history of florence-第89节

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Dovadola；　and　plundered　the　surrounding　country。　But　having　expelled

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

Milan；　and　Ferrando；　king　of　Naples；　they　appointed　to　the　command　of

their　forces　Federigo；　count　of　Urbino；　and　being　thus　on　good　terms

with　their　friends；　their　enemies　occasioned　them　less　anxiety。

Ferrando　sent　Alfonso；　his　eldest　son；　to　their　aid；　and　Galeazzo　came

in　person；　each　at　the　head　of　a　suitable　force；　and　all　assembled　at

Castrocaro；　a　fortress　belonging　to　the　Florentines；　and　situated

among　the　roots　of　the　Appennines　which　descend　from　Tuscany　to

Romagna。　In　the　meantime；　the　enemy　withdrew　toward　Imola。　A　few

slight　skirmishes　took　place　between　the　armies；　yet；　in　accordance

with　the　custom　of　the　times；　neither　of　them　acted　on　the　offensive；

besieged　any　town；　or　gave　the　other　an　opportunity　of　coming　to　a

general　engagement；　but　each　kept　within　their　tents；　and　conducted

themselves　with　most　remarkable　cowardice。　This　occasioned　general

dissatisfaction　among　the　Florentines；　for　they　found　themselves

involved　in　an　expensive　war；　from　which　no　advantage　could　be

derived。　The　magistrates　complained　of　these　spiritless　proceedings　to

those　who　had　been　appointed　commissaries　to　the　expedition；　but　they

replied；　that　the　entire　evil　was　chargeable　upon　the　Duke　Galeazzo；

who　possessing　great　authority　and　little　experience；　was　unable　to

suggest　useful　measures；　and　unwilling　to　take　the　advice　of　those　who

were　more　capable；　and　therefore　any　demonstration　of　courage　or

energy　would　be　impracticable　so　long　as　he　remained　with　the　army。

Hereupon　the　Florentines　intimated　to　the　duke；　that　his　presence　with

the　force　was　in　many　ways　advantageous　and　beneficial；　and　of　itself

sufficient　to　alarm　the　enemy；　but　they　considered　his　own　safety　and

that　of　his　dominions；　much　more　important　than　their　own　immediate

convenience；　because　so　long　as　the　former　were　safe；　the　Florentines

had　nothing　to　fear；　and　all　would　go　well；　but　if　his　dominions　were

to　suffer；　they　might　then　apprehend　all　kinds　of　misfortune。　They

assured　him　they　did　not　think　it　prudent　for　him　to　be　absent　so　long

from　Milan；　having　recently　succeeded　to　the　government；　and　being

surrounded　by　many　powerful　enemies　and　suspected　neighbors；　while　any

who　were　desirous　of　plotting　against　him；　had　an　opportunity　of　doing

so　with　impunity。　They　would；　therefore；　advise　him　to　return　to　his

territories；　leaving　part　of　his　troops　with　them　for　the　use　of　the

expedition。　This　advice　pleased　Galeazzo；　who；　in　consequence；

immediately　withdrew　to　Milan。　The　Florentine　generals　being　now　left

without　any　hindrance；　to　show　that　the　cause　assigned　for　their

inaction　was　the　true　one；　pressed　the　enemy　more　closely；　so　that

they　came　to　a　regular　engagement；　which　continued　half　a　day；　without

either　party　yielding。　Some　horses　were　wounded　and　prisoners　taken；

but　no　death　occurred。　Winter　having　arrived；　and　with　it　the　usual

time　for　armies　to　retire　into　quarters；　Bartolommeo　Coglione　withdrew

to　Ravenna；　the　Florentine　forces　into　Tuscany；　and　those　of　the　king

and　duke；　each　to　the　territories　of　their　sovereign。　As　this　attempt

had　not　occasioned　any　tumult　in　Florence；　contrary　to　the　rebels'

