history of florence-第57节

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sovereign　of　the　whole　country。　But　so　contrary　are　the　views　of　men；

that　he　took　a　directly　opposite　course。　Alfonso　was　a　man　of　great

sagacity；　and　as　soon　as　an　opportunity　presented　itself　of

communicating　with　Filippo；　he　proved　to　him　how　completely　he

contravened　his　own　interests；　by　favoring　Ren？and　opposing　himself；

for　it　would　be　the　business　of　the　former；　on　becoming　king　of

Naples；　to　introduce　the　French　into　Milan；　that　in　an　emergency　he

might　have　assistance　at　hand；　without　the　necessity　of　having　to

solicit　a　passage　for　his　friends。　But　he　could　not　possibly　secure

this　advantage　without　effecting　the　ruin　of　the　duke；　and　making　his

dominions　a　French　province；　and　that　the　contrary　of　all　this　would

result　from　himself　becoming　lord　of　Naples；　for　having　only　the

French　to　fear；　he　would　be　compelled　to　love　and　caress；　nay　even　to

obey　those　who　had　it　in　their　power　to　open　a　passage　for　his

enemies。　That　thus　the　title　of　king　of　king　of　Naples　would　be　with

himself　（Alfonso）；　but　the　power　and　authority　with　Filippo；　so　that

it　was　much　more　the　duke's　business　than　his　own　to　consider　the

danger　of　one　course　and　the　advantage　of　the　other；　unless　he　rather

wished　to　gratify　his　private　prejudices　than　to　give　security　to　his

dominions。　In　the　one　case　he　would　be　a　free　prince；　in　the　other；

placed　between　two　powerful　sovereigns；　he　would　either　be　robbed　of

his　territories　or　live　in　constant　fear；　and　have　to　obey　them　like　a

slave。　These　arguments　so　greatly　influenced　the　duke；　that；　changing

his　design；　he　set　Alfonso　at　liberty；　sent　him　honorably　to　Genoa　and

then　to　Naples。　From　thence　the　king　went　to　Gaeta；　which　as　soon　as

his　liberation　had　become　known；　was　taken　possession　of　by　some

nobles　of　his　party。



The　Genoese；　seeing　that　the　duke；　without　the　least　regard　for　them；

had　liberated　the　king；　and　gained　credit　to　himself　through　the

dangers　and　expense　which　they　had　incurred；　that　he　enjoyed　all　the

honor　of　the　liberation；　and　they　were　themselves　exposed　to　the　odium

of　the　capture；　and　the　injuries　consequent　upon　the　king's　defeat；

were　greatly　exasperated。　In　the　city　of　Genoa；　while　in　the　enjoyment

of　her　liberty；　a　magistrate　is　created　with　the　consent　of　the

people；　whom　they　call　the　Doge；　not　that　he　is　absolutely　a　prince；

or　that　he　alone　has　the　power　of　determining　matters　of　government；

but　that；　as　the　head　of　the　state；　he　proposes　those　questions　or

subjects　which　have　to　be　considered　and　determined　by　the　magistrates

and　the　councils。　In　that　city　are　many　noble　families　so　powerful；

that　they　are　with　great　difficulty　induced　to　submit　to　the　authority

of　the　law。　Of　these；　the　most　powerful　are　the　Fregosa　and　the

Adorna；　from　whom　arise　the　dissensions　of　the　city；　and　the　impotence

of　her　civil　regulations；　for　the　possession　of　this　high　office　being

contested　by　means　inadmissible　in　well…regulated　communities；　and

most　commonly　with　arms　in　their　hands；　it　always　occurs　that　one

party　is　oppressed　and　the　other　triumphant；　and　sometimes　those　who

fail　in　the　pursuit　have　recourse　to　the　arms　of　strangers；　and　the

country　they　are　not　allowed　to　rule　they　subject　to　foreign

authority。　Hence　it　happens；　that　those　who　govern　in　Lombardy　most

commonly　command　in　Genoa；　as　occurred　at　the　time　Alfonso　of　Aragon

was　made　prisoner。　Among　the　leading　Genoese　who　had　been　instrumental

in　subjecting　the　republic　to　Filippo；　was　Francesco　Spinola；　who；

soon　after　he　had　reduced　his　country　to　bondage；　as　always　happens　in

such　cases；　became　suspected　by　the　duke。　Indignant　at　this；　he

withdrew　to　a　sort　of　voluntary　exile　at　Gaeta；　and　being　there　when

the　naval　expedition　was　in　preparation；　and　having　conducted　himself

with　great　bravery　in　the　action；　he　thought　he　had　again　merited　so

much　of　the　duke's　confidence　as　would　obtain　for　him　permission　to

remain　undisturbed　at　Genoa。　But　the　duke　still　retained　his

suspicions；　for　he　could　not　believe　that　a　vacillating　defender　of

his　own　country's　liberty　would　be　faithful　to　himself；　and　Francesco

Spinola　resolved　again　to　try　his　fortune；　and　if　possible　restore

freedom　to　his　country；　and　honorable　safety　for　himself；　for　he　was

there　was　no　probability　of　regaining　the　forfeited　affection　of　his

fellow…citizens；　but　by　resolving　at　his　own　peril　to　remedy　the

misfortunes　which　he　had　been　so　instrumental　in　producing。　Finding

