history of florence-第82节

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the　terms　of　the　treaty　recently　made　with　his　father　Alfonso。　The

Florentines　replied；　that　they　were　under　no　obligation；　that　they　did

not　think　proper　to　assist　the　son　in　a　war　commenced　by　the　father

with　his　own　forces；　and　that　as　it　was　begun　without　either　their

counsel　or　knowledge；　it　must　be　continued　and　concluded　without　their

help。　The　ambassadors　affirmed　the　engagement　to　be　binding　on　the

Florentines；　and　themselves　to　be　answerable　for　the　event　of　the　war；

and　then　in　great　anger　left　the　city。



Thus　with　regard　to　external　affairs；　the　Florentines　continued

tranquil　during　this　war；　but　the　case　was　otherwise　with　their

domestic　concerns；　as　will　be　particularly　shown　in　the　following

book。









BOOK　VII







CHAPTER　I



　　Connection　of　the　other　Italian　governments　with　the　history　of

　　FlorenceRepublics　always　disunitedSome　differences　are

　　injurious；　others　not　soThe　kind　of　dissensions　prevailing　at

　　FlorenceCosmo　de'　Medici　and　Neri　Capponi　become　powerful　by

　　dissimilar　meansReform　in　the　election　of　magistrates　favorable

　　to　CosmoComplaints　of　the　principal　citizens　against　the　reform

　　in　electionsLuca　Pitti；　Gonfalonier　of　Justice；　restrains　the

　　imborsations　by　forceTyranny　and　pride　of　Luca　Pitti　and　his

　　partyPalace　of　the　PittiDeath　of　Cosmo　de'　MediciHis

　　liberality　and　magnificenceHis　modestyHis　prudenceSayings　of

　　Cosmo。



It　will　perhaps　appear　to　the　readers　of　the　preceding　book　that；

professing　only　to　write　of　the　affairs　of　Florence；　I　have　dilated

too　much　in　speaking　of　those　which　occurred　in　Lombardy　and　Naples。

But　as　I　have　not　already　avoided；　so　it　is　not　my　intention　in　future

to　forbear；　similar　digressions。　For　although　we　have　not　engaged　to

give　an　account　of　the　affairs　of　Italy；　still　it　would　be　improper　to

neglect　noticing　the　most　remarkable　of　them。　If　they　were　wholly

omitted；　our　history　would　not　be　so　well　understood；　neither　would　it

be　so　instructive　or　agreeable；　since　from　the　proceedings　of　the

other　princes　and　states　of　Italy；　have　most　commonly　arisen　those

wars　in　which　the　Florentines　were　compelled　to　take　part。　Thus；　from

the　war　between　John　of　Anjou　and　King　Ferrando；　originated　those

serious　enmities　and　hatreds　which　ensued　between　Ferrando　and　the

Florentines；　particularly　the　house　of　Medici。　The　king　complained　of

a　want　of　assistance　during　the　war；　and　of　the　aid　afforded　to　his

enemy；　and　from　his　anger　originated　the　greatest　evils；　as　will　be

hereafter　seen。　Having；　in　speaking　of　external　affairs；　come　down　to

the　year　1463；　it　will　be　necessary　in　order　to　make　our　narrative　of

the　contemporaneous　domestic　transactions　clearly　understood；　to

revert　to　a　period　several　years　back。　But　first；　according　to　custom；

I　would　offer　a　few　remarks　referring　to　the　events　about　to　be

narrated；　and　observe；　that　those　who　think　a　republic　may　be　kept　in

perfect　unity　of　purpose　are　greatly　deceived。　True　it　is；　that　some

divisions　injure　republics；　while　others　are　beneficial　to　them。　When

accompanied　by　factions　and　parties　they　are　injurious；　but　when

maintained　without　them　they　contribute　to　their　prosperity。　The

legislator　of　a　republic；　since　it　is　impossible　to　prevent　the

existence　of　dissensions；　must　at　least　take　care　to　prevent　the

growth　of　faction。　It　may　therefore　be　observed；　that　citizens　acquire

reputation　and　power　in　two　ways；　the　one　public；　the　other　private。

Influence　is　acquired　publicly　by　winning　a　battle；　taking　possession

of　a　territory；　fulfilling　the　duties　of　an　embassy　with　care　and

prudence；　or　by　giving　wise　counsel　attended　by　a　happy　result。

Private　methods　are　conferring　benefits　upon　individuals；　defending

them　against　the　magistrates；　supporting　them　with　money；　and　raising

them　to　undeserved　honors；　or　with　public　games　and　entertainments

gaining　the　affection　of　the　populace。　This　mode　of　procedure　produces

parties　and　cliques；　and　in　proportion　as　influence　thus　acquired　is

injurious；　so　is　the　former　beneficial；　if　quite　free　from　party

spirit；　because　it　is　founded　upon　the　public　good；　and　not　upon

private　advantage。　And　though　it　is　impossible　to　prevent　the

existence　of　inveterate　feuds；　still　if　they　be　without　partisans　to

support　them　for　their　own　individual　benefit；　they　do　not　injure　a

republic；　but　contribute　to　its　welfare；　since　none　can　attain

