history of florence-第92节

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for　exhibiting　his　prudence　and　wisdom；　and　being　strenuously

supported　by　those　who　envied　the　influence　of　Tommaso　Soderini；

resolved　to　march　against　them；　and　punish　the　arrogance　of　the　people

of　Volterra　with　arms；　declaring　that　if　they　were　not　made　a　striking

example；　others　would；　without　the　least　fear　or　respect；　upon　every

slight　occasion；　adopt　a　similar　course。　The　enterprise　being　resolved

on；　the　Volterrani　were　told　that　they　could　not　demand　the　observance

of　conditions　which　they　themselves　had　broken；　and　therefore　must

either　submit　to　the　direction　of　the　Signory　or　expect　war。　With　this

answer　they　returned　to　their　city；　and　prepared　for　its　defense；

fortifying　the　place；　and　sending　to　all　the　princes　of　Italy　to

request　assistance；　none　of　whom　listened　to　them；　except　the　Siennese

and　the　lord　of　Piombino；　who　gave　them　some　hope　of　aid。　The

Florentines　on　the　other　hand；　thinking　success　dependent　principally

upon　celerity；　assembled　ten　thousand　foot　and　two　thousand　horse；

who；　under　the　command　of　Federigo；　lord　of　Urbino；　marched　into　the

country　of　Volterra　and　quickly　took　entire　possession　of　it。　They

then　encamped　before　the　city；　which；　being　in　a　lofty　situation；　and

precipitous　on　all　sides；　could　only　be　approached　by　a　narrow　pass

near　the　church　of　St。　Alessandro。　The　Volterrani　had　engaged　for

their　defense　about　one　thousand　mercenaries；　who；　perceiving　the

great　superiority　of　the　Florentines；　found　the　place　untenable；　and

were　tardy　in　their　defensive　operations；　but　indefatigable　in　the

constant　injuries　they　committed　upon　the　people　of　the　place。　Thus

these　poor　citizens　were　harassed　by　the　enemy　without；　and　by　their

own　soldiery　within；　so；　despairing　of　their　safety；　they　began　to

think　of　a　capitulation；　and；　being　unable　to　obtain　better　terms；

submitted　to　the　discretion　of　the　Florentine　commissaries；　who

ordered　the　gates　to　be　opened；　and　introduced　the　greater　part　of

their　forces。　They　then　proceeded　to　the　palace；　and　commanded　the

priors　to　retire　to　their　homes；　and；　on　the　way　thither；　one　of　them

was　in　derision　stripped　by　the　soldiers。　From　this　beginning　（so　much

more　easily　are　men　predisposed　to　evil　than　to　good）　originated　the

pillage　and　destruction　of　the　city；　which　for　a　whole　day　suffered

the　greatest　horrors；　neither　women　nor　sacred　places　being　spared；

and　the　soldiery；　those　engaged　for　its　defense　as　well　as　its

assailants；　plundered　all　that　came　within　their　reach。　The　news　of

this　victory　was　received　with　great　joy　at　Florence；　and　as　the

expedition　had　been　undertaken　wholly　by　the　advice　of　Lorenzo；　he

acquired　great　reputation。　Upon　which　one　of　the　intimate　friends　of

Tommaso　Soderini；　reminding　him　of　the　advice　he　had　given；　asked　him

what　he　thought　of　the　taking　of　Volterra；　to　which　he　replied；　〃To　me

the　place　seems　rather　lost　than　won；　for　had　it　been　received　on

equitable　terms；　advantage　and　security　would　have　been　the　result；

but　having　to　retain　it　by　force　it　will　in　critical　junctures；

occasion　weakness　and　anxiety；　and　in　times　of　peace；　injury　and

expense。〃



＇*＇　A　lean　peace　is　better　than　a　fat　victory。







CHAPTER　VI



　　Origin　of　the　animosity　between　Sixtus　IV。　and　Lorenzo　de'　Medici

　　Carlo　di　Braccio　da　Perugia　attacks　the　SienneseCarlo　retires

　　by　desire　of　the　FlorentinesConspiracy　against　Galeazzo；　duke　of

　　MilanHis　vicesHe　is　slain　by　the　conspiratorsTheir　deaths。



The　pope；　anxious　to　retain　the　territories　of　the　church　in

obedience；　had　caused　Spoleto　to　be　sacked　for　having；　through

internal　factions；　fallen　into　rebellion。　Citta　di　Castello　being　in

the　same　state　of　contumacy；　he　besieged　that　place；　and　Niccolo

Vitelli　its　prince；　being　on　intimate　terms　with　Lorenzo　de'　Medici；

obtained　assistance　from　him；　which；　though　inadequate；　was　quite

enough　to　originate　that　enmity　between　Sixtus　IV。　and　the　Medici

afterward　productive　of　such　unhappy　results。　Nor　would　this　have　been

so　long　in　development　had　not　the　death　of　Frate　Piero；　cardinal　of

St。　Sixtus；　taken　place；　who；　after　having　traveled　over　Italy　and

visited　Venice　and　Milan　（under　the　pretense　of　doing　honor　to　the

marriage　of　Ercole；　marquis　of　Ferrara）；　went　about　sounding　the　minds

of　the　princes；　to　learn　how　they　were　disposed　toward　the

Florentines。　But　upon　his　return　he　died；　not　without　suspicion　of

