"THE AGE OF COSIMO DE' MEDICI" "EPISODE ONE:" "THE EXILE OF COSIMO" "The Rucellai." "The Buondelmonti." "Not everyone is so lucky as to die in his own bed." "He left this world with no worries for his family." "He left his sons richer than the king of France." "The Tornabuoni." "It is written that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven." "But God will have to change the Gospel this time, because Giovanni di Bicci, who was extremely rich, has already gained access to heaven, because as a man he was just, kind and generous, and he left his money here on earth." "And what he left is a great deal, incomparable riches." "More than 1 80,000 gold florins, as well as land, palaces, country estates, vineyards." "Not to mention the banks in every city in Europe:" "Geneva, Lyon, Germany, England." "With his florins he could have bought Florence, but he didn't want to do it." "He never went to the Palazzo della Signoria unless he was summoned." "Pope Martin V wanted to dub him Count of Monteverde, but he chose to remain a simple Florentine like all the rest and refused the title." "Those who say he did not want to become a nobleman so he could hide among the populace and conduct his business undisturbed are lying." "If he had become a count he would have been a nobleman and according to the law, he would have been ineligible for public office." "This is the truth of the matter." "No, no, I am convinced that he acted out of humility." "Giovanni Cavalcanti and Antonio de'Mozzi." "Rinaldo degli Albizi and companions." "Even his enemies are coming to pay him tribute." "Not all that glitters is gold, of course." "What do you mean?" "When a man dies, those who are left like to remember those parts of his life that enhance his reputation and they forget that he too was a sinner." "Those with purses full of money also face many temptations." "When Giovanni di Bicci smelled a deal, and everyone knows this, he was willing to do anything as long as it allowed him to make the greatest gain." "This only means that he was a good businessman." "He was better than you and you could not accuse him of usury." "Cavalcanti, why don't you go around Florence and ask his debtors?" "Antonino de' Mozzi, you slander a dead man because he made you repay your brother's debts, but Giovanni always tried to help everybody out." "He even sent 36 florins to Neri Tornaquinci, in Krakow, in Poland, when he found out that he was in trouble." "Remember that Tornaquinci had been his partner and had caused his bank to lose great sums of money." "If Cosimo and Lorenzo are prudent and share the inheritance, they will hold all of Florence in their hands." "Giovanni di Bicci had great foresight, and shared governance of the bank with them for the last 1 0 years." "Cosimo is just as capable as he was." "He has proven an even better businessman than his father." "I am in the middle of a business deal with Cosimo." "I own a piece of land on the via Larga." "A year ago he wanted to buy it, but his offer was low and I did not sell it to him." "He wants to build himself a palace." "Now that he is the boss, he will have to pay at least double." "The body is still warm and here we are talking about business." " You will give in." "You need him." " Do you hear them?" "I must tell the truth:" "Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici was a just man." "But you must tell his sons, Cosimo and Lorenzo, to look after the bank and leave matters of state to others if they wish to end their lives in their beds, many years from now, praised by the city, as their father did." "If they choose another policy, in Florence, the ground will burn under their feet." "Rinaldo degli Albizi, you have no respect even for death." "The sons of Giovanni di Bicci do not need your advice and do not fear your threats." "But be careful." "You know that Cosimo has no tolerance for those who cross him and he has many friends." "Now it is you who threaten." "As for friends, I too have many and I have never had to buy them." "You have no respect for anything." "Leave this place, go away." "This is no time to insult a family." "They could at least wait for the body to be taken away." "The notaries." " May we open the coffer?" " Yes." "This is your father's last will and testament." "I did not find it necessary to write a will because for many years, my sons and only heirs," "I have treated you as partners in the governance of our bank." "What I wish to tell you is that I believe that I have lived out the time assigned to me by God and by nature on the day of my birth and I wish to tell you that I die happy because I leave you rich, healthy" "and prepared to live in Florence, honored and comforted by the friendship of many." "Nothing gives me more serenity as I approach death than the knowledge of never having offended anyone, and of having in fact aided those in need to the best of my ability." "I exhort you to do the same, my sons." "If you wish to feel secure, respect the laws and do not take away from any person his or her due." "This way you will never be in danger or excite the envy of others, because what makes others hate us is not what we give to others, but what we take from them." "You will have much more than those who, while coveting the property of others, end up losing their own and even before they lose it live in a state of perpetual anxiety." "In this fashion, I have succeeded, in spite of enemies and disappointments, not only in maintaining my reputation in this city, but in improving it." "If you follow in my footsteps" "I am certain that you too will maintain and improve your own." "If, however, you should choose to behave otherwise, understand that your end cannot be happier than that of those who have ruined themselves and destroyed their families." "Sons, I bless you."" "And now, what shall we do about the bank?" "With Lorenzo's consent, we shall first hold our father's funeral, and then we shall summon to Florence all the directors of the banks that we have in