the prince-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　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　for　an　opportunity　to　give　effect　to　it。　This　occurred　on　the　death　of　Pier　Agnolo　Micheli；　a　man　of　great　repute　and　abilities　in　Lucca；　the　murderer　of　whom　fled　to　the　house　of　Castruccio　for　refuge。　On　the　sergeants　of　the　captain　going　to　arrest　the　murderer；　they　were　driven　off　by　Castruccio；　and　the　murderer　escaped。　This　affair　coming　to　the　knowledge　of　Uguccione；　who　was　than　at　Pisa；　it　appeared　to　him　a　proper　opportunity　to　punish　Castruccio。　He　therefore　sent　for　his　son　Neri；　who　was　the　governor　of　Lucca；　and　commissioned　him　to　take　Castruccio　prisoner　at　a　banquet　and　put　him　to　death。　Castruccio；　fearing　no　evil；　went　to　the　governor　in　a　friendly　way；　was　entertained　at　supper；　and　then　thrown　into　prison。　But　Neri；　fearing　to　put　him　to　death　lest　the　people　should　be　incensed；　kept　him　alive；　in　order　to　hear　further　from　his　father　concerning　his　intentions。　Ugucionne　cursed　the　hesitation　and　cowardice　of　his　son；　and　at　once　set　out　from　Pisa　to　Lucca　with　four　hundred　horsemen　to　finish　the　business　in　his　own　way；　but　he　had　not　yet　reached　the　baths　when　the　Pisans　rebelled　and　put　his　deputy　to　death　and　created　Count　Gaddo　della　Gherardesca　their　lord。　Before　Uguccione　reached　Lucca　he　heard　of　the　occurrences　at　Pisa；　but　it　did　not　appear　wise　to　him　to　turn　back；　lest　the　Lucchese　with　the　example　of　Pisa　before　them　should　close　their　gates　against　him。　But　the　Lucchese；　having　heard　of　what　had　happened　at　Pisa；　availed　themselves　of　this　opportunity　to　demand　the　liberation　of　Castruccio；　notwithstanding　that　Uguccione　had　arrived　in　their　city。　They　first　began　to　speak　of　it　in　private　circles；　afterwards　openly　in　the　squares　and　streets；　then　they　raised　a　tumult；　and　with　arms　in　their　hands　went　to　Uguccione　and　demanded　that　Castruccio　should　be　set　at　liberty。　Uguccione；　fearing　that　worse　might　happen；　released　him　from　prison。　Whereupon　Castruccio　gathered　his　friends　around　him；　and　with　the　help　of　the　people　attacked　Uguccione；　who；　finding　he　had　no　resource　but　in　flight；　rode　away　with　his　friends　to　Lombardy；　to　the　lords　of　Scale；　where　he　died　in　poverty。

But　Castruccio　from　being　a　prisoner　became　almost　a　prince　in　Lucca；　and　he　carried　himself　so　discreetly　with　his　friends　and　the　people　that　they　appointed　him　captain　of　their　army　for　one　year。　Having　obtained　this；　and　wishing　to　gain　renown　in　war；　he　planned　the　recovery　of　the　many　towns　which　had　rebelled　after　the　departure　of　Uguccione；　and　with　the　help　of　the　Pisans；　with　whom　he　had　concluded　a　treaty；　he　marched　to　Serezzana。　To　capture　this　place　he　constructed　a　fort　against　it；　which　is　called　to…day　Zerezzanello；　in　the　course　of　two　months　Castruccio　captured　the　town。　With　the　reputation　gained　at　that　siege；　he　rapidly　seized　Massa；　Carrara；　and　Lavenza；　and　in　a　short　time　had　overrun　the　whole　of　Lunigiana。　In　order　to　close　the　pass　which　leads　from　Lombardy　to　Lunigiana；　he　besieged　Pontremoli　and　wrested　it　from　the　hands　of　Messer　Anastagio　Palavicini；　who　was　the　lord　of　it。　After　this　victory　he　returned　to　Lucca；　and　was　welcomed　by　the　whole　people。　And　now　Castruccio；　deeming　it　imprudent　any　longer　to　defer　making　himself　a　prince；　got　himself　created　the　lord　of　Lucca　by　the　help　of　Pazzino　del　Poggio；　Puccinello　dal　Portico；　Francesco　Boccansacchi；　and　Cecco　Guinigi；　all　of　whom　he　had　corrupted；　and　he　was　afterwards　solemnly　and　deliberately　elected　prince　by　the　people。　