having　been　poisoned　by　the　Venetians；　who　found　they　would　have

reason　to　fear　Sixtus　if　he　were　allowed　to　avail　himself　of　the

talents　and　exertions　of　Frate　Piero。　Although　of　very　low　extraction；

and　meanly　brought　up　within　the　walls　of　a　convent；　he　had　no　sooner

attained　the　distinction　of　the　scarlet　hat；　than　he　exhibited　such

inordinate　pride　and　ambition；　that　the　pontificate　seemed　too　little

for　him；　and　he　gave　a　feast　in　Rome　which　would　have　seemed

extraordinary　even　for　a　king；　the　expense　exceeding　twenty　thousand

florins。　Deprived　of　this　minister；　the　designs　of　Sixtus　proceeded

with　less　promptitude。　The　Florentines；　the　duke；　and　the　Venetians

having　renewed　their　league；　and　allowed　the　pope　and　the　king　to　join

them　if　they　thought　proper；　the　two　latter　also　entered　into　a

league；　reserving　an　opening　for　the　others　if　they　were　desirous　to

become　parties　to　it。　Italy　was　thus　divided　in　two　factions；　for

circumstances　daily　arose　which　occasioned　ill　feeling　between　the　two

leagues；　as　occurred　with　respect　to　the　island　of　Cyprus；　to　which

Ferrando　laid　claim；　and　the　Venetians　occupied。　Thus　the　pope　and　the

king　became　more　closely　united。　Federigo；　prince　of　Urbino；　was　at

this　time　one　of　the　first　generals　of　Italy；　and　had　long　served　the

Florentines。　In　order；　if　possible；　to　deprive　the　hostile　league　of

their　captain；　the　pope　advised；　and　the　king　requested　him　to　pay　a

visit　to　them。　To　the　surprise　and　displeasure　of　the　Florentines；

Federigo　complied；　for　they　thought　the　same　fate　awaited　him　as　had

befallen　Niccolo　Piccinino。　However；　the　result　was　quite　different；

for　he　returned　from　Naples　and　Rome　greatly　honored；　and　with　the

appointment　of　general　to　their　forces。　They　also　endeavored　to　gain

over　to　their　interest　the　lords　of　Romagna　and　the　Siennese；　that

they　might　more　easily　injure　the　Florentines；　who；　becoming　aware　of

these　things；　used　their　utmost　endeavors　to　defend　themselves　against

the　ambition　of　their　enemies；　and　having　lost　Federigo　d'Urbino；　they

engaged　Roberto　da　Rimino　in　his　place；　renewed　the　league　with　the

Perugini　and　formed　one　with　the　prince　of　Faenza。　The　pope　and　the

king　assigned；　as　the　reasons　of　their　animosity　against　the

Florentines；　that　they　wished　to　withdraw　them　from　the　Venetian

alliance；　and　associate　them　with　their　own　league；　for　the　pope　did

not　think　the　church　could　maintain　her　reputation；　nor　the　Count

Girolamo　retain　the　states　of　Romagna；　while　the　Florentines　and　the

Venetians　remained　united。　The　Florentines　conjectured　their　design

was　to　set　them　at　enmity　with　the　Venetians；　not　so　much　for　the　sake

of　gaining　their　friendship　as　to　be　able　the　more　easily　to　injure

them。　Two　years　passed　away　in　these　jealousies　and　discontents　before

any　disturbance　broke　out；　but　the　first　which　occurred；　and　that　but

trivial；　took　place　in　Tuscany。



Braccio　of　Perugia；　whom　we　have　frequently　mentioned　as　one　of　the

most　distinguished　warriors　of　Italy；　left　two　sons；　Oddo　and　Carlo；

the　latter　was　of　tender　years；　the　former；　as　above　related；　was

slain　by　the　people　of　Val　di　Lamona；　but　Carlo；　when　he　came　to

mature　age；　was　by　the　Venetians；　out　of　respect　for　the　memory　of　his

father；　and　the　hopes　they　entertained　from　himself；　received　among

the　condottieri　of　their　republic。　The　term　of　his　engagement　having

expired；　he　did　not　design　to　renew　it　immediately；　but　resolved　to

try　if；　by　his　own　influence　and　his　father's　reputation；　he　could

recover　possession　of　Perugia。　To　this　the　Venetians　willingly

consented；　for　they　usually　extended　their　dominion　by　any　changes

that　occurred　in　the　neighboring　states。　Carlo　consequently　came　into

Tuscany；　but　found　more　difficulties　in　his　attempt　upon　Perugia　than

he　had　anticipated；　on　account　of　its　being　allied　with　the

Florentines；　and　desirous　of　doing　something　worthy　of　memory；　he　made

war　upon　the　Siennese；　alleging　them　to　be　indebted　to　him　for

services　performed　by　his　father　in　the　affairs　of　that　republic；　and

attacked　them　with　such　impetuosity　as　to　threaten　the　total　overthrow

of　their　dominion。　The　Siennese；　ever　ready　to　suspect　the

Florentines；　persuaded　themselves　that　this　outrage　had　been　committed

with　their　cognizance；　and　made　heavy　complaints　to　the　pope　and　the

king　against　them。　They　also　sent　ambassadors　to　Florence　to　complain

of　the　injuries　they　had　suffered；　and　adroitly　intimated；　that　if

Carlo　had　not　been　secretly　supported　he　could　not　have　made　war　upo