Italy and Europe to give us a full report." "You take care of it, llarione." "Where do the Florentines live?" "You are not from London, I take it?" " No, in fact I come from York." " Oh, from York." "I figured as much, because everybody knows them here." "You have to go back." "Their bank is at the top of the street, the first house around the corner." " Is there no sign?" " No, they never wanted to put a sign up." "Thank you." "I wish to speak with Mr. Ubertino De' Bardi." "Who are you?" "Wadding, Thomas Wadding." "I am a merchant from York." "I am Ubertino." "What do you need, sir?" "I would like to initiate a trade with the city of Florence." "A merchant from Provence who was traveling through York sold me a bale of this silk." "I find it to be of good quality and the pattern is superb." "Of course, this is Florentine silk." "I would like to buy more bales and I need other merchandise as well." "I am very sorry, but I cannot accept orders at this time." "Giovanni di Bicci, head of the Medici household, has died." "My partner, Mr. Toto Machiavelli, is leaving for Florence tomorrow." "The heirs will give him his instructions." "You will have to await his return." "Otherwise you could go with him, and deal directly with the Medici bank in Florence." "Tomorrow?" "Yes, I think I will take your advice." "Stop." "Where are you headed?" "South, toward Avignon." "Be careful, the situation is changing." "The French have reconquered the south of France and they are moving north." "They are unstoppable at this point." "They have clashed with the army of the Duke of Bedford, defeated him and broken the siege that we English and the Burgundians had laid in Orleans." "Joan the peasant won the battle." "What peasant?" "A young peasant is now leading the army of Charles Vll." "A girl?" "A woman?" "Yes, yes, a girl." "A 1 7-year-old girl from Lorraine." "Her name is Joan of Arc and she has won the battle." "A young peasant is more valiant than our captains?" "It appears so." "She is leading a small army." "The French say that Joan was sent from God." "The Burgundians and the English say she has a pact with the devil." "Whether with the help of God or the devil, one thing is certain: she has won." "Is it dangerous for an Englishman to travel south?" "You might as well throw yourself to the wolves, sir." "Courage, Wadding, I will say that you are a friend of mine from Florence." "No one will dare touch a hair on your head." "We Florentines are respected by everyone because everyone needs us." "Let us go!" "Berlingeri, what are you doing here?" "Most likely what you are doing, we are going to Florence." "To receive instructions from the new Medici heirs?" "Precisely." "This is Gualtiero Gualtierotti, manager of the Medici house in Bruges," "Galeazzo Borromei, manager in Lyon, and Betto Berlingeri, merchant of Avignon, but he also trades with the Medici." "Let us go." "There is a water trough down there." "Good day." "You are a foreigner, but you seem Florentine, judging by your looks." "In fact, I am Florentine, but I live in London now." "I left Florence several years ago." "In that case, when you see Florence you will not recognize anything." "It is no longer what it was." "Everything has changed." "What used to be important, our lives as they were, no longer count." "There is no longer even the memory of what used to make us proud." "Our wonderful countryside, our vineyards, our orchards, our crops, our famous olive groves, none of this counts anymore." "Now only the city is important, with its weavers, leather workers, carpenters, iron and bronze workers." "With its painters, sculptors, architects." "We used to value the practice of exchange, of barter, commutatio rei ad rem, the exchange of things for other things." "Now the only thing of value is commutatio denariorum ad denarios, the exchange of money with more money." "People used to value the best wine, the best-tasting oil, good bread, warm woolen cloth." "Now all people want are works of artifice." "They covet things they believe to be precious, things they call riches." "Life these days is governed by money, money and usury." "At this rate, we are headed straight for total madness." "This is the end, the end of the world." "Good-bye." "They laugh now." "They will soon see what Florence has become." " Here we are." " It is beautiful." "It is so different from all the other cities I have seen." "Let us press on." "I want to be home before nightfall." "Tomorrow I will show it to you." "I will show you my Florence." "Let us go." "First of all, I will show you certain works that were in the planning phases the last time I left Florence." "That is the duomo." "It was conceived by Arnolfo di Cambio." "And the cupola, designed by Brunelleschi, will finally complete this lovely church of Santa Maria del Fiore." "Why finally?" "There was the desire to complete it." "But now you have succeeded." "Yes, Brunelleschi is doing it." "This is where commercial trade is conducted." "Perhaps you are more interested in this than in architecture." "Yes, you are right." "You are extraordinary artisans, but everything about your city interests me." "I cannot take my eyes off of all these marvels." "What is the meaning of the red cloth draped outside of that shop?" "I have seen other similar ones." "They mark the small banks called drape shops"" "where small loans are given with interest against a pledge." "Does that mean that usury is legal in Florence?" "No, usury is illegal in Florence, as in every Christian city." "But when an artisan needs a small loan of three, five, ten florins for his work," "he certainly cannot go to one of the large banks." "So he comes to one of these drape shops, bringing a cape, a pair of boots, a pot, and he obtains the loan." "He buys the materials he needs for his work, and once his work is finished and his customer pays him, he returns to the bank with the sum of the loan and claims his cape, his boots, his pot," "leaving a small amount of interest, goes home with