history of florence-第88节

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safety。　After　this；　many　things　were　discussed；　but　nothing

determined；　excepting　generally；　that　it　was　necessary　to　reform　the

administration　of　the　city　and　government。



The　Gonfalon　of　Justice　was　then　in　the　hands　of　Bernardo　Lotti；　a　man

not　in　the　confidence　of　Piero；　who　was　therefore　disinclined　to

attempt　aught　while　he　was　in　office；　but　no　inconvenience　would

result　from　the　delay；　as　his　magistracy　was　on　the　point　of　expiring。

Upon　the　election　of　Signors　for　the　months　of　September　and　October；

1466；　Roberto　Lioni　was　appointed　to　the　supreme　magistracy；　and　as

soon　as　he　assumed　its　duties；　every　requisite　arrangement　having　been

previously　made；　the　people　were　called　to　the　piazza；　and　a　new　Balia

created；　wholly　in　favor　of　Piero；　who　soon　afterward　filled　all　the

offices　of　government　according　to　his　own　pleasure。　These

transactions　alarmed　the　leaders　of　the　opposite　faction；　and　Agnolo

Acciajuoli　fled　to　Naples；　Diotisalvi　Neroni　and　Niccolo　Soderini　to

Venice。　Luca　Pitti　remained　in　Florence；　trusting　to　his　new

relationship　and　the　promises　of　Piero。　The　refugees　were　declared

rebels；　and　all　the　family　of　the　Neroni　were　dispersed。　Giovanni　di

Neroni；　then　archbishop　of　Florence；　to　avoid　a　greater　evil；　became　a

voluntary　exile　at　Rome；　and　to　many　other　citizens　who　fled；　various

places　of　banishment　were　appointed。　Nor　was　this　considered

sufficient；　for　it　was　ordered　that　the　citizens　should　go　in　solemn

procession　to　thank　God　for　the　preservation　of　the　government　and　the

reunion　of　the　city；　during　the　performance　of　which；　some　were　taken

and　tortured；　and　part　of　them　afterward　put　to　death　and　exiled。　In

this　great　vicissitude　of　affairs；　there　was　not　a　more　remarkable

instance　of　the　uncertainty　of　fortune　than　Luca　Pitti；　who　soon　found

the　difference　between　victory　and　defeat；　honor　and　disgrace。　His

house　now　presented　only　a　vast　solitude；　where　previously　crowds　of

citizens　had　assembled。　In　the　streets；　his　friends　and　relatives；

instead　of　accompanying；　were　afraid　even　to　salute　him。　Some　of　them

were　deprived　of　the　honors　of　government；　others　of　their　property；

and　all　alike　threatened。　The　superb　edifices　he　had　commenced　were

abandoned　by　the　builders；　the　benefits　that　had　been　conferred　upon

him；　where　now　exchanged　for　injuries；　the　honors　for　disgrace。　Hence

many　of　those　who　had　presented　him　with　articles　of　value　now

demanded　them　back　again；　as　being　only　lent；　and　those　who　had　been

in　the　habit　of　extolling　him　as　a　man　of　surpassing　excellence；　now

termed　him　violent　and　ungrateful。　So　that；　when　too　late；　he

regretted　not　having　taken　the　advice　of　Niccolo　Soderini；　and

preferred　an　honorable　death　in　battle；　than　to　a　life　of　ignominy

among　his　victorious　enemies。



The　exiles　now　began　to　consider　various　means　of　recovering　that

citizenship　which　they　had　not　been　able　to　preserve。　However；　Agnolo

Acciajuoli　being　at　Naples；　before　he　attempted　anything　else；

resolved　to　sound　Piero；　and　try　if　he　could　effect　a　reconciliation。

For　this　purpose；　he　wrote　to　him　in　the　following　terms：　〃I　cannot

help　laughing　at　the　freaks　of　fortune；　perceiving　how；　at　her

pleasure；　she　converts　friends　into　enemies；　and　enemies　into　friends。

You　may　remember　that　during　your　father's　exile；　regarding　more　the

injury　done　to　him　than　my　own　misfortunes；　I　was　banished；　and　in

danger　of　death；　and　never　during　Cosmo's　life　failed　to　honor　and

support　your　family；　neither　have　I　since　his　death　ever　entertained　a

wish　to　injure　you。　True；　it　is；　that　your　own　sickness；　and　the

tender　years　of　your　sons；　so　alarmed　me；　that　I　judged　it　desirable

to　give　such　a　form　to　the　government；　that　after　your　death　our

country　might　not　be　ruined；　and　hence；　the　proceedings；　which　not

against　you；　but　for　the　safety　of　the　state；　have　been　adopted；

which；　if　mistaken；　will　surely　obtain　forgiveness；　both　for　the　good

design　in　view；　and　on　account　of　my　former　services。　Neither　can　I

apprehend；　that　your　house；　having　found　me　so　long　faithful；　should

now　prove　unmerciful；　or　that　you　could　cancel　the　impression　of　so

much　merit　for　so　small　a　fault。〃　Piero　replied：　〃Your　laughing　in

your　present　abode　is　the　cause　why　I　do　not　weep；　for　were　you　to

laugh　in　Florence；　I　should　have　to　weep　at　Naples。　I　confess　you　were

well　disposed　toward　my　father；　and　you　ought　to　confess　you　were　well

