history of florence-第13部分

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which　populate　quickly　are　not　relieved。　Hence　it　is　that　many　places

of　the　world；　and　particularly　in　Italy；　in　comparison　of　ancient

times；　have　become　deserts。　This　has　wholly　arisen　and　proceeded　from

the　negligence　of　princes；　who　have　lost　all　appetite　for　true　glory；

and　of　republics　which　no　longer　possess　institutions　that　deserve

praise。　In　ancient　times；　by　means　of　colonies；　new　cities　frequently

arose；　and　those　already　begun　were　enlarged；　as　was　the　case　with

Florence；　which　had　its　beginning　from　Fiesole；　and　its　increase　from

colonies。



It　is　exceedingly　probable；　as　Dante　and　Giovanni　Villani　show；　that

the　city　of　Fiesole；　being　situate　upon　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　in

order　that　her　markets　might　be　more　frequented；　and　afford　greater

accommodation　for　those　who　brought　merchandise；　would　appoint　the

place　in　which　to　told　them；　not　upon　the　hill；　but　in　the　plain；

between　the　foot　of　the　mountain　and　the　river　Arno。　I　imagine　these

markets　to　have　occasioned　the　first　erections　that　were　made　in　those

places；　and　to　have　induced　merchants　to　wish　for　commodious

warehouses　for　the　reception　of　their　goods；　and　which；　in　time；

became　substantial　buildings。　And　afterward；　when　the　Romans；　having

conquered　the　Carthaginians；　rendered　Italy　secure　from　foreign

invasion；　these　buildings　would　greatly　increase；　for　men　never　endure

inconveniences　unless　some　powerful　necessity　compels　them。　Thus；

although　the　fear　of　war　induces　a　willingness　to　occupy　places　strong

and　difficult　of　access；　as　soon　as　the　cause　of　alarm　is　removed；　men

gladly　resort　to　more　convenient　and　easily　attainable　localities。

Hence；　the　security　to　which　the　reputation　of　the　Roman　republic　gave

birth；　caused　the　inhabitants；　having　begun　in　the　manner　described；

to　increase　so　much　as　to　form　a　town；　this　was　at　first　called　the

Villa　Arnina。　After　this　occurred　the　civil　wars　between　Marius　and

Sylla；　then　those　of　C鎠ar；　and　Pompey；　and　next　those　of　the

murderers　of　C鎠ar；　and　the　parties　who　undertook　to　avenge　his　death。

Therefore；　first　by　Sylla；　and　afterward　by　the　three　Roman　citizens；

who；　having　avenged　the　death　of　C鎠ar；　divided　the　empire　among

themselves；　colonies　were　sent　to　Fiesole；　which；　either　in　part　or　in

whole；　fixed　their　habitations　in　the　plain；　near　to　the　then　rising

town。　By　this　increase；　the　place　became　so　filled　with　dwellings；

that　it　might　with　propriety　be　enumerated　among　the　cities　of　Italy。



There　are　various　opinions　concerning　the　derivation　of　the　word

Florentia。　Some　suppose　it　to　come　from　Florinus；　one　of　the　principal

persons　of　the　colony；　others　think　it　was　originally　not　Florentia；

but　Fluentia；　and　suppose　the　word　derived　from　/fluente/；　or　flowing

of　the　Arno；　and　in　support　of　their　opinion；　adduce　a　passage　from

Pliny；　who　says；　〃the　Fluentini　are　near　the　flowing　of　the　Arno。〃

This；　however；　may　be　incorrect；　for　Pliny　speaks　of　the　locality　of

the　Florentini；　not　of　the　name　by　which　they　were　known。　And　it　seems

as　if　the　word　Fluentini　were　a　corruption；　because　Frontinus　and

Cornelius　Tacitus；　who　wrote　at　nearly　the　same　period　as　Pliny；　call

them　Florentia　and　Florentini；　for；　in　the　time　of　Tiberius；　they　were

