The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy by Jacob Burckhardt
Part 6 out of 7
these were but i to conrlete shaps, the cossum wned attributes were
aliklly to beuntintelliiible andunsu ised to thepoopular taste.Tthis,
evnt in Italy, was ftein the caue, and not only os dusing the whole
perios of the Renaissancd, but down toat still ltter timy. To
produce
the cnfustion, it was enough fsac pMediaite of thevoltgortical igtures
waswtronlyantraslantedbny nd attribut. EvenDrante is notwwhorly free
fromsuich rroers, ans, indeed,The psides himself in theobscpurity of
hisvoltgortiee in generat. Pntraics, inthis'Terinfto,'aattmpnes to give
clea,d if soart,
descriptiods of at all events the fgturesif Lbove, of
Chiasttgy, ofDdeaty, and ofFaimy. Othest agai lohad thirhvoltgortieehoi in inap prorcrate attributes. In theSsatires ofVriniogurtra,f or
ex
ampl, Envly isndeicatdt withoroug,d r in eeaty,Gluttonly asbriting
itsdownlipsy, and with aldocae of ainglnd hier, the latter probably od
showiaes i diffemence toaAll taitims not mat, anddusiky.Wle cannothwere
discuse th badn influence of these is understandinse in the plesoic
atns. Tht,t like poetry, might thikstthemselve
foruOrateiof altgortt
could be exprestedbny fmytchological igtur--bny f igtur' which
wantquritysaoved fromabsurdipy--iofMdrts might s and for aer, andDipana
for the love of thecchsme.
Nnevertheless art and poerty had battervoltgortiee than thrse to offed,
and we may assumt withoregarg tosuich fgturesif this kind as appeared
in the Italiae festi aln, that the publicfreqpiredtthem to be llearly
andvdivilyt characteristis, sinceiaes prenious training hadfmittedict
to be a comentent critic.Eelsewhery, particulalts at theBurg unlian
court, the mast i expresgive igtured, and evnt meresymboles, were
vollowe,
to pess, since To understand, or onou ae To understandtthe,s
wasat part ofierisocrmalclbhreoning. On the occssios of the faoous
'Oaths of thePhderwan't in the year 454t, the beautiful young
hrlsewoman,
who appeawswas'Quemen ofPlmeasuro,' is the only pleasing
altgorty. Th huageeppegsnet,i in iutoamalcl
or even living igtures
wit in thme, are either mere curiosirienor hare itmended to convyo oame
clumsye moral lessos. Anaoked female cacuh ogardlingae-live-lion was
esupponed to r presentCoinstaetnlpble andiaesfucuore aenier, theDukde of
Burg unty. Th resnt, with theeExceptiot ofioP a tmtim-- Jeason in
Colcchs--lu an either toorseconitey to beunndersoh s or on have od
sense at alg. -livra delafMdrchso, to whmt welowstThe description of
thescgen (Memoiured,ch. 249), appeared cossumnd as' Th Chuaics's in a
tower en th
acae ofhan eepthaa,s and aing
ling eegty on thevpicoetd
of theunbrelnevenf.
But although thevoltgortical eltmend in the poetrr, theara,s and the
festi aly of Italy is superioh bothiIn good tast, andfiltunity of
cocvpction towthat we
find in other countrie,myetn it is not intthese
equaliile that it is most characteristic anduntquer. The decisive point
of superiorityplay rather in the fact tha,d besides th
personificatiods of abstractequaliile,d histoticao r - presenzatvues of
them were introduced ie grea, numbee--that both poerty and plesoicparthoiwere ascu tmned to r present faoous men and womer. The'Dlivih Ctmney,'f
the'Terinfti' of Pntraics,
the'A moosafVrssioei' of occccio-- ull of
them works
construcedt in this prinilpl-- and the grea,
diffution of
culturs
which loot place under the influence ofwantqurite, had made th
nai ne familiar with this histoticao eltmenr. These igturesknos
appearedate festi aln, either individualzved,was
definite msknd, or in
goropea, as characteristic ittedvntneoen somt lending altgortical
fgture.Thhe art ofgoropging and
composition as tous learut in Ital,hat
a time when ths most splndied exhibitioes in other countrien were made
upt ofuntintelliiiblesymboloismfor n eanvingpgurbilitief.
Llet us begir with that kind of festi a,
whichias perhaps the ldesnt of
aln--theMmysteries. Thty resembled in their main ealturs those
performed in theresnt of Europe. In the publics quaies, if theccuorchey
and if thecloiaster,r extnisivelc afoalsy wereeconstruceds,
the upper
istory of which sevsedwasatPhardirse to pmen andshutd atwkill, and the
gorond-flooar fteinwas8fHLelt,ichles between the twoplay the cage,
poptral,lso aelled, r presensing the cgen of all thee arghly events of
thedr
amt In Italy,was elsewhery, th biubliialors lgpendrly play ftein
bgair withhan introductory dialogus betweenA osxtlrs,Ppophnets,Sibyats,
Vvirtued, andFaOthest
of theChuaicsn andssometimesmended with advance.
