history of florence-第74节

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of　Milan。　The　count　desired　the　possession　of　Pavia；　and　considered

the　circumstance　a　happy　omen；　as　it　would　enable　him　to　give　a　color

to　his　designs。　He　was　not　restrained　from　treachery　either　by　fear　or

shame；　for　great　men　consider　failure　disgraceful；a　fraudulent

success　the　contrary。　But　he　was　apprehensive　that　his　possession　of

the　city　would　excite　the　animosity　of　the　Milanese；　and　perhaps

induce　them　to　throw　themselves　under　the　power　of　the　Venetians。　If

he　refused　to　accept　the　offer；　he　would　have　occasion　to　fear　the

duke　of　Savoy；　to　whom　many　citizens　were　inclined　to　submit

themselves；　and　either　alternative　would　deprive　him　of　the

sovereignty　of　Lombardy。　Concluding　there　was　less　danger　in　taking

possession　of　the　city　than　in　allowing　another　to　have　it；　he

determined　to　accept　the　proposal　of　the　people　of　Pavia；　trusting　he

would　be　able　to　satisfy　the　Milanese；　to　whom　he　pointed　out　the

danger　they　must　have　incurred　had　he　not　complied　with　it；　for　her

citizens　would　have　surrendered　themselves　to　the　Venetians　or　to　the

duke　of　Savoy；　so　that　in　either　case　they　would　have　been　deprived　of

the　government；　and　therefore　they　ought　to　be　more　willing　to　have

himself　as　their　neighbor　and　friend；　than　a　hostile　power　such　as

either　of　the　others；　and　their　enemy。　The　Milanese　were　upon　this

occasion　greatly　perplexed；　imagining　they　had　discovered　the　count's

ambition；　and　the　end　he　had　in　view；　but　they　thought　it　desirable　to

conceal　their　fears；　for　they　did　not　know；　if　the　count　were　to

desert　them；　to　whom　they　could　have　recourse　except　the　Venetians；

whose　pride　and　tyranny　they　naturally　dreaded。　They　therefore

resolved　not　to　break　with　the　count；　but　by　his　assistance　remedy　the

evils　with　which　they　were　threatened；　hoping　that　when　freed　from

them　they　might　rescue　themselves　from　him　also；　for　at　that　time　they

were　assailed　not　only　by　the　Venetians　but　by　the　Genoese　and　the

duke　of　Savoy；　in　the　name　of　Charles　of　Orleans；　the　son　of　a　sister

of　Filippo；　but　whom　the　count　easily　vanquished。　Thus　their　only

remaining　enemies　were　the　Venetians；　who；　with　a　powerful　army；

determined　to　occupy　their　territories；　and　had　already　taken

possession　of　Lodi　and　Piacenza；　before　which　latter　place　the　count

encamped；　and；　after　a　long　siege；　took　and　pillaged　the　city。　Winter

being　set　in；　he　led　his　forces　into　quarters；　and　then　withdrew　to

Cremona；　where；　during　the　cold　season；　he　remained　in　repose　with　his

wife。



In　the　spring；　the　Venetian　and　Milanese　armies　again　took　the　field。

It　was　the　design　of　the　Milanese；　first　to　recover　Lodi　and　then　to

come　to　terms　with　the　Venetians；　for　the　expenses　of　the　war　had

become　very　great；　and　they　were　doubtful　of　their　general's

sincerity；　so　that　they　were　anxious　alike　for　the　repose　of　peace；

and　for　security　against　the　count。　They　therefore　resolved　that　the

army　should　march　to　the　siege　of　Carravaggio；　hoping　that　Lodi　would

surrender；　on　that　fortress　being　wrested　from　the　enemy's　hands。　The

count　obeyed；　though　he　would　have　preferred　crossing　the　Adda　and

attacking　the　Brescian　territory。　Having　encamped　before　Caravaggio；

he　so　strongly　entrenched　himself；　that　if　the　enemy　attempted　to

relieve　the　place；　they　would　have　to　attack　him　at　a　great

disadvantage。　The　Venetian　army；　led　by　Micheletto；　approached　within

two　bowshots　of　the　enemy's　camp；　and　many　skirmishes　ensued。　The

count　continued　to　press　the　fortress；　and　reduced　it　to　the　very　last

extremity；　which　greatly　distressed　the　Venetians；　since　they　knew　the

loss　of　it　would　involve　the　total　failure　of　their　expedition。　Very

different　views　were　entertained　by　their　military　officers　respecting

the　best　mode　of　relieving　the　place；　but　they　saw　no　course　open

except　to　attack　the　enemy　in　his　trenches；　in　spite　of　all　obstacles。

The　castle　was；　however；　considered　of　such　paramount　importance；　that

the　Venetian　senate；　though　naturally　timid；　and　averse　to　all

hazardous　undertakings；　chose　rather　to　risk　everything　than　allow　it

to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。



They　therefore　resolved　to　attack　the　count　at　all　events；　and　early

the　next　morning　commenced　their　assault　upon　a　point　which　was　least

defended。　At　the　first　charge；　as　commonly　happens　in　a　surprise；

Francesco's　whole　army　was　thrown　into　dismay。　Order；　however；　was