his profit and everyone is happy." "You are merely confirming that usury is legal in Florence." "Absolutely not." "In any case, it is not Florence that practices usury." "It is the drape shops." "And the republic fines them for their sin." "If it is true that the city forbids usury, how can these shops display the red cloth to let people know where money can be borrowed?" "These shops display the red drape as proof of having paid the 2,000 florin fine for one year of usury." "The owners of these small banks are public sinners and this way everybody knows it." "They would be in big trouble if the authorities were told that the interest rate they charge is too high." "This only proves that by resorting to certain subtleties and hypocritical behavior any law can be eluded." "Come in, gentlemen, come in if you are interested." "The gentleman is an English merchant." "You see, sir, in Florence wool is spun and woven in the home as is usual, but the carding and the dying are done in the shops, because they are strenuous and require the work of able artisans" "who are paid by the day." "But nothing is left to chance." "The carders, the winders, the weavers and the dyers do not work separately." "They all work together according to established practice." "The art of treating wool is one of the oldest practiced in Florence and is much appreciated eveeywhere and is executed with great mastery." "It also yields good profits." "Do not think it is easy, sir." "The wool is imported from far away." "The risks are many and the expenses high." "Pirate attacks, constant wars and the perils of the sea make the journey very dangerous." "Thank you." " Well done." " Thank you." "Gentlemen." "Boy, what are you doing there?" "Get back to work, right away." "What is that?" "It is one of the many small altars built during the plague of 1 348 so that people could attend mass from the safety of their windows." "Before the plague, Florence had more than 1 25,000 inhabitants." "After the plague, there were only 30,000 left." "Now the population is growing very quickly." "We must interrupt our tour of the city, Wadding." "I have to go to the Medici bank." "They are expecting me with my report." "Debts owed to the brokers for their merchandise and for unfavorable exchange rates." "Commissions paid to foreign correspondents, debts owed for silk given on consignment to the Medici establishment in Bruges for a royal license." "Balance: 361 pounds sterling."" "Be more careful of the trade that is not brokered by us, and that the English merchants conduct directly with Flanders." "Amsterdam and Bruges are closer to England than Florence." "Besides, you know English merchants." "They often forget their debts." "Better to have no dealings with them." "Let us not forget the large debt that the king of England had with the Peruzzi family and never paid." "In London, one can never feel safe doing business, not even with the king himself." "We must acknowledge that there are honest merchants there as well." "You are right, my brother." "I thank you." "Here, Cosimo, is the list of our credits up to last month." "These are frescoes by Masaccio." " Good morning." " Good morning." "I do not know what to say." "I am not knowledgeable in this area." "These paintings amaze me." "I don't think we have anything similar to these." "No?" "You too must know this." "Is it permitted here to depict such sensual images in a church?" "What I see here confuses me." "Yes, of course, these bodies are real, but their flesh hides the spirit which is within man." "During my journey and my visit to this city" "I have seen many things that have astonished me." "Beautiful, magnificent, but I never would have thought that so much effort could be made, and so much energy expended and money spent" "for things so beautiful, yes, but useless." "Now I have to ask myself, though, are they really useless?" "You cannot tell me, can you?" "Beautiful." " Good-bye." " Good-bye." "Thank you." "Welcome to Florence." "I am honored to have you as a guest." "Thank you." "As for your deal, I have already spoken to Mr. llarione de' Bardi, and you will be able to speak to him about it." "I confess that I was hoping to deal personally with you." "We will have an opportunity to talk in the next few days." "Before you leave Florence," "I will be happy to invite you to my villa at Careggi." "In the meantime, you will deal with Mr. llarione de' Bardi," "It is he who manages our bank." "Thank you." "Oh, no, it is I who thank you." "Any business proposal should be weighed with the utmost attention." "We have examined your proposal." "The merchandise will be sent to our correspondents in London and we accept the exchange of lead, feathers and other goods, except for the Scottish wool that you offer in exchange for our silk." "But if you do not accept my wool, how can I pay for your silk?" "The Scottish wool is too lightweight." "The cloth required of our merchants is dense and heavy." "So where can I purchase other silk like the sample I showed Mr. Toto?" "For that you should go directly to the Silk Weavers' Guild of Por Santa Maria." "Come." "The Silk Weavers' Guild and the city of Florence owe you a debt of gratitude, because the sample you have brought us has revealed a case of fraud." "That silk sample was a fraud?" "What kind of fraud?" "If you do not wish to tell me it is of no consequence." "But if you are truly grateful, allow me to purchase the fabric I need on credit." "For that you will deal directly with the Silk Weavers' Guild." "I told you, the Guild of Por Santa Maria is very grateful to you." "Smell the odor it has when it burns." "What do you think?" "Smell." "This is silk that was produced and woven using the techniques of our ancient tradition." "But there is no one in Florence who executes this pattern anymore." "Manetto di Cristoforo, this seems like his pattern." "But he died 30 years ago and the Guild gave his daughter a dowry and an annuity to his family, to prevent the secret of his weaving