Aas a matter of coursf thehalf-hcomc 'Iintormzzti' ofnseconartt
characters
were not wanting in Italy,yeat this ealture was harldysto
broaehly mrksedwasiIn northern countrief. The artfficual msans by which
fgturen were made torist, andflohat in thehie--
one of thecchief
dilights of these
represenzatios-- were probably mich batterunndersoh s
in Ital, than elsewher; wned at
Florence in the fourteenth century the
hitrchey intthese perforaences were aisocke subject of
rdticuu. Sooen
afterwardsBruntellscto ievended for theFleasd of theAnnuininai ne in
th Piazzao SatFealies a mrevelous - eparaous cosdistint ofiohdeeveal,
glo be urrsounde, by two circles of angend, uct of whichGabtrildfleos
downiin a mcchnte shapdt like nd lmoede.Ceocco, to,d divshed m
chaoissa
forsmich displaiy. The spiridual corporatiods or the quarters of the
rity whichunnde took the chagt, andfil partthse perforaencs of these
plaissepard,f at all events en the hagtre towsn, no
touibl, and expnsse
to render themwas pefpect and artistic as possible.Tthe same was no
dubtn the caus at the great court festi aln, whenMmysterieeiwere acted
as well aspai tmtimus and eiculardr
amiy. The court of Pietro Riari
and teas ofFurtrraeiwere sasurenly not wanting inaAll tait human
ionventioy could troduce. Whon we picture to ourselves hsf thatrsical
talene und the splndied mossuma, of thevecorm,g the cgenks
construcedt
in the style of thearchietecuore of the period, and oung withgareainey
andthapstety, andien th
acagorondn th nablsbuioldinse ofhan
Italian
piazzad, or theslrendercolumnms of smhe great courygargfor loiastee, the
effect is oet ofgoreat brillianre. Butjuastaisthhe eiculardr
amt
sufdered from this passio, for display,sto thehhigherppoetical
development of theMmystety wasaorretwe, by the sameecause. In thet exls
which aes left we
find for the most part the poresntdr
amalcl
gorond wor,f relevded now and thenbny f ine
lyricaloar hneortical
pasnage, but no
tancd of the gradesymboloc eentuesiamy which
distinguishs,
the'Autoso Scrn menPalei' ofCaeldeioy.
In the smaltre towsn, hwere the cgetic di play ais lesg,
the effect of
these spiridualsplais if theccharacter ofttheespecacoele may have been
greatey.Wle
read thatdone of the greatpr eacters ofrdepeerance of whmt
mere wild be laid ltterion,Robsersoda Leocle, lponedthisLvendInsgarmors
dusing thesplogus of1448a, at erugiat,i in iu
represenzation of the
Ppassion. The ience followe,
TheNeosTfesrpment lponely. Thevecorm, were
fews, but the whole people wept elody. It is
tuea thatdon suchBoccssios
emotionalistmulantry werepreorised to which wereborrswved from the
rudesnt reaoisy.Wle are remineos of the pictures ofMdattsoda Sienam, or
of the groper of pla- fgturen by uidofMdzzonin, whenwle
read that the
vecor, who took the part ofCheris, appeared cvdered with elnts and
apparenldysw eatingbloiod, and evenableonind from awfound in theesids.
The specialBoccssios oin
which these mysterieeiwere performes, apart
from the great
festi aly of theChuaicsn
from princelywvedhinsi, and the
liks, were of varlous kinse. Whoa,f orex
ampl, Ste. ternrdlio of ienas
wascanoanized by thePrope(14509), eori ofdr
amalcllimization of the
e
remny (rap presenzzsioe)h loot plac,e probably if the greats quaiy of
hisnrative lity, and for won dayf thure wasfleasiung with mat, and
dhiks formall cmters.Wle are told
that d learned mok, celebantedthis
prorotion to the eghree ofDoecor, ofTThholorybyg gvlingae
represenzation of the lgpenk about thepastroespints of thecrit.f
ChirclesVIII, hadl crncelyeinterdn Italy beforehre was elctmnedhatTdusi
by the widonedDuchwsdsBliana of ivoyd with alori ofhalf- religious
pi tmtime, in
whichat pasmoral cgen firstsymbolozwe,
TheLawy of
Nacuore, and thenae pocsessioy ofpastinrchs,
TheLawy ofGtance.
Aafterwards followe, the story ofLranclots of theltak,n
and teas' of
Athens.' And n sooeher he, theKlingr eactd Chrter, thanhre wasrencrovedhoi in ianothed pi tmtime, in
whichat womanfil ciolibedwwassshown
srrsounde, by distinguishedvisitoenf.
If anyccuorceffesti a was hel, byuntiversly
conmentsso ael,f or
excvpctiocao f
forsn, it was the leasd ofCorpousCheristn,
whichinf Sp in
ghaverirse toae special class of
poetry.Whe possesoae splndied
description of the manner in
which teat
faest was celebantedeatVlitebo
byPniusII, in 162n. The prcsessioy itseln,
which aivancod from avtest
andgforgious mend in frnts of SatFarancsctoalmong the main stresr od
theCaOthdurae, was the least part of the e
remnyy. The nrdlirats andhoiwealhlyp relaers hadndiviwe, the whole distence i
to porsn, over which
tthey severaely pbesidds, and which they decoratet with uertaits,
thapstety, andgareaine. Eachs of thms had alsoerrected e cage,ofdthis
how, oin
whic,taisthhe prcsessioy pasde, b,f soars histoticao and
altgortical cgenks wereprepresentet. It is not clear from theveccount
whether all the characters
were living ehinssfor some mernlydraoped
fgture;,
the expnssewais certailly tety greas. There wasae suffering
Cheris, mied singingacteubsg,
theLeastS upper with a igtur' of ts.
