the prince-第33章

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ixed；　and　who　well　knew　what　to　do；　at　once　attacked　the　Florentines　with　five　thousand　infantry　and　three　thousand　horsemen；　not　allowing　them　to　issue　from　the　river　before　he　charged　them；　he　also　sent　one　thousand　light　infantry　up　the　river　bank；　and　the　same　number　down　the　Arno。　The　infantry　of　the　Florentines　were　so　much　impeded　by　their　arms　and　the　water　that　they　were　not　able　to　mount　the　banks　of　the　river；　whilst　the　cavalry　had　made　the　passage　of　the　river　more　difficult　for　the　others；　by　reason　of　the　few　who　had　crossed　having　broken　up　the　bed　of　the　river；　and　this　being　deep　with　mud；　many　of　the　horses　rolled　over　with　their　riders　and　many　of　them　had　stuck　so　fast　that　they　could　not　move。　When　the　Florentine　captains　saw　the　difficulties　their　men　were　meeting；　they　withdrew　them　and　moved　higher　up　the　river；　hoping　to　find　the　river　bed　less　treacherous　and　the　banks　more　adapted　for　landing。　These　men　were　met　at　the　bank　by　the　forces　which　Castruccio　had　already　sent　forward；　who；　being　light　armed　with　bucklers　and　javelins　in　their　hands；　let　fly　with　tremendous　shouts　into　the　faces　and　bodies　of　the　cavalry。　The　horses；　alarmed　by　the　noise　and　the　wounds；　would　not　move　forward；　and　trampled　each　other　in　great　confusion。　The　fight　between　the　men　of　Castruccio　and　those　of　the　enemy　who　succeeded　in　crossing　was　sharp　and　terrible；　both　sides　fought　with　the　utmost　desperation　and　neither　would　yield。　The　soldiers　of　Castruccio　fought　to　drive　the　others　back　into　the　river；　whilst　the　Florentines　strove　to　get　a　footing　on　land　in　order　to　make　room　for　the　others　pressing　forward；　who　if　they　could　but　get　out　of　the　water　would　be　able　to　fight；　and　in　this　obstinate　conflict　they　were　urged　on　by　their　captains。　Castruccio　shouted　to　his　men　that　these　were　the　same　enemies　whom　they　had　before　conquered　at　Serravalle；　whilst　the　Florentines　reproached　each　other　that　the　many　should　be　overcome　by　the　few。　At　length　Castruccio；　seeing　how　long　the　battle　had　lasted；　and　that　both　his　men　and　the　enemy　were　utterly　exhausted；　and　that　both　sides　had　many　killed　and　wounded；　pushed　forward　another　body　of　infantry　to　take　up　a　position　at　the　rear　of　those　who　were　fighting；　he　then　commanded　these　latter　to　open　their　ranks　as　if　they　intended　to　retreat；　and　one　part　of　them　to　turn　to　the　right　and　another　to　the　left。　This　cleared　a　space　of　which　the　Florentines　at　once　took　advantage；　and　thus　gained　possession　of　a　portion　of　the　battlefield。　But　when　these　tired　soldiers　found　themselves　at　close　quarters　with　Castruccio's　reserves　they　could　not　stand　against　them　and　at　once　fell　back　into　the　river。　The　cavalry　of　either　side　had　not　as　yet　gained　any　decisive　advantage　over　the　other；　because　Castruccio；　knowing　his　inferiority　in　this　arm；　had　commanded　his　leaders　only　to　stand　on　the　defensive　against　the　attacks　of　their　adversaries；　as　he　hoped　that　when　he　had　overcome　the　infantry　he　would　be　able　to　make　short　work　of　the　cavalry。　This　fell　out　as　he　had　hoped；　for　when　he　saw　the　Florentine　army　driven　back　across　the　river　he　ordered　the　remainder　of　his　infantry　to　attack　the　cavalry　of　the　enemy。　This　they　did　with　lance　and　javelin；　and；　joined　by　their　own　cavalry；　fell　upon　the　enemy　with　the　greatest　fury　and　soon　put　him　to　flight。　The　Florentine　captains；　having　seen　the　difficulty　their　cavalry　had　met　with　in　crossing　the　river；　had　attempted　to　make　their　infantry　cross　lower　down　the　river；　in　order　to　attack　the　flanks　of　Castruccio's　army。　But　here；　also；　the　banks　were　steep　and　already　lined　by　the　men　of　Castruccio；　and　this　movement　was　quite　useless。　Thus　the　Florentines　were　so　completely　defeated　at　all　points　that　scarcely　a　third　of　them　escaped；　and　Castruccio　was　again　covered　with　glory。　Many　captains　were　taken　prisoners；　and　Carlo；　the　son　of　King　Ruberto；　with　Michelagnolo　Falconi　and　Taddeo　degli　Albizzi；　the　Florentine　commissioners；　fled　to　Empoli。　If　the　spoils　were　great；　the　slaughter　was　infinitely　greater；　as　might　be　expected　in　such　a　battle。　Of　the　Florentines　there　fell　twenty　thousand　two　hundred　and　thirty…one　men；　whilst　Castruccio　lost　one　thousand　five　hundred　and　seventy　men。