At　this　time　Frederick　of　Bavaria；　the　King　of　the　Romans；　came　into　Italy　to　assume　the　Imperial　crown；　and　Castruccio；　in　order　that　he　might　make　friends　with　him；　met　him　at　the　head　of　five　hundred　horsemen。　Castruccio　had　left　as　his　deputy　in　Lucca；　Pagolo　Guinigi；　who　was　held　in　high　estimation；　because　of　the　people's　love　for　the　memory　of　his　father。　Castruccio　was　received　in　great　honour　by　Frederick；　and　many　privileges　were　conferred　upon　him；　and　he　was　appointed　the　emperor's　lieutenant　in　Tuscany。　At　this　time　the　Pisans　were　in　great　fear　of　Gaddo　della　Gherardesca；　whom　they　had　driven　out　of　Pisa；　and　they　had　recourse　for　assistance　to　Frederick。　Frederick　created　Castruccio　the　lord　of　Pisa；　and　the　Pisans；　in　dread　of　the　Guelph　party；　and　particularly　of　the　Florentines；　were　constrained　to　accept　him　as　their　lord。

Frederick；　having　appointed　a　governor　in　Rome　to　watch　his　Italian　affairs；　returned　to　Germany。　All　the　Tuscan　and　Lombardian　Ghibellines；　who　followed　the　imperial　lead；　had　recourse　to　Castruccio　for　help　and　counsel；　and　all　promised　him　the　governorship　of　his　country；　if　enabled　to　recover　it　with　his　assistance。　Among　these　exiles　were　Matteo　Guidi；　Nardo　Scolari；　Lapo　Uberti；　Gerozzo　Nardi；　and　Piero　Buonaccorsi；　all　exiled　Florentines　and　Ghibellines。　Castruccio　had　the　secret　intention　of　becoming　the　master　of　all　Tuscany　by　the　aid　of　these　men　and　of　his　own　forces；　and　in　order　to　gain　greater　weight　in　affairs；　he　entered　into　a　league　with　Messer　Matteo　Visconti；　the　Prince　of　Milan；　and　organized　for　him　the　forces　of　his　city　and　the　country　districts。　As　Lucca　had　five　gates；　he　divided　his　own　country　districts　into　five　parts；　which　he　supplied　with　arms；　and　enrolled　the　men　under　captains　and　ensigns；　so　that　he　could　quickly　bring　into　the　field　twenty　thousand　soldiers；　without　those　whom　he　could　summon　to　his　assistance　from　Pisa。　While　he　surrounded　himself　with　these　forces　and　allies；　it　happened　at　Messer　Matteo　Visconti　was　attacked　by　the　Guelphs　of　Piacenza；　who　had　driven　out　the　Ghibellines　with　the　assistance　of　a　Florentine　army　and　the　King　Ruberto。　Messer　Matteo　called　upon　Castruccio　to　invade　the　Florentines　in　their　own　territories；　so　that；　being　attacked　at　home；　they　should　be　compelled　to　draw　their　army　out　of　Lombardy　in　order　to　defend　themselves。　Castruccio　invaded　the　Valdarno；　and　seized　Fucecchio　and　San　Miniato；　inflicting　immense　damage　upon　the　country。　Whereupon　the　Florentines　recalled　their　army；　which　had　scarcely　reached　Tuscany；　when　Castruccio　was　forced　by　other　necessities　to　return　to　Lucca。

There　resided　in　the　city　of　Lucca　the　Poggio　family；　who　were　so　powerful　that　they　could　not　only　elevate　Castruccio；　but　even　advance　him　to　the　dignity　of　prince；　and　it　appearing　to　them　they　had　not　received　such　rewards　for　their　services　as　they　deserved；　they　incited　other　families　to　rebel　and　to　drive　Castruccio　out　of　Lucca。　They　found　their　opportunity　one　morning；　and　arming　themselves；　they　set　upon　the　lieutenant　whom　Castruccio　had　left　to　maintain　order　and　killed　him。　They　endeavoured　to　raise　the　people　in　revolt；　but　Stefano　di　Poggio；　a　peaceable　old　man　who　had　taken　no　hand　in　the　rebellion；　intervened　and　compelled　them　by　his　authority　to　lay　down　their　arms；　and　he　offered　to　be　their　mediator　with　Castruccio　to　obtain　from　him　what　they　desired。　