the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第5章

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　of　policy　or　morality；　would　have　had　no　meaning　at　all。

But　the　highest　and　the　most　admired　form　of　illegitimacy　in　the　　fifteenth　century　was　presented　by　the　Condottiere；　who　whatever　may　　have　been　his　origin；　raised　himself　to　the　position　of　an　independent　　ruler。　At　bottom；　the　occupation　of　Lower　Italy　by　the　Normans　in　the　　eleventh　century　was　of　this　character。　Such　attempts　now　began　to　keep　　the　peninsula　in　a　constant　ferment。

It　was　possible　for　a　Condottiere　to　obtain　the　lordship　of　a　district　　even　without　usurpation；　in　the　case　when　his　employer；　through　want　of　　money　or　troops；　provided　for　him　in　this　way；　under　any　circumstances　　the　Condottiere；　even　when　he　dismissed　for　the　time　the　greater　part　　of　his　forces；　needed　a　safe　place　where　he　could　establish　his　winter　　quarters；　and　lay　up　his　stores　and　provisions。　The　first　example　of　a　　captain　thus　portioned　is　John　Hawkwood；　who　was　invested　by　Gregory　XI　　with　the　lordship　of　Bagnacavallo　and　Cotignola。　When　with　Alberigo　da　　Barbiano　Italian　armies　and　leaders　appeared　upon　the　scene；　the　　chances　of　founding　a　principality；　or　of　increasing　one　already　　acquired；　became　more　frequent。　The　first　great　bacchanalian　outbreak　　of　military　ambition　took　place　in　the　duchy　of　Milan　after　the　death　　of　Giangaleazzo　（1402）。　The　policy　of　his　two　sons　was　chiefly　aimed　at　　the　destruction　of　the　new　despotisms　founded　by　the　Condottieri；　and　　from　the　greatest　of　them；　Facino　Cane；　the　house　of　Visconti　　inherited；　together　with　his　widow；　a　long　list　of　cities；　and　400；000　　golden　florins；　not　to　speak　of　the　soldiers　of　her　first　husband　whom　　Beatrice　di　Tenda　brought　with　her。　From　henceforth　that　thoroughly　　immoral　relation　between　the　governments　and　their　Condottieri；　which　　is　characteristic　of　the　fifteenth　century；　became　more　and　more　　common。　An　old　storyone　of　those　which　are　true　and　not　true；　　everywhere　and　nowheredescribes　it　as　follows：　The　citizens　of　a　　certain　town　（Siena　seems　to　be　meant）　had　once　an　officer　in　their　　service　who　had　freed　them　from　foreign　aggression；　daily　they　took　　counsel　how　to　recompense　him；　and　concluded　that　no　reward　in　their　　power　was　great　enough；　not　even　if　they　made　him　lord　of　the　city。　At　　last　one　of　them　rose　and　said；　'Let　us　kill　him　and　then　worship　him　　as　our　patron　saint。'　And　so　they　did；　following　the　example　set　the　　Roman　senate　with　Romulus。　In　fact　the　Condottieri　had　reason　to　fear　　none　so　much　as　their　employers：　if　they　were　successful；　they　became　　dangerous；　and　were　put　out　of　the　way　like　Roberto　Malatesta　just　　after　the　victory　he　had　won　for　Sixtus　IV　（1482）；　if　they　failed；　the　　vengeance　of　the　Venetians　on　Carmagnola　showed　to　what　risks　they　were　　exposed　（1432）。　It　is　characteristic　of　the　moral　aspect　of　the　　situation　that　the　Condottieri　had　often　to　give　their　wives　and　　children　as　hostages；　and　notwithstanding　this；　neither　felt　nor　　inspired　confidence。　They　must　have　been　heroes　of　abnegation；　natures　　like　Belisarius　himself；　not　to　be　cankered　by　hatred　and　bitterness；　　only　the　most　perfect　goodness　could　save　them　from　the　most　monstrous　　iniquity。　No　wonder　then　if　we　find　them　full　of　contempt　for　all　　sacred　things；　cruel　and　treacher…　ous　to　their　fellows　men　who　cared　　nothing　whether　or　no　they　died　under　the　ban　of　the　Church。　At　the　　same　time；　and　through　the　force　of　the　same　conditions；　the　genius　and　　capacity　of　many　among　them　attained　the　highest　conceivable　　development；　and　won　for　them　the　admiring　devotion　of　their　followers；　　their　armies　are　the　first　in　modern　history　in　which　the　personal　　credit　of　the　leader　is　the　one　moving　power。　A　brilliant　example　is　　shown　in　the　life　of　Francesco　Sforza；　no　prejudice　of　birth　could　　prevent　him　from　winning　and　turning　to　account　when　he　needed　it　a　　boundless　devotion　from　each　individual　with　whom　he　had　to　deal；　it　　happened　more　than　once　that　his　enemies　laid　down　their　arms　at　the　　sight　of　him；　greeting　him　reverently　with　uncovered　heads；　each　　honoring　in　him　'the　common　father　of　the　men…at…arms。'　The　race　of　the　　Sforza　has　this　special　interest　that　from　the　very　beginning　of　its　　history　we　seem　able　to　trace　its　endeavors　after　the　crown。　The　　foundation　of　its　fortune　lay　in　the　remarkable　fruitfulness　of　the　　family；　Francesco's　father；　Jacopo；　himself　a　celebrated　man；　had　　twenty　brothers　and　sisters；　all　brought　up　roughly　at　Cotignola；　near　　Faenza；　amid　the　perils　of　one　of　the　endless　Romagnole　'vendette'　　between　their　own　house　and　that　of　the　Pasolini。　The　family　dwelling　　was　a　mere　arsenal　and　fortress；　the　mother　and　daughters　were　as　　warlike　as　their　kinsmen。　In　his　thirtieth　year　Jacopo　ran　away　and　　fled　to　Panicale　to　the　Papal　Condottiere　Boldrino　　the　man　who　even　　in　death　continued　to　lead　his　troops；　the　word　of　order　being　given　　from　the　bannered　tent　in　which　the　embalmed　body　lay；　till　at　last　a　　fit　leader　was　found　to　succeed　him。　Jacopo；　when　he　had　at　length　made　　himself　a　name　in　the　service　of　different　Condottieri；　sent　for　his　　relations；　and　obtained　through　them　the　same　advantages　that　a　prince　　derives　from　a　numerous　dynasty。　It　was　these　relations　who　kept　the　　army　together　when　he　lay　a　captive　in　the　Castel　dell'Uovo　at　Naples；　　his　sister　took　the　royal　envoys　prisoners　with　her　own　hands；　and　　saved　him　by　this　reprisal　from　death。　It　was　an　indication　of　the　　breadth　and　the　range　of　his　plans　that　in　monetary　affairs　Jacopo　was　　thoroughly　trustworthy：　even　in　his　defeats　he　consequently　found　　credit　with　the　bankers。　He　habitually　protected　the　peasants　against　　the　license　of　his　troops；　and　reluctantly　destroyed　or　injured　a　　conquered　city。　He　gave　his　well…known　mistress；　Lucia；　the　mother　of　　Francesco；　in　marriage　to　another；　in　order　to　be　free　for　a　princely　　alliance。　Even　the　marriages　of　his　relations　were　arranged　on　a　　definite　plan。　He　kept　clear　of　the　impious　and　profligate　life　of　his　　contemporaries；　and　brought　up　his　son　Francesco　to　the　three　rules：　　'Let　other　men's　wives　alone；　strike　none　of　your　followers；　or；　if　you　　do；　send　the　injured　man　far　away；　don't　ride　a　hard…mouthed　horse；　or　　one　that　drops　his　shoe。'　But　his　chief　source　of　influence　lay　in　the　　qualities；　if　not　of　a　great　general；　at　least　of　a　great　soldier。　His　　frame　was　powerful；　and　developed　by　every　kind　of　exercise；　his　　peasant's　face　and　frank　manners　won　general　popularity；　his　memory　was　　marvelous；　and　after　the　lapse　of　years　could　recall　the　names　of　his　　followers；　the　number　of　their　horses；　and　the　amount　of　their　pay。　His　　education　was　purely　Italian：　he　devoted　his　leisure　to　the　study　of　　history；　and　had　Greek　and　Latin　authors　translated　for　his　use。　　Francesco；　his　still　more　famous　son；　set　his　mind　from　the　first　on　　founding　a　powerful　State；　and　through　brilliant　generalship　and　a　　faithlessness　which　hesitated　at　nothing；　got　possession　of　the　great　　city　of　Milan　（1450）。