But　Fortune　growing　envious　of　the　glory　of　Castruccio　took　away　his　life　just　at　the　time　when　she　should　have　preserved　it；　and　thus　ruined　all　those　plans　which　for　so　long　a　time　he　had　worked　to　carry　into　effect；　and　in　the　successful　prosecution　of　which　nothing　but　death　could　have　stopped　him。　Castruccio　was　in　the　thick　of　the　battle　the　whole　of　the　day；　and　when　the　end　of　it　came；　although　fatigued　and　overheated；　he　stood　at　the　gate　of　Fucecchio　to　welcome　his　men　on　their　return　from　victory　and　personally　thank　them。　He　was　also　on　the　watch　for　any　attempt　of　the　enemy　to　retrieve　the　fortunes　of　the　day；　he　being　of　the　opinion　that　it　was　the　duty　of　a　good　general　to　be　the　first　man　in　the　saddle　and　the　last　out　of　it。　Here　Castruccio　stood　exposed　to　a　wind　which　often　rises　at　midday　on　the　banks　of　the　Arno；　and　which　is　often　very　unhealthy；　from　this　he　took　a　chill；　of　which　he　thought　nothing；　as　he　was　accustomed　to　such　troubles；　but　it　was　the　cause　of　his　death。　On　the　following　night　he　was　attacked　with　high　fever；　which　increased　so　rapidly　that　the　doctors　saw　it　must　prove　fatal。　Castruccio；　therefore；　called　Pagolo　Guinigi　to　him；　and　addressed　him　as　follows：

〃If　I　could　have　believed　that　Fortune　would　have　cut　me　off　in　the　midst　of　the　career　which　was　leading　to　that　glory　which　all　my　successes　promised；　I　should　have　laboured　less；　and　I　should　have　left　thee；　if　a　smaller　state；　at　least　with　fewer　enemies　and　perils；　because　I　should　have　been　content　with　the　governorships　of　Lucca　and　Pisa。　I　should　neither　have　subjugated　the　Pistoians；　nor　outraged　the　Florentines　with　so　many　injuries。　But　I　would　have　made　both　these　peoples　my　friends；　and　I　should　have　lived；　if　no　longer；　at　least　more　peacefully；　and　have　left　you　a　state　without　a　doubt　smaller；　but　one　more　secure　and　established　on　a　surer　foundation。　But　Fortune；　who　insists　upon　having　the　arbitrament　of　human　affairs；　did　not　endow　me　with　sufficient　judgment　to　recognize　this　from　the　first；　nor　the　time　to　surmount　it。　Thou　hast　heard；　for　many　have　told　thee；　and　I　have　never　concealed　it；　how　I　entered　the　house　of　thy　father　whilst　yet　a　boya　stranger　to　all　those　ambitions　which　every　generous　soul　should　feeland　how　I　was　brought　up　by　him；　and　loved　as　though　I　had　been　born　of　his　blood；　how　under　his　governance　I　learned　to　be　valiant　and　capable　of　availing　myself　of　all　that　fortune；　of　which　thou　hast　been　witness。　When　thy　good　father　came　to　die；　he　committed　thee　and　all　his　possessions　to　my　care；　and　I　have　brought　thee　up　with　that　love；　and　increased　thy　estate　with　that　care；　which　I　was　bound　to　show。　And　in　order　that　thou　shouldst　not　only　possess　the　estate　which　thy　father　left；　but　also　that　which　my　fortune　and　abilities　have　gained；　I　have　never　married；　so　that　the　love　of　children　should　never　deflect　my　mind　from　that　gratitude　which　I　owed　to　the　children　of　thy　father。　Thus　I　leave　thee　a　vast　estate；　of　which　I　am　well　content；　but　I　am　deeply　concerned；　inasmuch　as　I　leave　it　thee　unsettled　and　insecure。　Thou　hast　the　city　of　Lucca　on　thy　hands；　which　will　never　rest　contented　under　they　government。　Thou　hast　also　Pisa；　where　the　men　are　of　nature　changeable　and　unreliable；　who；　although　they　may　be　sometimes　held　in　subjection；　yet　they　will　ever　disdain　to　serve　under　a　Lucchese。　Pistoia　is　also　disloyal　to　thee；　she　being　eaten　up　with　factions　and　deeply　incensed　against　thy　family　by　reason　of　the　wrongs　recently　inflicted　upon　them。　Thou　hast　for　neighbours　the　offended　Florentines；　injured　by　us　in　a　thousand　ways；　but　not　utterly　destroyed；　who　will　hail　the　news　of　my　death　with　more　delight　than　they　would　the　acquisition　of　all　Tuscany。　In　the　Emperor　and　in　the　princes　of　Milan　thou　canst　place　no　reliance；　for　they　are　far　distant；　slow；　and　their　help　is　very　long　in　coming。　Therefore；　thou　hast　no　hope　in　anything　but　in　thine　own　abilities；　and　in　the　memory　of　my　valour；　and　in　the　p