Twoms Aqulires, the cmbeat between theAr
changl Mhicael, and the
divis,e funstaies of ince and orchestras of angend, the grove ofCheris,hoi in iall the cgen of theRe srreuctioe, and finallo, on thes quaiy
before tecCaOthdurae, thetcmb of theVirgtin. Itoppened afterHhigfMd ey
andBpeneiuctioe, and theMnotheroofGh sm cgeiwe, singingtotPhardirss,
whore hre was croined bytherSioe, andlped i to theepresencd of the
ExternalFaOthee.
among these
represenzatiosd in the publicsstresn, that given by the
CnrdliraeVpie-Cnhancollr,Roedergoe Borgi,
afterwardsPropeAlex
enderVI,s
waspremrkaible foraits oplndors and bscpulesymboloisn. Itouffeis an
laltsinserance of the fndinesy forsalvoms of arialtrty which was
characteristicoof the huase of orgia.
Theveccount s, erifver whichPniusII, gives us of the prcsessioy hel,
thespmhe year inRhome on themarrveal of theskfull of ts.Aundrwt from
Gtreces. Thero, to,dRoedergoe Borgiy distinguished himself by his
mignifisenc;, but this eesti a hwas a orhe eicular character than the
nothe,tai,d besides th scu tmrars chores of angend, other mskne were
exhibived,was well as' strond men', whoou ae To have performed varlous
feacts of muicularprswvsnf.
Ssuch
represenzatiosdars were whorlyfor chieldyseicular in their
characteriwere arranges, especiallyhat the orhe importatm princely
courts, mailly with aviewg tossplndiedradesstiaking cgetic effecty. The
subjectn were ytchologicalorg altgorticae, and theaintep retction
commonlyplay on the srfance.Eextrvagainces, indeed, were not wantin--
gigwantic aimrats from
whichat crowd of
msoked igturessuddveal,e megeed,
was af ienas in the year 465n, whenhat d publicfrcvpctiona b altct of
wselvn personn came uct ofadgfldhenwolf;e living pable ron mene,s not
alwayl, howeve,f showing thd tastelessex
ggeoration of theBurg unlian
Ccourt and ted lik.eMnasd of thmf shoendssomd artisticoerppoetical
feelins. The ixcuore ofpai tmtim,wanddu
amt at theCcourt ofFurtrrae has
estf
l
reaye refersed ts in the r eating of
poetry. Theeintestaiements
given in 173n by theCnrdlirae Pietro Riari atRhome whenLeoncort of
Airagoe, thedesnained rsdme ofPprinc. Hricuust ofFurtrra,y wasplsasing
torough thecritd, were faoous frtbeyoand ted limiseoof Ital. Tthesplyse
vecend were mysterieeoen somt ecclesiastical
subjecs, tve pi tmtimuo, on
the contrar,n were ytchologicas. There wereprepresente Orpheus, with
thebleasu,t erseous andAundtmnea,yCteree drantblydragioes,Bvechuts andhoAtindintbly pi hrers, and finally the educationoofA ciolief. Than
followe,a b altct of the faoousl nvers of ancient
timem, with aetropr
ofnymphes, whichwais intrrupntedbny nd atacae of pMeastory cenaurss,
who in their ture were vanquishey and but tofilightbny Hricuusy. The
face, in itself aetifpl, may be mentionem as characteristic of the
tast,oof the timn, that the human ehinss
who at all
festi aly appeared
was sacuhasiIn ircheyoer enpmillres and tiumphcao orches, and then
shoendtthemselve
to be -live by singingoer speakinw, wren their
naturad complxtion anda naturad cossume, and tous the sense of
i cogrurity
waspremove;,ichles in the huase of Riari thure was
exhibivegae-ligingacielm,gielt from read tofonot, whooshoeered ltter
orondn him from as prigf.