governed　like　the　other　cities　of　Italy。　Besides；　Cornelius　refers　to

the　coming　of　ambassadors　from　the　Florentines；　to　beg　of　the　emperor

that　the　waters　of　the　Chiane　might　not　be　allowed　to　overflow　their

country；　and　it　is　not　at　all　reasonable　that　the　city　should　have　two

names　at　the　same　time。　Therefore　I　think　that；　however　derived；　the

name　was　always　Florentia；　and　that　whatever　the　origin　might　be；　it

occurred　under　the　Roman　empire；　and　began　to　be　noticed　by　writers　in

the　times　of　the　first　emperors。



When　the　Roman　empire　was　afflicted　by　the　barbarians；　Florence　was

destroyed　by　Totila；　king　of　the　Ostrogoths；　and　after　a　period　of　two

hundred　and　fifty　years；　rebuilt　by　Charlemagne；　from　whose　time；　till

the　year　1215；　she　participated　in　the　fortune　of　the　rest　of　Italy；

and；　during　this　period；　first　the　descendants　of　Charles；　then　the

Berengarii；　and　lastly　the　German　emperors；　governed　her；　as　in　our

general　treatise　we　have　shown。　Nor　could　the　Florentines；　during

those　ages；　increase　in　numbers；　or　effect　anything　worthy　of　memory；

on　account　of　the　influence　of　those　to　whom　they　were　subject。

Nevertheless；　in　the　year　1010；　upon　the　feast　of　St。　Romolo；　a　solemn

day　with　the　Fiesolani；　they　took　and　destroyed　Fiesole；　which　must

have　been　performed　either　with　the　consent　of　the　emperors；　or　during

the　interim　from　the　death　of　one　to　the　creation　of　his　successor；

when　all　assumed　a　larger　share　of　liberty。　But　then　the　pontiffs

acquired　greater　influence；　and　the　authority　of　the　German　emperors

was　in　its　wane；　all　the　places　of　Italy　governed　themselves　with　less

respect　for　the　prince；　so　that；　in　the　time　of　Henry　III。　the　mind　of

the　country　was　divided　between　the　emperor　and　the　church。　However；

the　Florentines　kept　themselves　united　until　the　year　1215；　rendering

obedience　to　the　ruling　power；　and　anxious　only　to　preserve　their　own

safety。　But；　as　the　diseases　which　attack　our　bodies　are　more

dangerous　and　mortal　in　proportion　as　they　are　delayed；　so　Florence；

though　late　to　take　part　in　the　sects　of　Italy；　was　afterward　the　more

afflicted　by　them。　The　cause　of　her　first　division　is　well　known；

having　been　recorded　by　Dante　and　many　other　writers；　I　shall；

however；　briefly　notice　it。



Among　the　most　powerful　families　of　Florence　were　the　Buondelmonti　and

the　Uberti；　next　to　these　were　the　Amidei　and　the　Donati。　Of　the

Donati　family　there　was　a　rich　widow　who　had　a　daughter　of　exquisite

beauty；　for　whom；　in　her　own　mind；　she　had　fixed　upon　Buondelmonti；　a

young　gentleman；　the　head　of　the　Buondelmonti　family；　as　her　husband；

but　either　from　negligence；　or；　because　she　thought　it　might　be

accomplished　at　any　time；　she　had　not　made　known　her　intention；　when

it　happened　that　the　cavalier　betrothed　himself　to　a　maiden　of　the

Amidei　family。　This　grieved　the　Donati　widow　exceedingly；　but　she

hoped；　with　her　daughter's　beauty；　to　disturb　the　arrangement　before

the　celebration　of　the　marriage；　and　from　an　upper　apartment；　seeing

Buondelmonti　approach　her　house　alone；　she　descended；　and　as　he　was

passing　she　said　to　him；　〃I　am　glad　to　learn　you　have　chosen　a　wife；

although　I　had　reserved　my　daughter　for　you〃；　and；　pushing　the　door

open；　presented　her　to　his　view。　The　cavalier；　seeing　the　beauty　of

the　girl；　which　was　very　uncommon；　and　considering　the　nobility　of　her

