the prince-第29章

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nd　bearing　which　we　are　accustomed　to　associate　with　a　true　gentleman。　In　the　first　place　he　became　an　accomplished　horseman；　and　could　manage　with　ease　the　most　fiery　charger；　and　in　all　jousts　and　tournaments；　although　still　a　youth；　he　was　observed　beyond　all　others；　and　he　excelled　in　all　exercises　of　strength　and　dexterity。　But　what　enhanced　so　much　the　charm　of　these　accomplishments；　was　the　delightful　modesty　which　enabled　him　to　avoid　offence　in　either　act　or　word　to　others；　for　he　was　deferential　to　the　great　men；　modest　with　his　equals；　and　courteous　to　his　inferiors。　These　gifts　made　him　beloved；　not　only　by　all　the　Guinigi　family；　but　by　all　Lucca。　When　Castruccio　had　reached　his　eighteenth　year；　the　Ghibellines　were　driven　from　Pavia　by　the　Guelphs；　and　Messer　Francesco　was　sent　by　the　Visconti　to　assist　the　Ghibellines；　and　with　him　went　Castruccio；　in　charge　of　his　forces。　Castruccio　gave　ample　proof　of　his　prudence　and　courage　in　this　expedition；　acquiring　greater　reputation　than　any　other　captain；　and　his　name　and　fame　were　known；　not　only　in　Pavia；　but　throughout　all　Lombardy。

Castruccio；　having　returned　to　Lucca　in　far　higher　estimation　that　he　left　it；　did　not　omit　to　use　all　the　means　in　his　power　to　gain　as　many　friends　as　he　could；　neglecting　none　of　those　arts　which　are　necessary　for　that　purpose。　About　this　time　Messer　Francesco　died；　leaving　a　son　thirteen　years　of　age　named　Pagolo；　and　having　appointed　Castruccio　to　be　his　son's　tutor　and　administrator　of　his　estate。　Before　he　died　Francesco　called　Castruccio　to　him；　and　prayed　him　to　show　Pagolo　that　goodwill　which　he　（Francesco）　had　always　shown　to　HIM；　and　to　render　to　the　son　the　gratitude　which　he　had　not　been　able　to　repay　to　the　father。　Upon　the　death　of　Francesco；　Castruccio　became　the　governor　and　tutor　of　Pagolo；　which　increased　enormously　his　power　and　position；　and　created　a　certain　amount　of　envy　against　him　in　Lucca　in　place　of　the　former　universal　goodwill；　for　many　men　suspected　him　of　harbouring　tyrannical　intentions。　Among　these　the　leading　man　was　Giorgio　degli　Opizi；　the　head　of　the　Guelph　party。　This　man　hoped　after　the　death　of　Messer　Francesco　to　become　the　chief　man　in　Lucca；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　Castruccio；　with　the　great　abilities　which　he　already　showed；　and　holding　the　position　of　governor；　deprived　him　of　his　opportunity；　therefore　he　began　to　sow　those　seeds　which　should　rob　Castruccio　of　his　eminence。　Castruccio　at　first　treated　this　with　scorn；　but　afterwards　he　grew　alarmed；　thinking　that　Messer　Giorgio　might　be　able　to　bring　him　into　disgrace　with　the　deputy　of　King　Ruberto　of　Naples　and　have　him　driven　out　of　Lucca。

The　Lord　of　Pisa　at　that　time　was　Uguccione　of　the　Faggiuola　of　Arezzo；　who　being　in　the　first　place　elected　their　captain　afterwards　became　their　lord。　There　resided　in　Paris　some　exiled　Ghibellines　from　Lucca；　with　whom　Castruccio　held　communications　with　the　object　of　effecting　their　restoration　by　the　help　of　Uguccione。　Castruccio　also　brought　into　his　plans　friends　from　Lucca　who　would　not　endure　the　authority　of　the　Opizi。　Having　fixed　upon　a　plan　to　be　followed；　Castruccio　cautiously　fortified　the　tower　of　the　Onesti；　filling　it　with　supplies　and　munitions　of　war；　in　order　that　it　might　stand　a　siege　for　a　few　days　in　case　of　need。　When　the　night　came　which　had　been　agreed　upon　with　Uguccione；　who　had　occupied　the　plain　between　the　mountains　and　Pisa　with　many　men；　the　signal　was　given；　and　without　being　observed　Uguccione　approached　the　gate　of　San　Piero　and　set　fire　to　the　portcullis。　Castruccio　raised　a　great　uproar　within　the　city；　calling　the　people　to　arms　and　forcing　open　the　gate　from　his　side。　Uguccione　entered　with　his　men；　poured　through　the　town；　and　killed　Messer　Giorgio　with　all　his　family　and　many　of　his　friends　and　supporters。　The　governor　was　driven　out；　and　the　government　reformed　according　to　the　wishes　of　Uguccione；　to　the　detriment　of　the　city；　because　it　was　found　that　more　than　one　hundred　families　were　exiled　at　that　time。　Of　those　who　fled；　part　went　to　Florence　and　part　to　Pistoia；　which　city　was　the　headquarters　of　the　Guelph　party；　and　for　this　reason　it　became　most　hostile　to　Uguccione　and　the　Lucchese。