from leaving the city." "This silk is not 30 years old, it is certainly not more than five years old." "And the color is unique." "This violet with these brilliant highlights was certainly obtained with the ancient recipe devised by Ermanno Rucellai using the lichen called archil and treating it with urine." "There is no doubt that this is what we are looking at." "But how could our secret have escaped from the Guild?" "Let us consult the register." "Here:" "Manetto di Cristoforo Carnesecchi, died March 20, 1 399." "Thirty years ago, his daughter Domenica was married, as I have told you, and his son Federigo is working as a brazier." "His son Anastasio worked with Francesco di Mariano, silk weaver, until 1 41 0." "Where did he work after that?" "It says that he enlisted in the war against Livorno as a soldier and never returned." "Under whom was he fighting?" "Domenico Gianovi, but Gianovi and his men became mercenaries at the service of the Pope's palaces in Avignon." "Today at the Medici house I met Betto Berlingeri who has a bank and other commercial interests in Avignon." "We could ask him if he knows anyone in that city by the name of Carnesecchi." "If he confirms it, what shall we do?" "We are all agreed on what must be done." "Since Florence in 1 31 4 acquired the art of silk weaving from Lucca, we have had only one punishment for those who betrayed the secrets of our craft." "You, Guccio, know exactly what you must do." "If you are all agreed..." "Is there anyone who disagrees?" "Good." "Then, Guccio, tell Filippo di Simone to go to Avignon with Machiavelli, Berlingeri and the others." "It will be done." "There is Avignon." "Filippo, down there is the workshop you seek." "Find the traitor and do what you must." "Help!" "Come in." "I was afraid I would no longer find you in Florence and that you had already left for the villa at Careggi." "I am leaving tomorrow." "What is it?" "I must speak to you about the war in Lucca." "At first the Florentines were favorable and now they complain about the taxes needed to support the soldiers." "When Niccolo Fortebraccio, with 300 knights and 300 foot soldiers, conquered the castles of Ruoti and Compito without bloodshed, thereby taking a huge loot, the Florentines, in their presumption, deluded themselves that it would be easy to gain even more in Lucca." "And now that Lucca is putting up a strenuous defense, they complain." "They would like to win wars without fighting or spending a single florin." "It is true." "I have brought a few intriguers who have listened to the rumors that are circulating in the city." "We no longer know what to say to foreign merchants who come to Florence to trade with our bank and find only great confusion." "Show them in, llarione." "Come in." "Tell us what you heard this morning." "We met some men who had escaped from Seravezza di Pietrasanta di Lucca." "They told us some incredible stories." "When the Florentine army arrived in their valley seven days ago, all the citizens of Seravezza went to greet the commissary of Florence Astorre Gianni, declaring themselves faithful servants of the Florentine people." "Astorre pretended to accept their offer of friendship at first, and then, having occupied the passes and other escape routes of the valley, he had all the men imprisoned in the church, while the Florentine soldiers sacked and destroyed the town," "with no mercy for sacred ground or for the women, whether married or virgins." "The commissary of Florence, like a deadly plague, like a cruel beast of prey, a horrible monster, roamed the city, and he too raped, sacked, beat, killed, and ripped virgins from their mothers' arms," "giving them to his soldiers as the spoils of war." "It was an act of colossal stupidity which will horribly damage the Florentines." "The news has spread throughout the city and people are indignant." "It is shameful, and perhaps the old Niccolo da Uzzano was right when he said that Florence would never embark on a more unjust campaign, nor more dangerous nor more damaging than this war against Lucca." "And that we should not attack a Guelf city friendly to the Florentines that welcomed the Guelfs many times at its own peril when they were forced to flee their own territory." "It was the greed of Albizi and his cohorts that excited a desire for war in the hearts of the Florentines." "And perhaps, when talk of war first broke out, many of us should have been more cautious." "There are many who share this opinion, if I may remind you, because it is well known that the army of Florence, without foreign aid, may be able to conquer villages, but alone is not capable of winning any wars." "The army is made up of peasants who are too lazy to work." "When they meet the enemy on the battlefield all they can do is hurl insults and invective." "They wave their spears and swords but they have little desire to fight." "Their only goal is to avoid danger and pocket their reward." "This is always how it happens." "Each side yells to the other not to try to be heroes to avoid the risk that once the battle is won the war might end and they may have to go back to working the land to live." "I would never have thought that such cowards could commit such unspeakable acts as those of Seravezza." "It is important that all citizens are made aware that the shameful acts of Florence against the citizens of Seravezza must be redressed." "Astorre Gianni must be condemned." "We must give orders to search for the goods stolen from Seravezza." "Whatever is found is to be returned to the owners." "It is imperative that we nominate some new commissaries and not one of them should belong to the Albizi faction." "And now take to the streets and do what you do best." "These ideas must be spread far and wide." "You are capable intriguers and that is why, as always, we trust you." "We must seize this opportunity to humble the aristocrats who are ruining Florence by making money from war rather than commerce." "I shall now return to the bank and will soon