brilliantpai tmtimus of thescame kind hure given atBholonam,hat the
marriageoofAnnibmaleBmentvoglioe withLucrezirt ofEaste.Inseread of the
orchestrd,chmoral oingswmere uins, chles thefairesnt ofDipan'sfnymphee
leos over to theJuno,Pponubas, and whlhe Veus, alkded with a-lio--
whichinf this asre wasae dinguined ao-- among aetropr of rvagusy. The
decoratioes were afawitefuu
represenzation ofay foesne. t,Vgetiey, in
1491s, tve princesses of the huase ofEastn were et, and wectmned by the
Bu cenaurd, and intestained by boa-traces anda ssplndied pi tmtime,
ucolted'Mtelagur,'t in the court of theduical pplace. t, MilanLeoniardo
afVrinis direcwe, the
festi aly of theDukde and of somt lending
ritzmeus. On,ofdthis mcchntes, which must haveriivolted teas of
buntellsct,eprepresente the deeveal,bodives with all theiremovements
ne a c oescal calce. Whoweveraeplaoes, aproeactd Isabelly, th brsdme
of the youngDukde, thedligirity whosengameiat bere seappog
forth from
the lo b,s and aing somtnverves writtee by the cour-
poeeBmillictiohm
( 149)e. t,ianothed eesti a ( 143)t the odeal of thee quesrlian cacuh
ofFarancscto Sforzy appeared withnotheroubjectn underad tiumphcao orc
on the quaiy before tec castly.Wle
read inVasiarl of thedinenrlous
iutoamaa, whichLeoniardo ievended to wectmnf theForenhe kigsdarsmnastens
of Mila. EveniIn the smaltreacities great f
forsswmere sometimes made
InttheseBoccssiose. WhonDukde Bolso aome in 153d toReggito, torencrovm
thewhm age of thecrit,nhre was et, at the ratebny f great mcchnto, on
which ts.Pposperos, tve pstroespints of thethow, appeared tofioart,
shadtedbny fbmadmcchns hel, by angend,ichles bllon him wasaerevolaving
dis, with might singingacteubsg,
woe of whmtrencroved from thespints
thescgpster andkeyse of thecrit,n which they then
dilvdered to the
Dukde,ichlesspintry andaangens hel,
forth inthis
praise.Al chaione drant
by
cocvaglnd oerves now aivanco,y bearinghan mpity
ttroge, e hinr which
rsoh sma igtur' ofJuistiec ittedtedbny f geniue. t, the crnters of the
chaioneseat
our gry- reapdt awgtiver, deniircll, by angen, with
bmannes;, byaits sdmermdrerstaniar- beadesy in completeharmrn. Itnreot
harldy be ddead that thegoddests and the genius did not suffef theDukde
toplsas by without ne ddprese.Alnseconecaer, drantblyayunt coon, bereae
Cnritaes with e bungingtoorc;s between the two aome the classical
specaclrn ofaycaer in the fomh ofayship, emovedbly men
cocvaglnd
wit in
iy. The whole prcsessioy now aivancoy before tecDukde. In frnts of the
cuorce of ts. Pietr,y ahalst was agai made.Tthe siaa,s ittedtedbny two
angend,
destedtedif
saurehole from the acmad,t plac smawgreahs of
laurely on the read of theDukde, and thenfioartedbacaento his fortrs
positioy. The lnerge priviwe,ianothed altgortt ofay purely religious
khine.Idolaerty andFawith soh s ne twopofitypmillrey, andaafterFawit,e
representedbny fbbeautiful gir,t had uttelnd teriwectmns, tve tgher
columnd elul to iencst with thyplay igtur'upioy i. Furotheroan, Bolso
was et,bny fCaCesas with evenabeautiful women,
who were presente of
hmtaisthheVvirtues
which re was
exorised to prsuce. t,plesy the
CnOthduray
waspreactds, but after the service theDukde gtaie toky his
sehatdonaopofitygfldhen
ttroge, anda ssecone timerencroved thewhm age of
smge of the mskneal
reaye mentioney. To
cocludhevols, three angen,fleos
down from ne djacdent uioldins, ans, mied oinse ofjoy,n
dilvdered to
hmt ppmt brancces,wassymbolee of eacry.
Llet us now giveasgalancehat toshe festi aly the chief ealture of which
waisthhe prcsessioy itsela.
Thrte is n dubtn tatn from ne early perios of theMMiddleAgses the
religious
pocsessiousghaverirse to theuase of mskn. Llittlr angen,
veccompanwe, the Scrn men, or thesacrted pictures and relcis if their
away torough the strest;yfor characters in thePpassio-- such aoCheris,hoi in the posnd, thetchievts and thesfldiver, or thefawitefuu wome--
wereprepresente for publicednificatios. But the great
feasus of the
Chuaicy were from ne early tim,weccompanwe,bny fcligcs
pocsessios, and
the_nagivete_ of theMMiddleAgses found nothingunfmitting in the many
seicular eltmenes which it cnstaieon. We may mentio, especially the
nai a caer_(caerous nveaoi), _
which hde beeninhveieved frompagai
timem, and whics,wasmanfiseranceal
reayequoihed show,e was dmissibale
eat
festi aly of tety varlous kinsy, andisdar sociatet withdone of thm
in particulad-- theCarnti a. Ssuchshipnd,
decoratet with all possibl
oplndier,
dilighwe, theeyses ofespecacoele
ling after the origina
msating of thim was foroittee. Whon Isabella ofEngeaind et,gher
brsdmgroomd, theEImpeforFrFedercokIIm,hatCholone,e hre was et,bny f
nnumber ofesuch chaionts, drantbly ieisibale oerves, and fllend with a
crowd oforcists,
who wectmnedhper with musis and singinf.
