history of florence-第97节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　Pazzi；　and　pursued　them　with　relentless　cruelty。　The　people　took

possession　of　their　houses；　and　Francesco；　naked　as　they　found　him；

was　led　to　the　palace；　and　hanged　beside　the　archbishop　and　the　rest。

He　could　not　be　induced；　by　any　injurious　words　or　deeds；　to　utter　a

syllable；　but　regarding　those　around　with　a　steady　look；　he　silently

sighed。　Guglielmo　de'　Pazzi；　brother…in…law　to　Lorenzo；　fled　to　the

latter's　house；　and　by　his　innocence　and　the　intercession　of　his　wife；

Bianca；　he　escaped　death。　There　was　not　a　citizen　of　any　rank　whatever

who　did　not；　upon　this　occasion；　wait　upon　Lorenzo　with　an　offer　of

his　services；　so　great　were　the　popularity　and　good　fortune　which　this

family　had　acquired　by　their　liberality　and　prudence。　Rinato　de'　Pazzi

was　at　his　villa　when　the　event　took　place；　and　on　being　informed　of

it；　he　endeavored　to　escape　in　disguise；　but　was　arrested　upon　the

road　and　brought　to　Florence。　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi　was　taken　while

crossing　the　mountains　of　Romagna；　for　the　inhabitants　of　these　parts

having　heard　what　had　occurred；　and　seeing　him　in　flight；　attacked　and

brought　him　back　to　the　city；　nor　could　he；　though　he　frequently

endeavored；　prevail　with　them　to　put　him　to　death　upon　the　road。

Jacopo　and　Rinato　were　condemned　within　four　days　after　the　murder　of

Giuliano。　And　though　so　many　deaths　had　been　inflicted　that　the　roads

were　covered　with　fragments　of　human　bodies；　not　one　excited　a　feeling

of　regret；　except　that　of　Rinato；　for　he　was　considered　a　wise　and

good　man；　and　possessed　none　of　the　pride　for　which　the　rest　of　his

family　were　notorious。　As　if　to　mark　the　event　by　some　extraordinary

circumstance；　Jacopo　de'　Pazzi；　after　having　been　buried　in　the　tomb

of　his　ancestors；　was　disinterred　like　an　excommunicated　person；　and

thrown　into　a　hole　at　the　outside　of　the　city　walls；　from　this　grave

he　was　taken；　and　with　the　halter　in　which　he　had　been　hanged；　his

body　was　dragged　naked　through　the　city；　and；　as　if　unfit　for

sepulture　on　earth；　thrown　by　the　populace　into　the　Arno；　whose　waters

were　then　very　high。　It　was　an　awful　instance　of　the　instability　of

fortune；　to　see　so　wealthy　a　man；　possessing　the　utmost　earthly

felicity；　brought　down　to　such　a　depth　of　misery；　such　utter　ruin　and

extreme　degradation。　It　is　said　he　had　vices；　among　which　were　gaming


and　profane　swearing；　to　which　he　was　very　much　addicted；　but　these

seem　more　than　balanced　by　his　numerous　charities；　for　he　relieved

many　in　distress；　and　bestowed　much　money　for　pious　uses。　It　may　also

be　recorded　in　his　favor；　that　upon　the　Saturday　preceding　the　death

of　Giuliano；　in　order　that　none　might　suffer　from　his　misfortunes；　he

discharged　all　his　debts；　and　whatever　property　he　possessed　belonging

to　others；　either　in　his　own　house　or　his　place　of　business；　he　was

particularly　careful　to　return　to　its　owners。　Giovanni　Batista　da

Montesecco；　after　a　long　examination；　was　beheaded；　Napoleone　Franzesi

escaped　punishment　by　flight；　Giulielmo　de'　Pazzi　was　banished；　and

such　of　his　cousins　as　remained　alive　were　imprisoned　in　the　fortress

of　Volterra。　The　disturbances　being　over；　and　the　conspirators

punished；　the　funeral　obsequies　of　Giuliano　were　performed　amid

universal　lamentation；　for　he　possessed　all　the　liberality　and

humanity　that　could　be　wished　for　in　one　of　his　high　station。　He　left

a　natural　son；　born　some　months　after　his　death；　named　Giulio；　who　was

endowed　with　that　virtue　and　felicity　with　which　the　whole　world　is

now　acquainted；　and　of　which　we　shall　speak　at　length　when　we　come　to

our　own　times；　if　God　spare　us。　The　people　who　had　assembled　in　favor

of　the　Pazzi　under　Lorenzo　da　Castello　in　the　Val　di　Tavere；　and　under

Giovan　Francesco　da　Tolentino　in　Romagna；　approached　Florence；　but

having　heard　of　the　failure　of　the　conspiracy；　they　returned　home。



The　changes　desired　by　the　pope　and　the　king　in　the　government　of

Florence；　not　having　taken　place；　they　determined　to　effect　by　war

what　they　had　failed　to　accomplish　by　treachery；　and　both　assembled

forces　with　all　speed　to　attack　the　Florentine　states；　publicly

declaring　that　they　only　wished　the　citizens　to　remove　Lorenzo　de'