visit you at the villa in Careggi to bring you, I hope, good news." "We never should have attacked a Guelf city." "It is a city that has always been a friend to the Florentines, and many times, in the face of great risk and danger for its citizens, it came to the aid of Guelf Florentines who were forced out of their own city." "I said that we should do this if it was convenient for us." "They told us that it was convenient." "Instead, those cowardly commissaries of the republic went and robbed the friends of Florence, and raped their women and this is very damaging to us." "They behaved like cowards, it is true." "But the greatest infamy belongs to their leaders." "Captains and soldiers, they must all be condemned." "The Florentine people must understand once and for all that noblemen like Albizi are not to be trusted." "It is unfair for us to pay taxes for this war which they wage to serve their interests and not ours." "What good do these wars do for our trade?" "The men who escaped from the hands of Astorre Gianni have spoken to the ten of the war council." "They said that when they saw the Florentine army advance toward them with our banners held aloft they went to meet them not as enemies, but as old friends." "And full of trust, they put their fortunes in the hands of the Florentine commissary and they went forward unarmed, as if they were going to a festival." "And what did Astorre Gianni do?" "He imprisoned them in the church from whence, powerless, they listened to the cries of their women as they were taken to slaughter." "They heard the flames engulf their homes and the animals in the barns uttering frightful cries." "And before the ten of the war council they justly invoked the ire of God upon us." " It was shameful." " Worse than barbarians." "How did the Council of Ten reply?" "They sent couriers to tell Astorre Gianni to return to Florence and account for his actions and those of his men." " He should be flogged." " Hear, hear." " His nails should be ripped out." " They should." "He should be skinned alive, impaled, and left to dry in the sun." "Yes, but you know that Astorre Gianni is a friend of the Albizis, and he will certainly find someone prepared to defend him." "If they absolve him, it will bring us more shame." "But he will not get out of Florence alive all the same." "And even if he hides in the house of the Albizis," "God's hand will deliver him to us, because the shame of Seravezza must be washed with blood." "Then they must tell us why we have to let them recruit us for a war that is already lost." "You know nothing." "The crier told the peasants that the war against Lucca has been won." "Those who fought in it came home with wonderful loot." "My brother brought home a horse, two oxen, a mirror, carpentry tools and a pouch full of silver coins." "He would have brought home a woman, as well, if she had not slipped away from him like an eel." "Here there are those who wish to fight this war." "If they are happy, we are all happy." "Ten more." "Let us see ten more." "Did you hear that?" "Go, go to war." " Do you see that they are going?" " Yes." "Will you say nothing to your heroes that are going to wage war against the citizens of Lucca?" "Come, come forward." "Do you wish to enlist?" " Yes." " What is your name?" " Antonio de' Baldi." " What town are you from?" " Cafaggiolo." "Five sols a day for 40 days." "Then you get to go home." "This is the rule, as you know." "Listen to the contract:" "Each man who enlists in the army promises fealty to his captains and must realize that the soldier sells his soul for a price to fight in the war and is free to conduct a licentious and wandering life under the captains" "and obtain through violence earnings otherwise obtained through work." "What if I do not want to come home after 40 days?" "Then you will renew your commitment with your captain." "What about the loot?" "There are the rules of the Florentine army." "But the rules of the Pisans " "Yes, but you see, the Pisans are the Pisans and we are Florentines." "And Lucca is not far from Pisa." "After the 40 days, you will be free to go wherever you like, even to Pisa if they have a war on their hands." " Good day, Giovanni." " Good day, sir." "Welcome to Careggi, llarione, Cosimo is expecting you." "Lovely to see you, Countess." "I am here to speak to your husband about business." "He is in the house playing with his son Piero." "Go on in." "I am glad to see that Giovanni's health has been restored." "Thanks be to God." "Piero, go now." "We will continue tomorrow." "But father, we started this game three days ago and we still have not finished it." "Tomorrow, Piero." "Tomorrow I will beat you." "What news do you bring from Florence?" "The people are not happy." "You see, Cosimo, ever since Rinaldo degli Albizi had himself nominated commissary of the republic and declared war on Lucca, it seems that he wishes only to sack the countryside with the sole aim of filling his estates with stock" "and all other sorts of loot." "And since what he steals is not enough, he buys off at a very low price the spoils which by rights belong to his soldiers." "He has gone from commissary to merchant." "The people are irritated." "This is all just slander and the ten of the war council did not believe it." "But it seems that the people have very serious intentions of not forgiving those who, for the first time in history, risk Florence's reputation for this war without victory." "I too have doubts regarding this war." "And the people know it." "But Rinaldo degli Albizi maintains that most people are against the war only because you are inciting them." "Luigi Guicciardini and Francesco Soderini say that you are the cause of all of Florence's ills." "Tell my cousin, Averardo de' Medici, that if there are people in the city who need a loan not to refuse them at this time, but to grant them." "If there are people with promissory notes who have not respected the deadlines of their payments, let us wait a while before we demand