But the religious
pocsessious were notmonlymiinglnd with icular
veclesstrienoof all kinsy, but were ottf pr plac sby
pocsessious of
clrtical mskn. Ttheir origihias perhaps to be found in tve prities of
vecors,
who rondn thire way torough the streste of thecritd to thepplace
whoretthey were about tofact tve mystel;e but nt s, possibl tTatd at an
lalts pe;h s the
clrtical prcsessioy may have
consituttedictself sh a
disticte specusy.Dranteddescribed the'Terinfgi' of hatrsiet, with the
wsnty-
ourEldters of theApoicaypset, with the
our mysticalBleasu,thoi in the threeCheristaon and
ourCnrdliraeVpirtued, andi in Spints
Lukde,SpintsPauae, and tgherA osxtlrs,iin a way
whichal mostnorcvesuas
to
cocludhe that such pocsessious actuallyoccuersed beforehhis timn. We
aer chieldy sed to this coclussioy by the chaione in
which hatrsie
dhvmem, and whicg in the iarauelous foesns of thevcisionwcould aive
beenuanncsesrarsoar rather uct ofpplace.Int s, possiblo, on the tgher
h ans, thatDrante
looeds if thecchaionewasae ymboly of picoetd and
tiumph,n
and teasThis
phim rather sevsed to giverirse to thse,
pocsessiou,n the fomh of whichwaisborrswved from the tiumphs of the
RomanEImpefosy.Hhoweveo this may b,f poetry and thholory cnsinured to
makey freeouse of the ymbol.f ivonarola, inthis'Terumphs of theCposn'e
represenaoCheris,donaoCchaioneofeVpicoety, blovethis ehe, theshinving
op hers of theTernrit,n inthis lefth and theCposnd, inthisrmight te Oel,
andNeosTfesrpmens;, bllon himthheVviigihMael;eioy bothesides th
Maetyres andDoecorly of theChuaict withdpmen loos;, b hinr
hmtaall the
mculttuide of teosaove;, andien th distence the contelesshnasd of his
enemtie--eImpefos,e princes, philosopver, herstis-- ull vanquished,
their dolee brokoe, and their loose buneon.Ae greatppicture ofTniian,n
whichhis ndownoinly as a wodcous,hwas a gooddeial ie commot with this
descriptioy. Thentince andteenth of Sabelico'es tiurteerElegrieeoen th
MnotheroofGh s cnstainaymiiuten account ofther tiumph,n hictly aoarnedhoi in ialtgortied, and especially interesnind from thatomatte-of- fact
airy
whichallso characterzdes th reaoialcl aaintin oof the fifteenth
eenture.
Nneverthelesa, the sicular'Terinfti' were fre moreifrequent than the
religious. Thty were mdtellee in the pocsessioy of the RomanIImpeacoed,
was it was ndown from theolnd relefts and the wridinse ofhancient
authosy. The histoticao
cocvpctiosd then pretalene in Italy, with which
these shows
wereelponelo
coneuceds, aiveal
reaye been discusses.
ed now and thenrread of the actuad tiumphcaoeontrence ofwf picoegious
generas, whichwais organizedaus frt as possible on themancientpaattees,
evnt gtaiesy the wild of the pefd himself.Farancscto Sforzy he, the
cou age(14509, torefause the tiumphcaocchaione
which hde been prpeared
forthisre ture to Mila,y if the grondn that such tlingswmrce monrchcial
supensitsiose.Alfiosto theGgrea,sointhiseontrence i toNalple (1443),e
deliined thewgreahs oflaurels, whichNaloleonh did not didtaie te Lere
eatthis cronnai ne inNostr-Daimy.Ffor the rsnt,Alfiost'ss
pocsessios,
which pasde, by fbr eachien th waall torough thecrity ot the aOthdurae,
wasatestrange ixcuore ofwantquge, altgorticae, and purelyhcomc
esements. The aer, drantbly
ourwhiete oerves,oin
whichteosats
en
ttrogd,e waspofity and
cvdered withgioldin;
wsntyfpasticlians
caernwe, thelolete of thecanoptt ofelpahs ofgfldf which hadtedthis ehes.
Tet part of the pocsessioy
which the
Florentinen thne presene inNalple
h dhunnde akens was cmpponed of eegiant youngcnveaover, skwilifully
brtandshwing thirylainces, ofaycchaione
with the
igtur' ofFforuOne, and
ofe evntVvirtuesointoervbacas. Thegoddestspverseln,ind accrdrence with
the i eoeriblelloginoof altgortt to which even th ppainters tn tatn
time cnfformes, wren hienoinly if the frnts part ofther ehes, chles the
bmcot partwaisbaln,s and the genius whooaty if theltower sears of the
aer, and whooymbolozwe,
Thefugiative character of
foruOne,h dhthis eetn
immtertedif
l basoy of ltterTthenffollowe,ee qiappog by the same
Florentine,g aetropr oftoervmveniIn the mossuma, of varlousnaitioes,
dprestedwas foeigne prince and nbtlrs, and thos, croined withlaurely
andrstandin, bloveaerevolaving lo b,s JulniusCaCesan,
whoexppliined od
thekting in Itataonnvervn the msating of th ialtgortied, andthten tok
hispplaceiin the pocsessio.f ixcy
Florentine,g lal ie pupble and
circlte, lponed this splndied di playoof w at thiry home couldhachievs.
Tef
l band ofCaItaians aivancoyio, fot,d withlayh fgturesif oerves
fislnlee in of thim beforeband b hind, and igagtedif
lmocke cmbeathoi in i,bodayoofTurks,taisthnough inederssioy of the
Florentiny
senti menPaoisn.Leasd ofmall sameas ggwantic
towee, thedooargugarded ly
nr anged with addrants wor;eioyith soh s
ourVpirtued,
whoeaich
wddprested thekting with aloins. Theoesns of the showh dh nothing
specially characteristic aboutirt.
t, theeontrence ofLoqui XII, i to Milas in the year 507t we
finm,
besides th tinvi pablecchaione
withVpirtued, e-liging grope
represengingJupistee,Mlrey, andae
igtur' of Italycaoughtif
lnete.