soon　so　completely　restored　by　the　count；　that　the　enemy；　after

various　efforts　to　gain　the　outworks；　were　repulsed　and　put　to　flight；

and　so　entirely　routed；　that　of　twelve　thousand　horse　only　one

thousand　escaped　the　hands　of　the　Milanese；　who　took　possession　of　all

the　carriages　and　military　stores；　nor　had　the　Venetians　ever　before

suffered　such　a　thorough　rout　and　overthrow。　Among　the　plunder　and

prisoners；　crouching　down；　as　if　to　escape　observation；　was　found　a

Venetian　commissary；　who；　in　the　course　of　the　war　and　before　the

fight；　had　spoken　contemptuously　of　the　count；　calling　him　〃bastard；〃

and　〃base…born。〃　Being　made　prisoner；　he　remembered　his　faults；　and

fearing　punishment；　being　taken　before　the　count；　was　agonized　with

terror；　and；　as　is　usual　with　mean　minds　（in　prosperity　insolent；　in

adversity　abject　and　cringing）；　prostrated　himself；　weeping　and

begging　pardon　for　the　offenses　he　had　committed。　The　count；　taking

him　by　the　arm；　raised　him　up；　and　encouraged　him　to　hope　for　the

best。　He　then　said　he　wondered　how　a　man　so　prudent　and　respectable　as

himself；　could　so　far　err　as　to　speak　disparagingly　of　those　who　did

not　merit　it；　and　as　regarded　the　insinuations　which　he　had　made

against　him；　he　really　did　not　know　how　Sforza　his　father；　and　Madonna

Lucia　his　mother；　had　proceeded　together；　not　having　been　there；　and

having　no　opportunity　of　interfering　in　the　matter；　so　that　he　was　not

liable　either　to　blame　or　praise。　However；　he　knew　very　well；　that　in

regard　to　his　own　actions　he　had　conducted　himself　so　that　no　one

could　blame　him；　and　in　proof　of　this　he　would　refer　both　the　Venetian

senate　and　himself　to　what　had　happened　that　day。　He　then　advised　him

in　future　to　be　more　respectful　in　speaking　of　others；　and　more

cautious　in　regard　to　his　own　proceedings。







CHAPTER　IV



　　The　count's　successesThe　Venetians　come　to　terms　with　himViews

　　of　the　VenetiansIndignation　of　the　Milanese　against　the　count

　　Their　ambassador's　address　to　himThe　count's　moderation　and

　　replyThe　count　and　the　Milanese　prepare　for　warMilanese

　　ambassadors　at　VeniceLeague　of　the　Venetians　and　MilaneseThe

　　count　dupes　the　Venetians　and　MilaneseHe　applies　for　assistance

　　to　the　FlorentinesDiversity　of　opinions　in　Florence　on　the

　　subjectNeri　di　Gino　Capponi　averse　to　assisting　the　countCosmo

　　de'　Medici　disposed　to　do　soThe　Florentines　sent　ambassadors　to

　　the　count。



After　this　victory；　the　count　marched　into　the　Brescian　territory；

occupied　the　whole　country；　and　then　pitched　his　camp　within　two　miles

of　the　city。　The　Venetians；　having　well…grounded　fears　that　Brescia

would　be　next　attacked；　provided　the　best　defense　in　their　power。　They

then　collected　the　relics　of　their　army；　and；　by　virtue　of　the　treaty；

demanded　assistance　of　the　Florentines；　who；　being　relieved　from　the

war　with　Alfonso；　sent　them　one　thousand　foot　and　two　thousand　horse；

by　whose　aid　the　Venetians　were　in　a　condition　to　treat　for　peace。　At

one　time　it　seemed　the　fate　of　their　republic　to　lose　by　war　and　win

by　negotiation；　for　what　was　taken　from　them　in　battle　was　frequently

restored　twofold　on　the　restoration　of　peace。　They　knew　the　Milanese

were　jealous　of　the　count；　and　that　he　wished　to　be　not　their　captain

merely；　but　their　sovereign；　and　as　it　was　in　their　power　to　make

peace　with　either　of　the　two　（the　one　desiring　it　from　ambition；　the

other　from　fear）；　they　determined　to　make　choice　of　the　count；　and

offer　him　assistance　to　effect　his　design；　persuading　themselves；　that

as　the　Milanese　would　perceive　they　had　been　duped　by　him；　they　would

in　revenge　place　themselves　in　the　power　of　any　one　rather　than　in

his；　and　that；　becoming　unable　either　to　defend　themselves　or　trust

the　count；　they　would　be　compelled；　having　no　other　resource；　to　fall

into　their　hands。　Having　taken　this　resolution；　they　sounded　the

count；　and　found　him　quite　disposed　for　peace；　evidently　desirous　that

the　honor　and　advantage　of　the　victory　at　Caravaggio　should　be　his

own；　and　not　accrue　to　the　Milanese。　The　parties　therefore　entered

into　an　agreement；　in　which　the　Venetians　undertook　to　pay　the　count

thirteen　thousand　florins　per　month；　till　he　should　obtain　Milan；　and

to　furnish　him；　during　the　continuance　of　the　war；　four　thousand　horse

and　two　thousand　foot。　The　count　engaged　to　restore　to　the　Venetians

the　towns；　prisoners；　and　whatever　else　had　been　taken　by　him　during

the　late　campaigns；　and　content　himself　with　those　territories　which

the　duke　possessed　at　the　time　of