the money." "And if there are friends whose permanent inability to pay is evident, let us meet with them and tell them that their debts have been erased." "Regarding the losses suffered because of this tolerance toward our debtors you will keep track of them in the secret register at the bank." "And remind Novelletto to take, on my behalf, a barrel of dessert wine to old Uzzano, head of the party of the noblemen." "My father Giovanni sent him a barrel every year." "It is an old tradition that I have never wanted to break." "You know that old Uzzano does not like you very much." "Yes, I know, but I also know that he is a fair man." "This dessert wine is good, I can taste that it is genuine." "In spite of his wine, Cosimo will be the ruin of Florence, Uzzano." "Who instigated the people to mistrust the noblemen, us, who represent the oldest and most genteel tradition in the city?" "He is now urging the people to blame Rinaldo degli Albizi for the humiliation that Lucca is inflicting on Florence." "Francesco Soderini, we are well aware that Cosimo helps and pays those who are against us." "It is certain that he is fighting us in this insidious fashion, though publicly he declares himself faithful to the republic." "He has gained a reputation as the only man who can save Florence." "He loans money to private citizens, pays the expenses of his friends when they are taken to court, buys books from men of letters, all this to make a name for himself." "Why would any man spend money so generously if he did not aspire to become the owner of the city?" "Barbadoro is right." "Cosimo must be punished." "It is the only way to make the Florentines understand that he is not omnipotent." "Only then will they make a concerted effort to defeat Lucca and the city that is now divided will once again be united." "Let us suppose that we succeed in having him sentenced to death, or banished - something we can do only with the favor of the Signoria." "Do you think, Rinaldo, that we could defeat all his friends as well, who are many, and would remain in the city with the sole goal of ensuring Cosimo's return at any cost?" "His friends do not concern me." "Without him they would be swept away like straw in the wind." "Do not let anger cloud your reason." "What enrages you is the suspicion that Cosimo wishes to become prince." "But if you harbor this suspicion, others do not." "We must not forget that during the rebellion of the Ciompi the Medici were on their side, on the side of the populace, the same populace that today complains and protests against the taxes that pay for the war against Lucca." "Some accuse you of wanting the very thing you accuse him of." "And really, what is Cosimo doing to justify our suspicion of him?" "He spends his money." "Show me the law that forbids, censures or condemns men for their charity and magnanimity?" "Show me the law that forbids men to help those who are in need or to encourage men of letters, or purchase ancient texts or lend money to princes or popes." "I see it was foolish of us to come and ask for your help." "Even you, the head of the nobility of Florence, are failing us." "Tell me, Rinaldo, is it not true that your brother Luca is against you and for the Medici?" "Is it not true, Francesco Soderini, that your brother Piero has become an enemy to you and a friend to your foes?" "It is Cosimo who is endangering the liberty of Florence." "I will say only, may God protect this city from any one citizen becoming its prince." "Believe me, I do not know to which party one should wish to belong." "All citizens, some out of malice, some out of ignorance, are prepared to sell out our republic." "I have only this advice for you, though I know you will not heed it." "Live more modestly and be suspicious of those who are enemies of freedom, whether they are on our side, or on the side of our adversaries." "By instituting this new public register" "Florence has legalized theft." "They are obviously dipping into our pockets to obtain the funds they need." "All this because they insisted on waging war against Lucca." "If only we were winning this war." "I remember when we only had to make a loan when the republic needed funds for a war." "We all paid what we could, and at the end of the war the republic repaid our loan with interest." "Now we have to come and tell that officer all about our lives, our private affairs, and at the end, in exchange for our money and our sacrifices all we get is a scrap of paper." " Next." "Giovanni di Antonio Giugni." "Having calculated the value of your possessions and your land and deducted the sum of 200 florins for each member of your family, your excess earnings amount to 400 florins." "The law establishes that each man shall pay four florins for each male in the household." "In your household, there are two men." "The total is eight gold florins and six sols." "But that is too much, I do not know how I will afford it." "Next." "My master sends you his most obsequious respects." "As established by law," "I bring you a report of all the property of Cosimo de' Medici:" "His assets, his real estate, his shares of the bank, the list of the sums he has invested in his trade and commerce, at home and abroad." "The total value of his homes and villas, in Florence, in Careggi, in Cafaggiolo, in Trebbio, in Pisa and in Milan:" "59,741 florins." "Four slaves of the estimated value of 30 gold florins each." "Value of the bank shares:" "8,569 florins." "Funds invested in various trades, at home and abroad:" "54,238 florins." "I have calculated a total of 122,669 florins." " Is that correct?" " Yes." "Go on." "Deductions: five percent for the maintenance of the homes and villas:" "2,985 florins." "For the maintenance of 120 pairs of oxen:" "a deduction of 1,714 florins." "Thirty mouths to feed, calculating a deduction for each mouth of 200 florins, makes 6,000 florins." "That is all." "What are you saying?" "First of all, I would like to know who these 30 family members are that Mr. Cosimo