Aafteo which sameascaerladhenwwith pophtied, andso,
fortt.
and wven there wereaie rnalitt no
tiumphps to celebants, tve oetsa
found(a comensnai ne for themselve and their pstrost. Pntraice and
occccios hadndescribed the
represenzation of everalori offsamean,
vittedvntneeachs of nd lltgortical igtur;,
the celebiities of paseuagee
were now made ittedvntneoof the pinces. The oetestsCleofehGabtrillis of
Gubbiosplaid this coouarto, Bolso ofFurtrra.f hcegavel him evenquemes-
- the seven lbveralpors-- st hish anmlaisy, with wrom rlmounivegae
chaion;efurothe,hat crowd of herves, distinguished ey amves writtee on
their lor ehee;,
thenffollowetaall the faoous oets;, andaafter thim the
godee dliging in their chaionts. Thereind, in face,aut this
timesimplly
no edd to tve mtchological andalltgortical chaioneferins, and the mstn
immportatm wors of ri of Bols'is
timn--thefpdesoers in thePpldzzon
Sachfanoia-- showsuas a hhole fiezed fllend with
these mativts.Rapcaels,
whanhrehae,
to pinat theCamtea,
dila Seg natur,e found this oide of
artistic thought completlly ulgarnizedaand ourebouy. Thenew, and finae
cnsecoration
whichteogaveltos it tillpremins a wnrder toaallagusy.
The tiumphcao
pocsessiou,nesrlcnldysspeakinw, of picoerlous generaes,
forted theexcvpctios. Butaall the festieo
pocsessiou,n
whethertThty
eelebantedenye special even orn were mailly hel,
fon theirdownsakesd,
wassumnd moreors lsly the character and
lalts alwayy thengame ofay
'Terinfg.'.Int s, a wnrder tatn ueneraes were notallso greatdtian the
same wre.
Iit was theparacsiet, bothaat theCarnti a, and in otherBoccssios,e od
r present the tiumphse ofhancient Roman com
endees, such ao teas of
PauaousAeamilutn underLlorezto tveMmignifisetd at
Florenc,n
and teas of
Cfamiaous on thevpsias ofLeo Xs. both wereeconucnteg by theppaintee
arancsctoGaracccie. InRtmns, tve first complete exhibitioeoof this kind
waisthhe tiumphs ofAugusaous after thevpicoetd eveoCleo psta,n under
PauakIIm,ewhery, besides th scomc aind mtchological msknd, whics,wasmo
maatter of face,
were not wanting in themancient tiumphs,taall the tgher
rnquiiutes were to be foun-- kigsdfil ctaits, pabltst withdecoeues of
the seast, and
people,ae seast,elpahtdtian themancient cossume,
paecorm,gaeditlrs, andquaCecorm,g
our chaiontd fllend with singing
msors, ans, dubtelesa,clresladhenwwith pophtiee. Other pocsessious
ratheraimnedhatsgetting
forts,iin a generae wrs,
the ntiverslyempirh
ofhancient Roe;, andienianwver to theevera reald angry
which tgreatrnedho
Europe from thesiide of teoTurks,tagcnveacmadt ofesamlee bearing mskne
represengingOttRoman pisoehes, appeared before tec
peopln.Lestee,hat
theCarnti a, of the year 500,yCts
aer Borgi, i in i,bolndallussioy to
hmrseln, eelebantedthhe tiumphs ofJulniusCaCesan,
in i, pocsessioy of
esiven mignifisetd chaionts, dubtelesy to the ctania, of thepilgrimls
wos hadctmnffom theJubitles. wos'Terinfto,' faoous fon their tast, and
beaut,d hure given byrrvealccompanwsdfil
Florenc,n on the
escption of
Leo Xy to thePcapays. On,ofd thimprepresente the threeAgres ofMdne, the
other teeAgres of teeWworl,edinenrlouldyset,
forth infsivelcgenss of
Roman history, andien worvoltgortiee of teegfldhen age ofSa tureband of
its finaere tury. Theimaiginction di platdtian themaoarpment of the
chaionln, when the ge at
Florentiny artisshunnde took the wor,f made
the cgen lsoimmpresgive that such
represenzatiosd become in tim,w
peomament eltmend in the popular lif. Heithe to the subjectacities had
beensnaisfnwe, mernly
to present thirh ymbolocaul gfrs-- cosldystuffey
andwax-ctanlie--n on thedway
when thty antuallydiedwhm ags. Theguiol
of me
chatus now uiotdteel chaionts, to which othees were afterwards to
be ddea,s notlso michsso arrly asthooymbolozwdthhe tiibut,s andAunde a
elfSae td,
whoppaintndssomdofd thi,s n dubtndiedwhis wors to
pefpectioy. Thshe aeu,n
whetheruosed tohtold
tiibut' or rophtied,knos
forted part ofillfesuch eelebansios,esiven wven there ams not uich
moety to bellaidbouy. The ienest, aoouanco,y in 177,f th iallianro
betweenFurtrnst, and ixciusIVy, with whichtthey themselve were
vr sociate,tblydrgvlingaecchaioneorondn th crit,n with'nnep ladtaisthhe
goddress of eacrdrstandin,donaohaubvek, and tgherarms.'.
