history of florence-第94节

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without　any　definite　motive　or　knowledge　of　what　had　occurred。　Those；

however；　who　were　nearest　the　duke　and　had　seen　him　slain；　recognizing

the　murderers；　pursued　them。　Giovanandrea；　endeavoring　to　make　his　way

out　of　the　church；　proceeded　among　the　women；　who　being　numerous；　and

according　to　their　custom；　seated　upon　the　ground；　was　prevented　in

his　progress　by　their　apparel；　and　being　overtaken；　he　was　killed　by　a

Moor；　one　of　the　duke's　footmen。　Carlo　was　slain　by　those　immediately

around　him。　Girolamo　Olgiato　passed　through　the　crowd；　and　got　out　of

the　church；　but　seeing　his　companions　dead；　and　not　knowing　where　else

to　go；　he　proceeded　home；　where　his　father　and　brothers　refused　to

receive　him；　his　mother　only；　having　compassion　on　her　son　recommended

him　to　a　priest；　an　old　friend　of　the　family；　who；　disguising　him　in

his　own　apparel；　led　him　to　his　house。　Here　he　remained　two　days；　not

without　hope　that　some　disturbance　might　arise　in　Milan　which　would

contribute　to　his　safety。　This　not　occurring；　and　apprehensive　that

his　hiding　place　would　be　discovered；　he　endeavored　to　escape　in

disguise；　but　being　observed；　he　was　given　over　to　justice；　and

disclosed　all　the　particulars　of　the　conspiracy。　Girolamo　was　twenty…

three　years　of　age；　and　exhibited　no　less　composure　at　his　death　than

resolution　in　his　previous　conduct；　for　being　stripped　of　his　apparel；

and　in　the　hands　of　the　executioner；　who　stood　by　with　the　sword

unsheathed；　ready　to　deprive　him　of　life；　he　repeated　the　following

words；　in　the　Latin　tongue；　in　which　he　was　well　versed：　〃Mors　acerba；

fama　perpetua；　stabit　vetus　memoria　facti。〃



The　enterprise　of　these　unfortunate　young　men　was　conducted　with

secrecy　and　executed　with　resolution；　and　they　failed　for　want　of　the

support　of　those　whom　they　expected　would　rise　in　their　defense。　Let

princes　therefore　learn　to　live；　so　as　to　render　themselves　beloved

and　respected　by　their　subjects；　that　none　may　have　hope　of　safety

after　having　destroyed　them；　and　let　others　see　how　vain　is　the

expectation　which　induces　them　to　trust　so　much　to　the　multitude；　as

to　believe；　that　even　when　discontented；　they　will　either　embrace　or

ward　off　their　dangers。　This　event　spread　consternation　all　over

Italy；　but　those　which　shortly　afterward　occurred　in　Florence　caused

much　more　alarm；　and　terminated　a　peace　of　twelve　years'　continuance；

as　will　be　shown　in　the　following　book；　which；　having　commenced　with

blood　and　horror；　will　have　a　melancholy　and　tearful　conclusion。









BOOK　VIII







CHAPTER　I



　　State　of　the　family　of　the　Medici　at　FlorenceEnmity　of　Sixtus

　　IV。　toward　FlorenceDifferences　between　the　family　of　the　Pazzi

　　and　that　of　the　MediciBeginning　of　the　conspiracy　of　the　Pazzi

　　Arrangements　to　effect　the　design　of　the　conspiracyGiovanni

　　Batista　da　Montesecco　is　sent　to　FlorenceThe　pope　joins　the

　　conspiracyThe　king　of　Naples　becomes　a　party　to　itNames　of　the

　　conspiratorsThe　conspirators　make　many　ineffectual　attempts　to

　　kill　Lorenzo　and　Giuliano　de'　MediciThe　final　arrangementOrder

　　of　the　conspiracy。



This　book；　commencing　between　two　conspiracies；　the　one　at　Milan

already　narrated；　the　other　yet　to　be　recorded；　it　would　seem

appropriate；　and　in　accordance　with　our　usual　custom；　were　we　to　treat

of　the　nature　and　importance　of　these　terrible　demonstrations。　This　we

should　willingly　do　had　we　not　discussed　the　matter　elsewhere；　or

could　it　be　comprised　in　few　words。　But　requiring　much　consideration；

and　being　already　noticed　in　another　place；　it　will　be　omitted；　and　we

shall　proceed　with　our　narrative。　The　government　of　the　Medici　having

subdued　all　its　avowed　enemies　in　order　to　obtain　for　that　family

undivided　authority；　and　distinguish　them　from　other　citizens　in　their

relation　to　the　rest；　found　it　necessary　to　subdue　those　who　secretly

plotted　against　them。　While　Medici　contended　with　other　families；

their　equals　in　authority　and　reputation；　those　who　envied　their　power

were　able　to　oppose　them　openly　without　danger　of　being　suppressed　at

the　first　demonstration　of　hostility；　for　the　magistrates　being　free；

neither　party　had　occasion　to　fear；　till　one　or　other　of　them　was

overcome。　But　after　the　victory　of　1466；　the　government　became　so

entirely　centred　in　the　Medici；　and　they　acquired　so　much　authority；

that　discontented　spirits　were　obliged　either　to　suffer　in　silence；