Therefore　they　laid　down　their　arms　with　no　greater　intelligence　than　they　had　taken　them　up。　Castruccio；　having　heard　the　news　of　what　had　happened　at　Lucca；　at　once　put　Pagolo　Guinigi　in　command　of　the　army；　and　with　a　troop　of　cavalry　set　out　for　home。　Contrary　to　his　expectations；　he　found　the　rebellion　at　an　end；　yet　he　posted　his　men　in　the　most　advantageous　places　throughout　the　city。　As　it　appeared　to　Stefano　that　Castruccio　ought　to　be　very　much　obliged　to　him；　he　sought　him　out；　and　without　saying　anything　on　his　own　behalf；　for　he　did　not　recognize　any　need　for　doing　so；　he　begged　Castruccio　to　pardon　the　other　members　of　his　family　by　reason　of　their　youth；　their　former　friendships；　and　the　obligations　which　Castruccio　was　under　to　their　house。　To　this　Castruccio　graciously　responded；　and　begged　Stefano　to　reassure　himself；　declaring　that　it　gave　him　more　pleasure　to　find　the　tumult　at　an　end　than　it　had　ever　caused　him　anxiety　to　hear　of　its　inception。　He　encouraged　Stefano　to　bring　his　family　to　him；　saying　that　he　thanked　God　for　having　given　him　the　opportunity　of　showing　his　clemency　and　liberality。　Upon　the　word　of　Stefano　and　Castruccio　they　surrendered；　and　with　Stefano　were　immediately　thrown　into　prison　and　put　to　death。　Meanwhile　the　Florentines　had　recovered　San　Miniato；　whereupon　it　seemed　advisable　to　Castruccio　to　make　peace；　as　it　did　not　appear　to　him　that　he　was　sufficiently　secure　at　Lucca　to　leave　him。　He　approached　the　Florentines　with　the　proposal　of　a　truce；　which　they　readily　entertained；　for　they　were　weary　of　the　war；　and　desirous　of　getting　rid　of　the　expenses　of　it。　A　treaty　was　concluded　with　them　for　two　years；　by　which　both　parties　agreed　to　keep　the　conquests　they　had　made。　Castruccio　thus　released　from　this　trouble；　turned　his　attention　to　affairs　in　Lucca；　and　in　order　that　he　should　not　again　be　subject　to　the　perils　from　which　he　had　just　escaped；　he；　under　various　pretences　and　reasons；　first　wiped　out　all　those　who　by　their　ambition　might　aspire　to　the　principality；　not　sparing　one　of　them；　but　depriving　them　of　country　and　property；　and　those　whom　he　had　in　his　hands　of　life　also；　stating　that　he　had　found　by　experience　that　none　of　them　were　to　be　trusted。　Then　for　his　further　security　he　raised　a　fortress　in　Lucca　with　the　stones　of　the　towers　of　those　whom　he　had　killed　or　hunted　out　of　the　state。

Whilst　Castruccio　made　peace　with　the　Florentines；　and　strengthened　his　position　in　Lucca；　he　neglected　no　opportunity；　short　of　open　war；　of　increasing　his　importance　elsewhere。　It　appeared　to　him　that　if　he　could　get　possession　of　Pistoia；　he　would　have　one　foot　in　Florence；　which　was　his　great　desire。　He；　therefore；　in　various　ways　made　friends　with　the　mountaineers；　and　worked　matters　so　in　Pistoia　that　both　parties　confided　their　secrets　to　him。　Pistoia　was　divided；　as　it　always　had　been；　into　the　Bianchi　and　Neri　parties；　the　head　of　the　Bianchi　was　Bastiano　di　Possente；　and　of　the　Neri；　Jacopo　da　Gia。　Each　of　these　men　held　secret　communications　with　Castruccio；　and　each　desired　to　drive　the　other　out　of　the　city；　and；　after　many　threatenings；　they　came　to　blows。　Jacopo　fortified　himself　at　the　Florentine　gate；　Bastiano　at　that　of　the　Lucchese　side　of　the　city；　both　trusted　more　in　Castruccio　than　in　the　Floren