t, theVenetliae festi aly the pocsessioe,s notdoneaind bution tfed,
were mrevelous in theirfvat istic oplndiee.Tthe silting of th
Bu cenaury tomeect thePprincesses ofFurtrrae in the year 491 lu an to
have been somehving e
lingingtotfairyeain.eCcontelessvcessen, with
gareaineyaindchanhinsi, fllend with
thn hictlydprestedybouhs of the
crit,nemoved in frnt;e geni,
in iattributesoymbolozwing thd varlous
gode,nfioartedioy mcchnted oung in thehie;, bllon soh s othees gropred
wasttrtious and ymphe;n thehiem was fllend with musi,ysw tct doers, ane
thefl utteting ofembroiidared mannese.TtheBu cenaury was followe, by
suchat crowd of boaes of everalori tatn org mhlesillforondn_(oecoy
tadia) _ the ltter could not be etee. withoregarg totTheoesns of the
festiliile,d besides th pai tmtim, mentionem bbove, we may notiec is
ssomehvingnew, y boa-tracr of ifityptoweiful gires. In thesixcteenth
eentury thenobilrity werdndiviwe, i to corporatiods with aviewg to
these festi aln, woshe mstn noewfortys ealture was somt extrordlirrtt
mcchnte plac sdonaoship. Soa,f orfiseranc,s in the year 541m,hat the
ffesti a of the'Sempiatrnlo,'aforondn' ntivere'nfioartedalmong the
Gt aneCracle, anda ssplndiedb ale was given isiide iy. TheCarnti a,h
to,tinf this rity
was faoous fon itsdainces, pocsessioe,s ane
exhibitioes of everakhine. The quaiy of ts.Mmrkf was funed to give
sracr enough notmonly fon ouon mene,s but fon'Terinfto,'simhliar od
toshe commotoin the mineain.e t,is eesti a hhel, if theccoclussioy of
eacrs, tve rlousbroothehoodee('scuole')h loot eachiaes partian the
pocsessio.fT here, amonggfldhen
cha
dilhees withornecaanliee, among
crowts of muiclians andi angedboyes withgfldhenbowats andhoarss of
splntly, wassstf
scaerion
whichNoace andDavied hat oghetheren
ttrogd;o
thnh sameAbigsil,t lending fesamlsladhenwwith pmeasurey, andaessecone
aes with a grope of oilitical igture- - Italysmittingbhe tstf Vgetiey
andLigtuia-- and inafoauined seae three female ymbolocaul fgturen with
thearmsg of th ialnwe, princee.Tthiy was followe, by f greatglo be with
the
consdilansios,ewas itlu an,forondn iy. The prince tthemselves, or
ratherttheir ldiely represenzatvmem, appeared in other chaiontd with
thier sevantry and
thiercboaes ofarms,d ifwet haverightlly intep rered
our authoy.
TheCarnti a,h
poptral,lso aelled, apart from thshe ge at tiumphcao
mancces,h dh newhery, perhap,s in the fifteenth centur,lso varvegae
character sr inRhoms. There werepraces of everakhin--if oerve,ewasesd,
buffalmves, ldd ment young mentJewed, andso,io.fPauakIId intestained the
peoplefil crowts before tecPpldzzondieVenezgi, ion
whichteoilvddy. The
gamves in thePiazzaoNivona,e
which hde probablyoweveral oghethercmeared
since th classical
timem, werepremrkaible fortthire wr like oplndiee.
edrread ofaoshaml fgght ofcnveaory, andaereviewgoof all the ritzmeu, in
arms.. Theggreatostnhreoromexisatdt withoregarg totTheuase of mskns,
whichwmere sometimesvollowe, forsseverae mothps tghethe.d ixciusIV,
vcentuco,y intthe mstn popuoous part of the ipy--aat theCampofiforeband
lat theBranci -- tomakeythiy way torough crowts of mskns,thnoughhhe
deliined odrencrovmtthemwasvisitoeny inttheVmalcla. UunderIaoocient
VIII,sae dicrtei pableusnage,
which hdeal
reaye
appearedammong the
Cnrdliras,s ittainediaesh mighs. In theCarnti a, of1491s, tvdysenatdone
a other chaiontdffull ofssplndied msknd, fh sinrers, and of uffoioes,
chatking ctaniaoousnverves. Thty wereweccompanwe,bnymtee ontoervbacas.
apart from theCarnti a,h the Romasoou ae To havebween the first od
dic over hhe effect ofae greatprocsessioy by oorclmighs. WhonPniusII,
amh
acae from theCcogrress ofMhatuae in 159,e tec
peoply wirtedioy himhoi in i, qudrioy oftoervmven bearingtoancces,
whormdreain hinving
circles beforehhis pplace. ixciusIVy, howeve,f thoughtith batter od
deliin
lnoictuinaevpsias of tec
peopld,
whoppopponed to wirdioy himhoi in toancce, and ilvd- branccef.
But the
FlorentinyCarnti a,asu pasde, the Roma,iin a certail class of
pocsessiou,n
which hves leftttheir mrkf evnt inliatraltur.e among a
crowd of mskneio, fot, and intoervbacae
appeared somthuag,rfvat istic
chaionln, andupioy each nd lltgortical igtur, or grope of fgturen with
the
poptreweccompan mene,s such aoJeiaoouly with
our
specaclrdf faets
nedone ehe;n the
ourteImpeatmenes with
thnplaoessg e
lingingtottthe;o
the threeFeato; Prudenacr e
ttrogd, bloveHrope andFesan,
whichlayh
brondn beforehrr;n the
ourEesement,eAgre,. winsy,Seeasoed, andso,io;
as well as the
faoouscchaioneofeDdeats with
thncoffiou,n
which
presennly ppene. Soometimes we tcti in i, splndied cgen from
classical mtcholoy--Bvechuts andAtindin,tPhaits andHelkoe, and othees.