As　it　now　appeared　to　the　Florentines　and　others　of　the　Guelph　party　that　the　Ghibellines　absorbed　too　much　power　in　Tuscany；　they　determined　to　restore　the　exiled　Guelphs　to　Lucca。　They　assembled　a　large　army　in　the　Val　di　Nievole；　and　seized　Montecatini；　from　thence　they　marched　to　Montecarlo；　in　order　to　secure　the　free　passage　into　Lucca。　Upon　this　Uguccione　assembled　his　Pisan　and　Lucchese　forces；　and　with　a　number　of　German　cavalry　which　he　drew　out　of　Lombardy；　he　moved　against　the　quarters　of　the　Florentines；　who　upon　the　appearance　of　the　enemy　withdrew　from　Montecarlo；　and　posted　themselves　between　Montecatini　and　Pescia。　Uguccione　now　took　up　a　position　near　to　Montecarlo；　and　within　about　two　miles　of　the　enemy；　and　slight　skirmishes　between　the　horse　of　both　parties　were　of　daily　occurrence。　Owing　to　the　illness　of　Uguccione；　the　Pisans　and　Lucchese　delayed　coming　to　battle　with　the　enemy。　Uguccione；　finding　himself　growing　worse；　went　to　Montecarlo　to　be　cured；　and　left　the　command　of　the　army　in　the　hands　of　Castruccio。　This　change　brought　about　the　ruin　of　the　Guelphs；　who；　thinking　that　the　hostile　army　having　lost　its　captain　had　lost　its　head；　grew　over…confident。　Castruccio　observed　this；　and　allowed　some　days　to　pass　in　order　to　encourage　this　belief；　he　also　showed　signs　of　fear；　and　did　not　allow　any　of　the　munitions　of　the　camp　to　be　used。　On　the　other　side；　the　Guelphs　grew　more　insolent　the　more　they　saw　these　evidences　of　fear；　and　every　day　they　drew　out　in　the　order　of　battle　in　front　of　the　army　of　Castruccio。　Presently；　deeming　that　the　enemy　was　sufficiently　emboldened；　and　having　mastered　their　tactics；　he　decided　to　join　battle　with　them。　First　he　spoke　a　few　words　of　encouragement　to　his　soldiers；　and　pointed　out　to　them　the　certainty　of　victory　if　they　would　but　obey　his　commands。　Castruccio　had　noticed　how　the　enemy　had　placed　all　his　best　troops　in　the　centre　of　the　line　of　battle；　and　his　less　reliable　men　on　the　wings　of　the　army；　whereupon　he　did　exactly　the　opposite；　putting　his　most　valiant　men　on　the　flanks；　while　those　on　whom　he　could　not　so　strongly　rely　he　moved　to　the　centre。　Observing　this　order　of　battle；　he　drew　out　of　his　lines　and　quickly　came　in　sight　of　the　hostile　army；　who；　as　usual；　had　come　in　their　insolence　to　defy　him。　He　then　commanded　his　centre　squadrons　to　march　slowly；　whilst　he　moved　rapidly　forward　those　on　the　wings。　Thus；　when　they　came　into　contact　with　the　enemy；　only　the　wings　of　the　two　armies　became　engaged；　whilst　the　center　battalions　remained　out　of　action；　for　these　two　portions　of　the　line　of　battle　were　separated　from　each　other　by　a　long　interval　and　thus　unable　to　reach　each　other。　By　this　expedient　the　more　valiant　part　of　Castruccio's　men　were　opposed　to　the　weaker　part　of　the　enemy's　troops；　and　the　most　efficient　men　of　the　enemy　were　disengaged；　and　thus　the　Florentines　were　unable　to　fight　with　those　who　were　arrayed　opposite　to　them；　or　to　give　any　assistance　to　their　own　flanks。　So；　without　much　difficulty；　Castruccio　put　the　enemy　to　flight　on　both　flanks；　and　the　centre　battalions　took　to　flight　when　they　found　themselves　exposed　to　attack；　without　having　a　chance　of　displaying　their　valour。　The　defeat　was　complete；　and　the　loss　in　men　very　heavy；　there　being　more　than　ten　thousand　men　killed　with　many　officers　and　knights　of　the　Guelph　party　in　Tuscany；　and　also　many　princes　who　had　come　to　help　them；　among　whom　were　Piero；　the　brother　of　King　Ruberto；　and　Carlo；　his　nephew；　and　Filippo；　the　lord　of　Taranto。　On　the　part　of　Castruccio　the　loss　did　not　amount　to　more　than　three　hundred　men；　among　whom　was　Francesco；　the　son　of　Uguccione；　who；　being　young　and　rash；　was　killed　in　the　first　onset。

This　victory　so　greatly　increased　the　reputation　of　Castruccio　that　Uguccione　conceived　some　jealousy　and　suspicion　of　him；　because　it　appeared　to　Uguccione　that　this　victory　had　given　him　no　increase　of　power；　but　rather　than　diminished　it。　Being　of　this　mind；　he　only　waited　fo