the　indignation　against　the　duke　universal；　on　account　of　the

liberation　of　the　king；　he　thought　the　moment　propitious　for　the

execution　of　his　design。　He　communicated　his　ideas　to　some　whom　he

knew　to　be　similarly　inclined；　and　his　arguments　ensured　their

co…operation。



The　great　festival　of　St。　John　the　Baptist　being　come；　when　Arismeno；

the　new　governor　sent　by　the　duke；　was　to　enter　Genoa；　and　he　being

already　arrived；　accompanied　by　Opicino；　the　former　governor；　and　many

Genoese　citizens；　Francesco　Spinola　thought　further　delay　improper；

and；　issuing　from　his　house　with　those　acquainted　with　his　design；　all

armed；　they　raised　the　cry　of　liberty。　It　was　wonderful　to　see　how

eagerly　the　citizens　and　people　assembled　at　the　word；　so　that　those

who　for　any　reason　might　be　favorable　to　Filippo；　not　only　had　no　time

to　arm；　but　scarcely　to　consider　the　means　of　escape。　Arismeno；　with

some　Genoese；　fled　to　the　fortress　which　was　held　for　the　duke；

Opicino；　thinking　that　if　he　could　reach　the　palace；　where　two

thousand　men　were　in　arms；　and　at　his　command；　he　might　be　able　either

to　effect　his　own　safety；　or　induce　his　friends　to　defend　themselves；

took　that　direction；　but　before　he　arrived　at　the　piazza　he　was　slain；

his　body　divided　into　many　pieces　and　scattered　about　the　city。　The

Genoese　having　placed　the　government　in　the　hands　of　free　magistrates；

in　a　few　days　recovered　the　castle；　and　the　other　strongholds

possessed　by　the　duke；　and　delivered　themselves　entirely　from　his

yoke。



These　transactions；　though　at　first　they　had　alarmed　the　princes　of

Italy　with　the　apprehension　that　the　duke　would　become　too　powerful；

now　gave　them　hope；　seeing　the　turn　they　had　taken；　of　being　able　to

restrain　him；　and；　notwithstanding　the　recent　league；　the　Florentines

and　Venetians　entered　into　alliance　with　the　Genoese。　Rinaldo　degli

Albizzi　and　the　other　leading　Florentine　exiles；　observing　the　altered

aspect　of　affairs；　conceived　hopes　of　being　able　to　induce　the　duke　to

make　war　against　Florence；　and　having　arrived　at　Milan；　Rinaldo

addressed　him　in　the　following　manner：　〃If　we；　who　were　once　your

enemies；　come　now　confidently　to　supplicate　your　assistance　to　enable

us　to　return　to　our　country；　neither　you；　nor　anyone；　who　considers

the　course　and　vicissitudes　of　human　affairs；　can　be　at　all　surprised；

for　of　our　past　conduct　toward　yourself　and　our　present　intentions

toward　our　country；　we　can　adduce　palpable　and　abundant　reasons。　No

good　man　will　ever　reproach　another　who　endeavors　to　defend　his

country；　whatever　be　his　mode　of　doing　so；　neither　have　we　had　any

design　of　injuring　you；　but　only　to　preserve　our　country　from

detriment；　and　we　appeal　to　yourself；　whether；　during　the　greatest

victories　of　our　league；　when　you　were　really　desirous　of　peace；　we

were　not　even　more　anxious　for　it　than　yourself；　so　that　we　do　not

think　we　have　done　aught　to　make　us　despair　altogether　of　favor　from

you。　Nor　can　our　country　itself　complain　that　we　now　exhort　you　to　use

those　arms　against　her；　from　which　we　have　so　pertinaciously　defended

her；　for　that　state　alone　merits　the　love　of　all　her　citizens；　which

cares　with　equal　affection　for　all；　not　one　that　favors　a　few；　and

casts　from　her　the　great　mass　of　her　children。　Nor　are　the　arms　that

men　use　against　their　country　to　be　universally　condemned；　for

communities；　although　composed　of　many；　resemble　individual　bodies；

and　as　in　these；　many　infirmities　arise　which　cannot　be　cured　without

the　application　of　fire　or　of　steel；　so　in　the　former；　there　often

occur　such　numerous　and　great　evils；　that　a　good　and　merciful　citizen；

when　there　is　a　necessity　for　the　sword；　would　be　much　more　to　blame

in　leaving　her　uncured；　than　by　using　this　remedy　for　her

preservation。　What　greater　disease　can　afflict　a　republic　than

slavery？　and　what　remedy　is　more　desirable　for　adoption　than　the　one

by　which　alone　it　can　be　effectually　removed？　No　wars　are　just　but

those　that　are　necessary；　and　force　is　merciful　when　it　presents　the

only　hope　of　relief。　I　know　not　what　necessity　can　be　greater　than

ours；　or　what　compassion　can　exceed　that　which　rescues　our　country

from　slavery。　Our　cause　is　therefore　just；　and　our　purpose　merciful；

as　both　yourself　and　we　may　be　easily　convinced。　The　amplest　justice

is　on　your　side；　for　the　Florentines　have　not　hesitated；　after　a　peace

concluded　with　so　much　solemnity；　to　enter　into　league　with　those　who

have　rebelled　against　you；　so　that　if　our　cau