　him　the　sovereignty　of　La　Marca；　although；　to

the　injury　of　having　occupied　it；　he　had　added　insult；　for　in　signing

the　place；　from　which　he　addressed　letters　to　his　agents；　he　said　in

Latin；　according　to　the　Latin　custom；　/Ex　Girfalco　nostro　Firmiano；

invito　Petro　et　Paulo/。　Neither　was　he　satisfied　with　this　concession；

but　insisted　upon　being　appointed　Gonfalonier　of　the　church；　which　was

also　granted；　so　much　more　was　Eugenius　alarmed　at　the　prospect　of　a

dangerous　war　than　of　an　ignominious　peace。　The　count；　having　been

thus　been　reconciled　to　the　pontiff；　attacked　Niccolo　Fortebraccio；

and　during　many　months　various　encounters　took　place　between　them；

from　all　which　greater　injury　resulted　to　the　pope　and　his　subjects；

than　to　either　of　the　belligerents。　At　length；　by　the　intervention　of

the　duke　of　Milan；　an　arrangement；　by　way　of　a　truce；　was　made；　by

which　both　became　princes　in　the　territories　of　the　church。



The　war　thus　extinguished　at　Rome　was　rekindled　in　Romagna　by　Batista

da　Canneto；　who　at　Bologna　slew　some　of　the　family　of　the　Grifoni；　and

expelled　from　the　city　the　governor　who　resided　there　for　the　pope；

along　with　others　who　were　opposed　to　him。　To　enable　himself　to　retain

the　government；　he　applied　for　assistance　to　Filippo；　and　the　pope；　to

avenge　himself　for　the　injury；　sought　the　aid　of　the　Venetians　and

Florentines。　Both　parties　obtained　assistance；　so　that　very　soon　two

large　armies　were　on　foot　in　Romagna。　Niccolo　Piccinino　commanded　for

the　duke；　Gattamelata　and　Niccolo　da　Tolentino　for　the　Venetians　and

Florentines。　They　met　near　Imola；　where　a　battle　ensued；　in　which　the

Florentines　and　Venetians　were　routed；　and　Niccolo　da　Tolentino　was

sent　prisoner　to　Milan　where；　either　through　grief　for　his　loss　or　by

some　unfair　means；　he　died　in　a　few　days。



The　duke；　on　this　victory；　either　being　exhausted　by　the　late　wars；　or

thinking　the　League　after　their　defeat　would　not　be　in　haste　to　resume

hostilities；　did　not　pursue　his　good　fortune；　and　thus　gave　the　pope