distinction；　but　as　he　contributes　to　her　good；　and　each　party

prevents　the　other　from　infringing　her　liberties。　The　dissensions　of

Florence　were　always　accompanied　by　factions；　and　were　therefore

always　pernicious；　and　the　dominant　party　only　remained　united　so　long

as　its　enemies　held　it　in　check。　As　soon　as　the　strength　of　the

opposition　was　annihilated；　the　government；　deprived　of　the

restraining　influence　of　its　adversaries；　and　being　subject　to　no　law；

fell　to　pieces。　The　party　of　Cosmo　de'　Medici　gained　the　ascendant　in

1434；　but　the　depressed　party　being　very　numerous；　and　composed　of

several　very　influential　persons；　fear　kept　the　former　united；　and

restrained　their　proceedings　within　the　bounds　of　moderation；　so　that

no　violence　was　committed　by　them；　nor　anything　done　calculated　to

excite　popular　dislike。　Consequently；　whenever　this　government

required　the　citizens'　aid　to　recover　or　strengthen　its　influence；　the

latter　were　always　willing　to　gratify　its　wishes；　so　that　from　1434　to

1455；　during　a　period　of　twenty…one　years；　the　authority　of　a　balia

was　granted　to　it　six　times。



There　were　in　Florence；　as　we　have　frequently　observed；　two

principally　powerful　citizens；　Cosmo　de'　Medici　and　Neri　Capponi。　Neri

acquired　his　influence　by　public　services；　so　that　he　had　many　friends

but　few　partisans。　Cosmo；　being　able　to　avail　himself　both　of　public

and　private　means；　had　many　partisans　as　well　as　friends。　While　both

lived；　having　always　been　united；　they　obtained　from　the　people

whatever　they　required；　for　in　them　popularity　and　power　were　united。

But　in　the　year　1455；　Neri　being　dead；　and　the　opposition　party

extinct；　the　government　found　a　difficulty　in　resuming　its　authority；

and　this　was　occasioned；　remarkably　enough；　by　Cosmo's　private

friends；　and　the　most　influential　men　in　the　state；　for；　not　fearing

the　opposite　party；　they　became　anxious　to　abate　his　power。　This

inconsistency　was　the　beginning　of　the　evils　which　took　place　in　1456；

so　that　those　in　power　were　openly　advised　in　the　deliberative

councils　not　to　renew　the　power　of　the　balia；　but　to　close　the

balloting　purses；　and　appoint　the　magistrates　by　drawing　from　the

pollings　or　squittini　previously　made。　To　restrain　this　disposition；

Cosmo　had　the　choice　of　two　alternatives；　either　forcibly　to　assume

the　government；　with　the　partisans　he　possessed；　and　drive　out　the

others；　or　to　allow　the　matter　to　take　its　course；　and　let　his　friends

see　they　were　not　depriving　him　of　power；　but　rather　themselves。　He

chose　the　latter；　for　he　well　knew　that　at　all　events　the　purses　being

filled　with　the　names　of　his　own　friends；　he　incurred　no　risk；　and

could　take　the　government　into　his　own　hands　whenever　he　found

occasion。　The　chief　offices　of　state　being　again　filled　by　lot；　the

mass　of　the　people　began　to　think　they　had　recovered　their　liberty；

and　that　the　decisions　of　the　magistrates　were　according　to　their　own

judgments；　unbiased　by　the　influence　of　the　Great。　At　the　same　time；

the　friends　of　different　grandees　were　humbled；　and　many　who　had

commonly　seen　their　houses　filled　with　suitors　and　presents；　found

themselves　destitute　of　both。　Those　who　had　previously　been　very

powerful　were　reduced　to　an　equality　with　men　whom　they　had　been

accustomed　to　consider　inferior；　and　those　formerly　far　beneath　them

were　now　become　their　equals。　No　respect　or　deference　was　paid　to

them；　they　were　often　ridiculed　and　derided；　and　frequently　heard

themselves　and　the　republic　mentioned　in　the　open　streets　without　the

least　deference；　thus　they　found　it　was　not　Cosmo　but　themselves　that

had　lost　the　government。　Cosmo　appeared　not　to　notice　these　matters；

and　whenever　any　subject　was　proposed　in　favor　of　the　people　he　was

the　first　to　support　it。　But　the　greatest　cause　of　alarm　to　the　higher

classes；　and　his　most　favorable　opportunity　of　retaliation；　was　the

revival　of　the　catasto；　or　property…tax　of　1427；　so　that　individual

contributions　were　determined　by　statute；　and　not　by　a　set　of　persons

appointed　for　its　regulation。



This　law　being　re…established；　and　a　magistracy　created　to　carry　it

into　effect；　the　nobility　assembled；　and　went　to　Cosmo　to　beg　he　would

rescue　them　and　himself　from　the　power　of　the　plebeians；　and　restore

to　the　government　the　reputation　which　had　made　himself　powerful　and

them　respected。　He　replied；　he　was　willing　to　comply　with　their

request；　but　wished　the　law　to　be　obtained　in　the　regular　manner；　by

consent　of　the　people；　and　not　by　force；　of　which　he　w