expectation；　and　the　troops　they　had　hired　were　in　want　of　pay；　terms

of　peace　were　proposed；　and　easily　arranged。　The　revolted　Florentines；

thus　deprived　of　hope；　dispersed　themselves　in　various　places。

Diotisalvi　Neroni　withdrew　to　Ferrara；　where　he　was　received　and

entertained　by　the　Marquis　Borso。　Niccolo　Soderini　went　to　Ravenna；

where；　upon　a　small　pension　allowed　by　the　Venetians；　he　grew　old　and

died。　He　was　considered　a　just　and　brave　man；　but　over…cautious　and

slow　to　determine；　a　circumstance　which　occasioned　him；　when

Gonfalonier　of　Justice；　to　lose　the　opportunity　of　victory　which　he

would　have　gladly　recovered　when　too　late。



Upon　the　restoration　of　peace；　those　who　remained　victorious　in

Florence；　as　if　unable　to　convince　themselves　they　had　conquered；

unless　they　oppressed　not　merely　their　enemies；　but　all　whom　they

suspected；　prevailed　upon　Bardo　Altoviti；　then　Gonfalonier　of　Justice；

to　deprive　many　of　the　honors　of　government；　and　to　banish　several

more。　They　exercised　their　power　so　inconsiderately；　and　conducted

themselves　in　such　an　arbitrary　manner；　that　it　seemed　as　if　fortune

and　the　Almighty　had　given　the　city　up　to　them　for　a　prey。　Piero　knew

little　of　these　things；　and　was　unable　to　remedy　even　the　little　he

knew；　on　account　of　his　infirmities；　his　body　being　so　contracted　that

he　could　use　no　faculty　but　that　of　speech。　All　he　could　do　was　to

admonish　the　leading　men；　and　beg　they　would　conduct　themselves　with

greater　moderation；　and　not　by　their　violence　effect　their　country's

ruin。　In　order　to　divert　the　city；　he　resolved　to　celebrate　the

marriage　of　his　son　Lorenzo　with　Clarice　degli　Orsini　with　great

splendor；　and　it　was　accordingly　solemnized　with　all　the　display

suitable　to　the　exalted　rank　of　the　parties。　Feasts；　dancing；　and

antique　representations　occupied　many　days；　at　the　conclusion　of

which；　to　exhibit　the　grandeur　of　the　house　of　Medici　and　of　the

government；　two　military　spectacles　were　presented；　one　performed　by

men　on　horseback；　who　went　through　the　evolutions　of　a　field

engagement；　and　the　other　representing　the　storming　of　a　town；

everything　being　conducted　with　admirable　order　and　the　greatest

imaginable　brilliancy。



During　these　transactions　in　Florence；　the　rest　of　Italy；　though　at

peace；　was　filled　with　apprehension　of　the　power　of　the　Turks；　who

continued　to　attack　the　Christians；　and　had　taken　Negropont；　to　the

great　disgrace　and　injury　of　the　Christian　name。　About　this　time　died

Borso；　marquis　of　Ferrara；　who　was　succeeded　by　his　brother　Ercole。

Gismondo　da　Rimini；　the　inveterate　enemy　of　the　church　also　expired；

and　his　natural　brother　Roberto；　who　was　afterward　one　of　the　best

generals　of　Italy；　succeeded　him。　Pope　Paul　died；　and　was　succeeded　by

Sixtus　IV。　previously　called　Francesco　da　Savona；　a　man　of　the　very

lowest　origin；　who　by　his　talents　had　become　general　of　the　order　of

St。　Francis；　and　afterward　cardinal。　He　was　the　first　who　began　to

show　how　far　a　pope　might　go；　and　how　much　that　which　was　previously

regarded　as　sinful　lost　its　iniquity　when　committed　by　a　pontiff。

Among　others　of　his　family　were　Piero　and　Girolamo；　who；　according　to

universal　belief；　were　his　sons；　though　he　designated　them　by　terms

reflecting　less　scandal　on　his　character。　Piero　being　a　priest；　was

advanced　to　the　dignity　of　a　cardinal；　with　the　title　of　St。　Sixtus。

To　Girolamo　he　gave　the　city　of　Furli；　taken　from　Antonio　Ordelaffi；

whose　ancestors　had　held　that　territory　for　many　generations。　This

ambitious　method　of　procedure　made　him　more　regarded　by　the　princes　of

Italy；　and　all　sought　to　obtain　his　friendship。　The　duke　of　Milan　gave

his　natural　daughter　Caterina　to　Girolamo；　with　the　city　of　Imola；

which　he　had　taken　from　Taddeo　degli　Alidossi；　as　her　portion。　New

matrimonial　alliances　were　formed　between　the　duke　and　king　Ferrando；

Elisabetta；　daughter　of　Alfonso；　the　king's　eldest　son；　being　united

to　Giovan　Galeazzo；　the　eldest　son　of　the　duke。



Italy　being　at　peace；　the　principal　employment　of　her　princes　was　to

watch　each　other；　and　strengthen　their　own　influence　by　new　alliances；

leagues；　or　friendships。　But　in　the　midst　of　this　repose；　Florence

endured　great　oppression　from　her　principal　citizens；　and　the

infirmities　of　Piero　incapacitated　him　from　restraining　their

ambition。　However；　to　relieve　his　conscience；　and；　if　possible；　to

make　them　ashamed　of　their　conduct；　he　sent　for　them　to　his　house；　and

addressed　them　in　the　following　words：　〃I　never　thought　a　time　would

come　when　the　behavior　of　my　friends　would　compel　me　to　esteem　and

desire　the　society　of　my　enemies；　and　wish　that　I　had　been　defeated

rather　than　victorious；　for　I　believed　myself　to　be　associated　with

those　who　would　set　some　bounds　to　their　avarice；　and　who；　after

having　avenged　themselves　on　their　enemies；　and　lived　in　their　country

with　security　and　honor；　would　be　satisfied。　But　now　I　find　myself

greatly　deceived；　unacquainted　with　the　ambition　of　mankind；　and　least

of　all　with　yours；　for；　not　satisfied　with　being　masters　of　so　great　a

city；　and　possessing　among　yourselves　those　honors；　dignities；　and

emoluments　which　used　to　be　divided　among　many　citizens；　not　contented

with　having　shared　among　a　few　the　property　of　your　enemies；　or　with

being　able　to　oppress　all　others　with　public　burdens；　while　you

yourselves　are　exempt　from　them；　and　enjoy　all　the　public　offices　of

profit　you　must　still　further　load　everyone　with　ill　usage。　You

plunder　your　neighbors　of　their　wealth；　you　sell　justice；　you　evade

the　law；　you　oppress　the　timid　and　exalt　the　insolent。　Nor　is　there；

throughout　all　Italy；　so　many　and　such