or；　if　desirous　to　destroy　them；　to　attempt　it　in　secrecy；　and　by

clandestine　means；　which　plots　rarely　succeed　and　most　commonly

involve　the　ruin　of　those　concerned　in　them；　while　they　frequently

contribute　to　the　aggrandizement　of　those　against　whom　they　are

directed。　Thus　the　prince　of　a　city　attacked　by　a　conspiracy；　if　not

slain　like　the　duke　of　Milan　（which　seldom　happens）；　almost　always

attains　to　a　greater　degree　of　power；　and　very　often　has　his　good

disposition　perverted　to　evil。　The　proceedings　of　his　enemies　give　him

cause　for　fear；　fear　suggests　the　necessity　of　providing　for　his　own

safety；　which　involves　the　injury　of　others；　and　hence　arise

animosities；　and　not　unfrequently　his　ruin。　Thus　these　conspiracies

quickly　occasion　the　destruction　of　their　contrivers；　and；　in　time；

inevitably　injure　their　primary　object。



Italy；　as　we　have　seen　above；　was　divided　into　two　factions；　the　pope

and　the　king　on　one　side；　on　the　other；　the　Venetians；　the　duke；　and

the　Florentines。　Although　the　flames　of　war　had　not　yet　broken　out；

every　day　gave　rise　to　some　new　occasion　for　rekindling　them；　and　the

pope；　in　particular；　in　all　his　plans　endeavored　to　annoy　the

Florentine　government。　Thus　Filippo　de'　Medici；　archbishop　of　Pisa；

being　dead；　Francesco　Salviati；　a　declared　enemy　of　the　Medici；　was

appointed　his　successor；　contrary　to　the　wish　of　the　Signory　of

Florence；　who　being　unwilling　to　give　him　possession；　there　arose

between　them　and　the　pope　many　fresh　grounds　of　offense；　before　the

matter　was　settled。　Besides　this；　he　conferred；　at　Rome；　many　favors

upon　the　family　of　the　Pazzi；　and　opposed　that　of　the　Medici；　whenever

an　opportunity　offered。　The　Pazzi　were　at　this　time；　both　on　account

of　nobility　of　birth　and　their　great　wealth；　the　most　brilliant　in

France。　The　head　of　this　family　was　Jacopo；　whom　the　people；　on

account　of　his　distinguished　pre…eminence；　had　made　a　knight。　He　had

no　children；　except　one　natural　daughter；　but　many　nephews；　sons　of

his　brothers　Piero　and　Antonio；　the　first　of　whom　were　Guglielmo；

Francesco；　Rinato；　Giovanni；　and　then；　Andrea；　Niccolo；　and　Galeotto。

Cosmo　de'　Medici；　noticing　the　riches　and　rank　of　this　family；　had

given　his　granddaughter；　Bianca；　to　Guglielmo；　hoping　by　this　marriage

to　unite　the　houses；　and　obviate　those　enmities　and　dissensions　so

frequently　occasioned　by　jealousy。　However　（so　uncertain　and

fallacious　are　our　expectations）；　very　different　feelings　were　thus

originated；　for　Lorenzo's　advisers　pointed　out　to　him　how　dangerous　it

was；　and　how　injurious　to　his　authority；　to　unite　in　the　same

individuals　so　much　wealth　and　power。　In　consequence；　neither　Jacopo

nor　his　nephews　obtained　those　degrees　of　honor；　which　in　the　opinion

of　other　citizens　were　their　due。　This　gave　rise　to　anger　in　the

Pazzi；　and　fear　on　the　part　of　the　Medici；　as　the　former　of　these

increased；　so　did　the　latter；　and　upon　all　occasions；　when　the　Pazzi

came　in　competition　with　other　citizens；　their　claims　to　distinction；

however　strong；　were　set　aside　by　the　magistracy。　Francesco　de'　Pazzi；

being　at　Rome；　the　Council　of　Eight；　upon　some　trivial　occasion；

compelled　him　to　return；　without　treating　him　with　the　respect　usually

observed　toward　great　citizens；　so　that　the　Pazzi　everywhere　bitterly

complained　of　the　ill　usage　they　experienced；　and　thus　excited

suspicion　in　others；　and　brought　down　greater　evils　upon　themselves。

Giovanni　de'　Pazzi　had　married　the　daughter　of　Giovanni　Buonromei；　a

very　wealthy　man；　whose　riches　on　his　decease；　without　other　children；

came　to　his　daughter。　His　nephew；　Carlo；　however；　took　possession　of

part；　and　the　question　being　litigated；　a　law　was　passed；　by　virtue　of

which　the　wife　of　Giovanni　de'　Pazzi　was　robbed　of　her　inheritance；

and　it　was　given　to　Carlo。　In　this　piece　of　injustice　the　Pazzi　at

once　recognized　the　influence　of　the　Medici。　Giuliano　de'　Medici　often

complained　to　his　brother　Lorenzo　of　the　affair；　saying　he　was　afraid

that　by　grasping　at　too　much　they　would　lose　all。



Lorenzo；　flushed　with　youth　and　power；　would　assume　the　direction　of

everything；　and　resolved　that　all　transactions　should　bear　an　impress

of　his　influence。　The　Pazzi；　with　their　nobility　and　wealth　unable　to

endure　so　many　affronts；　began　to　devise　some　means　of　vengeance。　The

first　who　spoke　of　any　attempt　against　the　Medici；　was　Francesco；　who；

being　more　sensitive　and　resolute　than　the　others；　determined　either

to　obtain　what　was　withheld　from　him；　or　lose　what　he　still　posses