paid　for　it；　and　the　obligation　is　so　much　the　greater　on　your　part

than　on　ours；　as　deeds　are　of　greater　value　than　words。　Having　been

recompensed　for　your　good　wishes；　it　ought　not　to　surprise　you　that

you　now　receive　the　due　reward　of　your　bad　ones。　Neither　will　a

pretense　of　your　patriotism　excuse　you；　for　none　will　think　the　city

less　beloved　or　benefited　by　the　Medici；　than　by　the　Acciajuoli。　It；

therefore；　seems　but　just；　that　you　should　remain　in　dishonor　at

Naples；　since　you　knew　not　how　to　live　with　honor　at　home。〃



Agnolo；　hopeless　of　obtaining　pardon；　went　to　Rome；　where；　joining　the

archbishop　and　other　refugees；　they　used　every　available　means　to

injure　the　commercial　credit　of　the　Medici　in　that　city。　Their

attempts　greatly　annoyed　Piero；　but　by　his　friends'　assistance；　he　was

enabled　to　render　them　abortive。　Diotisalvi　Neroni　and　Niccolo

Soderini　strenuously　urged　the　Venetian　senate　to　make　war　upon　their

country；　calculating；　that　in　case　of　an　attack；　the　government　being

new　and　unpopular；　would　be　unable　to　resist。　At　this　time　there

resided　at　Ferrara；　Giovanni　Francesco；　son　of　Palla　Strozzi；　who；

with　his　father；　was　banished　from　Florence　in　the　changes　of　1434。　He

possessed　great　influence；　and　was　considered　one　of　the　richest

merchants。　The　newly　banished　pointed　out　to　Giovanni　Francesco　how

easily　they　might　return　to　their　country；　if　the　Venetians　were　to

undertake　the　enterprise；　and　that　it　was　most　probable　they　would　do

so；　if　they　had　pecuniary　assistance；　but　that　otherwise　it　would　be

doubtful。　Giovanni　Francesco；　wishing　to　avenge　his　own　injuries；　at

once　fell　in　with　their　ideas；　and　promised　to　contribute　to　the

success　of　the　attempt　all　the　means　in　his　power。　On　this　they　went

to　the　Doge；　and　complained　of　the　exile　they　were　compelled　to

endure；　for　no　other　reason；　they　said；　than　for　having　wished　their

country　should　be　subject　to　equal　laws；　and　that　the　magistrates

should　govern；　not　a　few　private　individuals；　that　Piero　de'　Medici；

with　his　adherents；　who　were　accustomed　to　act　tyrannically；　had

secretly　taken　up　arms；　deceitfully　induced　them　to　lay　their　own

aside；　and　thus；　by　fraud；　expelled　them　from　their　country；　that；　not

content　with　this；　they　made　the　Almighty　himself　a　means　of

oppression　to　several；　who；　trusting　to　their　promises；　had　remained

in　the　city　and　were　there　betrayed；　for；　during　public　worship　and

solemn　supplications；　that　the　Deity　might　seem　to　participate　in

their　treachery；　many　citizens　had　been　seized；　imprisoned；　tortured；

and　put　to　death；　thus　affording　to　the　world　a　horrible　and　impious

precedent。　To　avenge　themselves　for　these　injuries；　they　knew　not

where　to　turn　with　so　much　hope　of　success　as　to　the　senate；　which；

having　always　enjoyed　their　liberty；　ought　to　compassionate　those　who

had　lost　it。　They　therefore　called　upon　them　as　free　men　to　assist

them　against　tyrants；　as　pious；　against　the　wicked；　and　would　remind

the　Venetians；　that　it　was　the　family　of　the　Medici　who　had　robbed

them　of　their　dominions　in　Lombardy；　contrary　to　the　wish　of　the　other

citizens；　and　who；　in　opposition　to　the　interests　of　the　senate；　had

favored　and　supported　Francesco；　so；　that　if　the　exiles'　distresses

could　not　induce　them　to　undertake　the　war；　the　just　indignation　of

the　people　of　Venice；　and　their　desire　of　vengeance　ought　to　prevail。







CHAPTER　IV



　　War　between　the　Venetians　and　the　FlorentinesPeace

　　re…establishedDeath　of　Niccolo　SoderiniHis　characterExcesses

　　in　FlorenceVarious　external　events　from　1468　to　1471Accession

　　of　Sixtus　IV。His　characterGrief　of　Piero　de'　Medici　for　the

　　violence　committed　in　FlorenceHis　speech　to　the　principal

　　citizensPlans　of　Piero　de'　Medici　for　the　restoration　of　order

　　His　death　and　characterTommaso　Soderini；　a　citizen　of　great

　　reputation；　declares　himself　in　favor　of　the　MediciDisturbances

　　at　Prato　occasioned　by　Bernardo　Nardi。



The　concluding　words　of　the　Florentine　exiles　produced　the　utmost

excitement　among　the　Venetian　senators；　and　they　resolved　to　send

Bernardo　Coglione；　their　general；　to　attack　the　Florentine　territory。

The　troops　were　assembled；　and　joined　by　Ercole　da　Esti；　who　had　been

sent　by　Borgo；　marquis　of　Ferrara。　At　the　commencement　of　hostilities；

the　Florentines　not　being　prepared；　their　enemies　burned　the　Borgo　of

Dovadola；　and　plundered　the　surrounding　country。　But　having　expelled

the　enemies　of　Piero；　renewed　their　league　with　Galeazzo；　duke　of

Mil