His　example　was　contagious。　Aeneas　Sylvius　wrote　about　this　time：　'In　　our　change…loving　Italy；　where　nothing　stands　firm；　and　where　no　　ancient　dynasty　exists；　a　servant　can　easily　become　a　king。'　One　man　in　　particular；　who　styles　himself　'the　man　of　fortune；'　filled　the　　imagination　of　the　whole　country：　Giacomo　Piccinino；　the　son　of　　Niccolo；。　It　was　a　burning　question　of　the　day　if　he；　too；　would　　succeed　in　founding　a　princely　house。　The　greater　States　had　an　obvious　　interest　in　hindering　it；　and　even　Francesco　Sforza　thought　it　would　be　　all　the　better　if　the　list　of　self…made　sovereigns　were　not　enlarged。　　But　the　troops　and　captains　sent　against　him；　at　the　time；　for　　instance；　when　he　was　aiming　at　the　lordship　of　Siena；　recognized　their　　interest　in　supporting　him：　'If　it　were　all　over　with　him；　we　should　　have　to　go　back　and　plough　our　fields。'　Even　while　besieging　him　at　　Orbetello；　they　supplied　him　with　provisions：　and　he　got　out　of　his　　straits　with　honour。　But　at　last　fate　overtook　him。　All　Italy　was　　betting　on　the　result；　when　（1465）　after　a　visit　to　Sforza　at　Milan；　he　　went　to　King　Ferrante　at　Naples。　In　spite　of　the　pledges　given；　and　of　　his　high　connections；　he　was　murdered　in　the　Castel　Nuovo。　Even　the　　Cond