blood；　and　her　portion　not　being　inferior　to　that　of　the　lady　whom　he

had　chosen；　became　inflamed　with　such　an　ardent　desire　to　possess　her；

that；　not　thinking　of　the　promise　given；　or　the　injury　he　committed　in

breaking　it；　or　of　the　evils　which　his　breach　of　faith　might　bring

upon　himself；　said；　〃Since　you　have　reserved　her　for　me；　I　should　be

very　ungrateful　indeed　to　refuse　her；　being　yet　at　liberty　to　choose〃；

and　without　any　delay　married　her。　As　soon　as　the　fact　became　known；

the　Amidei　and　the　Uberti；　whose　families　were　allied；　were　filled

with　rage；　and　having　assembled　with　many　others；　connections　of　the

parties；　they　concluded　that　the　injury　could　not　be　tolerated　without

disgrace；　and　that　the　only　vengeance　proportionate　to　the　enormity　of

the　offence　would　be　to　put　Buondelmonti　to　death。　And　although　some

took　into　consideration　the　evils　that　might　ensue　upon　it；　Mosca

Lamberti　said；　that　those　who　talk　of　many　things　effect　nothing；

using　that　trite　and　common　adage；　/Cosa　fatta　capo　ha/。　Thereupon；

they　appointed　to　the　execution　of　the　murder　Mosca　himself；　Stiatti

Uberti；　Lambertuccio　Amidei；　and　Oderigo　Fifanti；　who；　on　the　morning

of　Easter　day；　concealed　themselves　in　a　house　of　the　Amidei；　situate

between　the　old　bridge　and　St。　Stephen's；　and　as　Buondelmonti　was

passing　upon　a　white　horse；　thinking　it　as　easy　a　matter　to　forget　an

injury　as　reject　an　alliance；　he　was　attacked　by　them　at　the　foot　of

the　bridge；　and　slain　close　by　a　statue　of　Mars。　This　murder　divided

the　whole　city；　one　party　espousing　the　cause　of　the　Buondelmonti；　the

other　that　of　the　Uberti；　and　as　these　families　possessed　men　and

means　of　defense；　they　contended　with　each　other　for　many　years；

without　one　being　able　to　destroy　the　other。



Florence　continued　in　these　troubles　till　the　time　of　Frederick　II。；

who；　being　king　of　Naples；　endeavored　to　strengthen　himself　against

the　church；　and；　to　give　greater　stability　to　his　power　in　Tuscany；

favored　the　Uberti　and　their　followers；　who；　with　his　assistance；

expelled　the　Buondelmonti；　thus　our　city；　as　all　the　rest　of　Italy　had

long　time　been；　became　divided　into　Guelphs　and　Ghibellines；　and　as　it

will　not　be　superfluous；　I　shall　record　the　names　of　the　families

which　took　part　with　each　faction。　Those　who　adopted　the　cause　of　the

Guelphs　were　the　Buondelmonti；　Nerli；　Rossi；　Frescobaldi；　Mozzi；

Bardi；　Pulci；　Gherardini；　Foraboschi；　Bagnesi；　Guidalotti；　Sacchetti；

Manieri；　Lucardesi；　Chiaramontesi；　Compiobbesi；　Cavalcanti；

Giandonati；　Gianfigliazzi；　Scali；　Gualterotti；　Importuni；　Bostichi；

Tornaquinci；　Vecchietti；　Tosinghi；　Arrigucci；　Agli；　Sizi；　Adimari；

Visdomini；　Donati；　Passi；　della　Bella；　Ardinghi；　Tedaldi；　Cerchi。　Of

the　Ghibelline　faction　were　the　Uberti；　Manelli；　Ubriachi；　Fifanti；

Amidei；　Infangati；　Malespini；　Scolari；　Guidi；　Galli；　Cappiardi；

Lamberti；　Soldanieri；　Cipriani；　Toschi；　Amieri；　Palermini；

Migliorelli；　Pigli；　Barucci；　Cattani；　Agolanti；　Brunelleschi；

Caponsacchi；　Elisei；　Abati；　Tidaldini；　Giuochi；　and　Galigai。　Besides

the　noble　families　on　each　side　above　enumerated；　each　party　was

joined　by　many　of　the　higher　ranks　of　the　people；　so　that　the　whole

city　was　corrupted　with　this　division。　The　Guelphs　being　expelled；

took　refuge　in　the　Upper　Val　d'Arno；　where　part　of　their　castles　and