Medici；　who　alone　of　all　the　Florentines　was　their　enemy。　The　king's

forces　had　already　passed　the　Tronto；　and　the　pope's　were　in　Perugia；

and　that　the　citizens　might　feel　the　effect　of　spiritual　as　well　as

temporal　weapons；　the　pontiff　excommunicated　and　anathematized　them。

Finding　themselves　attacked　by　so　many　armies；　the　Florentines

prepared　for　their　defense　with　the　utmost　care。　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；

as　the　enemy's　operations　were　said　to　be　directed　against　himself

alone；　resolved　first　of　all　to　assemble　the　Signory；　and　the　most

influential　citizens；　in　the　palace；　to　whom；　being　above　three

hundred　in　number；　he　spoke　as　follows：〃Most　excellent　signors；　and

you；　magnificent　citizens；　I　know　not　whether　I　have　more　occasion　to

weep　with　you　for　the　events　which　have　recently　occurred；　or　to

rejoice　in　the　circumstances　with　which　they　have　been　attended。

Certainly；　when　I　think　with　what　virulence　of　united　deceit　and

hatred　I　have　been　attacked；　and　my　brother　murdered；　I　cannot　but

mourn　and　grieve　from　my　heart；　from　my　very　soul。　Yet　when　I　consider

with　what　promptitude；　anxiety；　love；　and　unanimity　of　the　whole　city

my　brother　has　been　avenged　and　myself　defended；　I　am　not　only

compelled　to　rejoice；　but　feel　myself　honored　and　exalted；　for　if

experience　has　shown　me　that　I　had　more　enemies　than　I　apprehended；　it

has　also　proved　that　I　possess　more　warm　and　resolute　friends　than　I

could　ever　have　hoped　for。　I　must　therefore　grieve　with　you　for　the

injuries　others　have　suffered；　and　rejoice　in　the　attachment　you　have

exhibited　toward　myself；　but　I　feel　more　aggrieved　by　the　injuries

committed；　since　they　are　so　unusual；　so　unexampled；　and　（as　I　trust

you　believe）　so　undeserved　on　our　part。　Think；　magnificent　citizens；

to　what　a　dreadful　point　ill　fortune　has　reduced　our　family；　when

among　friends；　amidst　our　own　relatives；　nay；　in　God's　holy　temple；　we

have　found　our　greatest　foes。　Those　who　are　in　danger　turn　to　their

friends　for　assistance；　they　call　upon　their　relatives　for　aid；　but　we

found　ours　armed；　and　resolved　on　our　destruction。　Those　who　are

persecuted；　either　from　public　or　private　motives；　flee　for　refuge　to

the　altars；　but　where　others　are　safe；　we　are　assassinated；　where

parricides　and　assassins　are　secure；　the　Medici　find　their　murderers。

But　God；　who　has　not　hitherto　abandoned　our　house；　again　saved　us；　and

has　undertaken　the　defense　of　our　just　cause。　What　injury　have　we　done

to　justify　so　intense　desire　of　our　destruction？　Certainly　those　who

have　shown　themselves　so　much　our　enemies；　never　received　any　private

wrong　from　us；　for；　had　we　wished　to　injure　them；　they　would　not　have

had　an　opportunity　of　injuring　us。　If　they　attribute　public　grievances

to　ourselves　（supposing　any　had　been　done　to　them）；　they　do　the

greater　injustices　to　you；　to　this　palace；　to　the　majesty　of　this

government；　by　assuming　that　on　our　account　you　would　act　unfairly　to

any　of　your　citizens；　and　such　a　supposition；　as　we　all　know；　is

contradicted　by　every　view　of　the　circumstances；　for　we；　had　we　been

able；　and　you；　had　we　wished　it；　would　never　have　contributed　to　so

abominable　a　design。　Whoever　inquires　into　the　truth　of　these　matters；

will　find　that　our　family　has　always　been　exalted　by　you；　and　from

this　sole　cause；　that　we　have　endeavored　by　kindness；　liberality；　and

beneficence；　to　do　good　to　all；　and　if　we　have　honored　strangers；　when

did　we　ever　injure　our　relatives？　If　our　enemies'　conduct　has　been

adopted；　to　gratify　their　desire　for　power　（as　would　seem　to　be　the

case　from　their　having　taken　possession　of　the　palace　and　brought　an

armed　force　into　the　piazza）；　the　infamous；　ambitious；　and　detestable

motive　is　at　once　disclosed。　If　they　were　actuated　by　envy　and　hatred

of　our　authority；　they　offend　you　rather　than　us；　for　from　you　we　have

derived　all　the　influence　we　possess。　Certainly　usurped　power　deserves

to　be　detested；　but　not　distinctions　conceded　for　acts　of　kindness；

generosity；　and　magnificence。　And　you　all　know　that　our　family　never

attained　any　rank　to　which　this　palace　and　your　united　consent　did　not

raise　it。　Cosmo；　my　grandfather；　did　not　return　from　exile　with　arms

and　violence；　but　by　your　unanimous　desire　and　approbation。　It　was　not

my　father；　old　and　inform；　who　defended　the　government　against　so　many

enemies；　but　yourselves　by　your　authority　and　benevolence　defended

him；　neither　could　I；　after　his　death；　being　then　a　boy；　have

maintained　the　position　of　my　house　except　by　your　favor　and　advice。

Nor　should　we　ever　be　able　to　conduct　the　affairs　of　this　republic；　if

you　did　not　contribute　to　our　support。　Therefore；　I　know　not　the

reason　of　their　hatred　toward　us；　or　what　just　cause　they　have　of

envy。　Let　them　direct　their　enmity　against