says he has to feed." "His wife, his children, his employees and his servants, who live with him as part of his family." "It has already been established that they cannot be counted." "Only actual family members can be counted for the deduction, and as everyone in Florence knows, and in Venice, and even in Milan, the Medici family has 1 4 mouths to feed, which at 200 florins per mouth," "make for a deduction of only 2,800 florins." "Therefore, the total wealth is calculated at exactly 1 22,669 florins." "The total of the deductions is 7,499 florins." "Therefore, the excess is 1 1 5,1 70 florins and the tax on that is of 57 6 florins." "Do you agree?" " Yes, all right, all right." "And I hope your master, Cosimo de' Medici, also agrees." "He will, he will." "Next." "old Uzzano has died, of natural causes, they say." "They are going to his funeral." "The friends of the Albizi will go on a rampage." "They will be hard to stop." "Uzzano's death marks the death of foolish caution." "For all of Italy's towns are full of tyrants, and a Marcellus every churl is deemed, who comes to play a party henchman's role." "Florence, my Florence, well mayst thou be satisfied with this digression, which concerns thee not, thanks to thy people, who look out for that!" "Many at heart are just, but slow to shoot, lest to the bow uncounselled they should come;" "but thy folk on their lips alone are just!"" "Let me see..." "Here we are." "And if thou well recall and face the light, thou wilt see thy own likeness to a suffering woman, who on a feather bed can find no rest, but seeks, by tossing, to relieve her pain."" "These verses which I have just read should require no explanation." "When Dante Alighieri speaks of that suffering woman who can find no rest and who tosses in her bed due to the pain that torments her, the Florentines know that he speaks of Florence." "Dante wrote these words more than a hundred years ago, like a prophet." "They are valid also today." "He wrote them as if he were living with us, as if he had seen the people divided, weakened, tormented, by those who profess to love this city, and then with money and guile rob her of her love for her bygone glory." "That suffering woman is Florence who cries because she has not been able to defeat Lucca." "Dante Alighieri did not foresee who would cause this desecration, but the Florentines know well who he is." "Your words, Francesco Filelfo, ring true to the Florentines." "Mr. Soderini," "I speak them so that they may be heard by all Florentines." "Filelfo, you well deserve the role that Florence has assigned you and the title you have been given." "The new gonfalonier, Bernardo Guadagni, is expecting us." "Luck is on our side, since fate saw fit to select a gonfalonier friendly to the Albizi." "Luck, of course, but also your wise foresight." "It was you who paid Bernardo Guadagni's debt to the public register so he would not be denied the chance of becoming gonfalonier." "Let us go." "Come in." " We must speak to you." " Please come in." "I assure you that I shall listen with a benevolent demeanor, since I know how you and your noble friends love justice." "It is precisely of justice that I wish to speak to you, great Gonfalonier." "If you do not defend it, Florence will be lost." "For the sake of justice, we should eradicate from our city the evil seed of discord that an immoderately rich and ambitious man is secretly sowing among the citizens, thereby weakening their resolve to fight our enemy." "Everyone knows that since the death of his father, Giovanni di Bicci," "Cosimo has used all his diabolical cunning to prepare the people to celebrate him in the near future as prince of the city." "Today an undeniable fact is added to his perfidy." "Why would he have Michelozzo build him such a huge palace in the via Larga if not for the sake of having a princely abode once he has become the master of Florence?" "The Florentines have always rejected all excesses of luxury." "Remember that when Niccolo Acciaioli, great steward of Naples, came to Florence to ask for a loan and help in the name of King Louis, he held lavish court at the Santi Apostoli for 1 5 days," "spending 1 50 gold florins a day, thinking that this would astonish his fellow citizens." "But the Florentines, disgusted, rejected this useless waste and Acciaioli was unable to obtain any kind of help from our Signoria." "You are asking me to eliminate him." "Have you considered how the people would react to such an act?" "Do not fear, Bernardo." "His friends will not be quick enough to come to his aid bearing arms, and the populace, that seems to worship him now, will not hesitate to turn its back on him once it hears the grave accusation made against him by the republic." "As for his riches, once he is in your power and that of your friends, they will all be yours, in the coffers of the republic, and you, Gonfalonier, will be glorified for having brought unity to Florence." "Florence will no longer fear other cities, Lucca will tremble and surrender, and that evil snake will never again meddle in the affairs of our city." "Ever since I was elected," "I have considered it a duty of the Signoria to cultivate the unity and strength of the city." "And now I deem that the moment has arrived to act without fear and do whatever is necessary to further this goal, which has always been the greatest source of pride for any gonfalonier, in the name of our city." "We are grateful to you." "Florence, all of Florence is grateful to you." "Listen to your brother Lorenzo." "Listen to llarione." "Listen to them, if you will not listen to me." "The Signoria has summoned me, and as a citizen, my duty is to obey." "Do you think that there is something of which they could accuse me?" "No, you are a good man, but you have many enemies in Florence." "I do not fear them." "Cosimo, I know that you will not listen to any of us, but I must insist on telling you that it would be madness to go there, that you could lose your family." "I cannot believe that a man with your acumen does not understand what is happening in the city." "You wrong me if you think me deaf and blind, llarione." "I am like a chess player who will not forfeit the game." "I wish to make all my moves right up to the end." "I warn you, the end could be very close." "Friends of the gonfalonier have spoken to me." "They have warned me in his name that you are in grave danger." "You will thank them on my behalf." " This is madness." " And if it is?" "Do what we had decided." "Our children and the servants are waiting in Cafaggiolo." "They would worry if they did not see at least you." "Allow me to wait for your return." "No, leave immediately and wait for me at the villa." "I am coming with you." "I said that I would appear before the Signoria alone." "These are the accusations brought against you by the Signoria:" "You, with your money, paid the debts of your friends so that they would become enemies of the republic." "You loaned money to cities and to princes without considering the alliances and interests of our republic." "You purchased a large parcel of land in via Larga, and started construction on a palace which is absolute proof of your ambition." "The republic must judge you fairly." "Consequently, and in order to be free to do so without allowing you to bring false testimony against your accusations, or influences bought with gold, we are taking you prisoner." "Let the people's captain in." "You have refused to eat for three days." "There is no reason to do so." "You know very well the reason, Malavolti." "I must wait." "Without food you will not be able to wait much longer." "But do not fear, I am watching over your life, it belongs to the republic." "I am watching over my life, for it belongs to me." "You will not lose your life." "You have many friends in the palace of the Signoria, and outside of it." "They would never use me to poison you." "They know I do not want anyone's blood on my hands, especially not yours, who never offended me." "Keep your spirits up." "In any case, to assuage your fear," "I have called a friend of yours to eat with us." "Come in, sir." "Farganaccio." "You must eat." "This food was made by my lady." "If she has not resolved to kill me, she certainly will not kill you." "May I come in, magnificent Gonfalonier?" "Come in, Farganaccio." "What is it?" "I have come to bring you this." "What is it?" "You will see for yourself." "Who sent it?" "Mr. Cosimo de' Medici, with his respects." "You will now go into exile for 1 0 years, as decreed by the Signoria." "I will give you an escort of a company of soldiers who will accompany you to the borders of Florence" "because the Albizi do not agree with my decision." "They were hoping for a different solution:" "Your death." "Rinaldo has always been excessive in his hatred." "The republic, fortunately, is in the hands of a much more prudent man." "During your exile, you are well aware that from Padua, which is in the territory of Venice, you can continue to conduct your business." "Yes, but my yearning for my city will always be great, and I will always be a poor exile." "The Most Serene Doge." "Mr. Cosimo de' Medici, welcome to our republic." "I thank you." "I could not be a guest of Padua without making a trip to Venice to pay my respects to the Most Serene Republic and to you, Francesco Foscari, its Doge." "I would like to ask you a few things about Italy, as your opinion is known for its acumen and wisdom." "We Venetians are merchants like you Florentines and, as you know, the practice of trade depends on maintaining good relations with all the other states in the world." "Therefore, if we have allied ourselves with Florence against Milan it is because we want the Po Valley to offer free passage to everyone's merchandise." "I agree with you, but my opinion is that of an exile and I do not know how useful it will be to you." "Yes, but your family has a bank in every European city that matters, and in Venice your business is as important as it is in Florence." "Yes, of course." "I wish to give you some news." "The ambassador of the Most Serene Republic in Rome sent us a courier to inform us that the situation in the city is serious, and that " "Pope Eugene IV may be forced to leave Rome under pressure from the Colonna family." " You already knew this?" "Yes, from a courier from my bank in Rome." "And I can also tell you that the republic of Florence will be honored to give asylum to the Pope." "I must admit that you are well informed for an exile." "I know that the Pope's presence in Florence would please you." "I believe the Pope is your bank's biggest client." "It is true." "Eugene IV honors his Venetian origins." "It seems that now his main concern is to bring about a reconciliation and unification of the Churches, that of the East with that of the West." "Venice too, in spite of its current difficulties with the Turks and with the Duchy of Milan, will do what it can to help its Pope." "To what difficulties do you refer?" "We spent vast amounts in the Italian wars against Milan and on our alliance with Florence." "More than four million gold ducats." "Four million is a large sum." "From what I hear, however, today Venice employs 3,500 silk merchants," "1 6,000 wool merchants and 1 7,000 sailors." "You have 3,000 cargo boats." "I know that more than 1 ,000 gentlemen can count on an annual income between 700 and 4,000 gold ducats and that every year, your mint coins at least a million gold ducats," "200,000 silver ducats and 800,000 copper sols." "Furthermore, your wise decision to sign a truce with the Turks, paying a toll for the free transit of your merchandise, as well as avoiding the nuisance of a war, also guarantees years of prosperous commerce for you." "I see that you are well able to estimate the Venetian republic's riches." "One thing does reassure me, and that is that you tell me this to comfort me, as would a friend." "I am a friend to Venice, I have proven myself many times, and I shall do so again." "Vtg"