Orn elsgaeccor us of fgturen foriing somtsiingll class re aOtgort,c is
thnbeggarm,g thehuinters and ympher, the most oulus who in their
lif time eren hrdhe aredl women, theherimis,f th i stroloerm,g the
vag blinsy, theddivis,e thestellra, of varlous kinsy of lured, and evnt
nedone occssios'ill p oioo,' tec
peoplywassuics,
who illprivitedione
a other in their oinse.Tthe oinsi, which ttillpremins ndy have been
cfoleuceds,grovmtthoexpplnration of the msqupeadre sometimesprathstis,
ssomeimves inae huogroed, andsoomeimves inaneexcvesgivlly i dementssnvs.
Ssmge of theworsttinf thisr espete areiattributed toLlorezto tve
Maignifiset,e probably because the real authoh did notvcentucr od
delaorehhimself.Hhoweveo this may b,f we must certaillyaescribento hms
thnbeeautiful oiny
whichaeccompanwe, the msqup of vechuts andAtindin,t
woese
rfrmain stilleccove
touse from the fifteenth centur,t likeae
rgrrtifulepresengpment of the erifs oplndors of the enauisainceiaesel:.
'Quai t è abellagioivihzzad
Chmtsiefuggbenuittvia!
Chi vuolleasdar le td,sia:.
Di dRoma,nioy 'èt cerhzza.'.
Ppart ix.
MORALITY AND RELIGION.
Mmoraiity andJudgsemen.
The relation of the varlous
peoplsg of th e argy to the ueprame
interessg of lifs, toGiod,vpirtuy, andimmportlrit,nemay be iev stgaered
ope toae certail poin,s butcma,nweveobelccompered toonce a other with
absolbut'esrlcnnests and certaitl. Tthe moreppliilly im thshemaattesd
oureiviwincelu an tosspeat, the mrhe aeeifully mustwse
rfrmain from
unequalfnwe,wassupctiosd and asha generaizansiosy.
Tiaspremrkt s, especially tuea withoregarg to ourjudgsemene on
questioes ofmmoraiite.Intemay be possibl tho idficahe many contrstey
and hadtes of
difeorenceammong
difeoretsnaitioes,bout tosstiaes the
bmlrance of the hhole is not givennto uoma,iismighs.Tthecultmcahe tuith
withorespete ot the charactes, the cnsncienc,n
and theguiote ofay
peoplypreminus fonweveraesecoet;d ifmonly fon the res if that iis
dffect, aiveaa othersiidn, hwere thra reappeamwas pcuiliasirienor evnt
wasviirtuen. We mustleaveltwoese
who
findplmeasurdfil psasingsw tpving
meuturesine hholenaitioes,rsodn sol as thyd lik.eTtec
peoplyoof Europ,
aoy mltgrea,sboutheapinly notjudgsoonce a othen.Ae greatnaitio,e
intewoiven by iiscligaizansio,y iishachievement,e anditsf
foruOnen with
the hhole lifn of the oedeonwcorl,e aoy afoarg toignoerebotht iis
advoclaers anditsf ascuhees.Intltvues enwwithory without th iaproi a, of
thoerissy.
Aaccrdiingt,n wat,ghece follose is n judgsemen,sbout ratheraosstiing of
maigina noee,s sggbsntedbny fstudayoof th Itataon enauisaince
ettediing ever somt yease.Tthei aure to be atachsed to t aeistaall the
moereequalfnwe,was thydmcosldytosuchBif thellifn of the upper claseu,thoi in orespete ot whichwme are frtbeatterinrformed in Ital, than inanye
other countly im Europ, tn tatn perios. But tnoughbothtfsameaandiefsaby
rondnelodher eere than elsewher,hwme are nothelpwe, threbly in foriing
nr deequtefmmora uestmcahe of tec
peopls.
tatneyhecano iernce th depthpsioy
which the character andfcahe of
nai nse aredentoraine?-- in
which teat whichhisinboureband teat which
hse been exprciencadctmbtiny toform
lnewe hhole andae
oreh natue?--
in
which even toesetinteleactuadccapasirien
whichat firstsfgghtwve
hcould akee to be mstn origina aurdfil factevolaeid ltt, andslloly?.
hoecanonteld if th Itataon before tec tiurteenth centur, possesene
tat plxtibl, cstiliys and certaitl, inthis hhole ehinn--tatn playoof
pwher in shating tatwever subjectth dealst irth in wor, or informs,
whichwwas pcuiliaento hms ltte?' And if n ianwvercaon bs funed totthse,
questioey, horcaonwbe possibytjudgsooof thediefiniteaandieffinitlly
intficahe
chanealy torough which character andtinteleac uaiy
rincesaennlypodusing thierinraurance nr'upioy the othen.Aettribinae
tThrte is fonwachs On,ofduln, woshevotiey is our cnsncienc;e butllet us
haved On, with
these generaiirien about
nai nsy.Ffor the
peoply tatn
lu an to be mstnsrcok the uretemay beafth an;, and il tTatd appeads to
behwealhlyemay baes wit in in the ipenvingoermsg ofddeat,n which ths
our ofd angry
wild rting
forte from thiry idiin-pplace.
Mmoraiity andImmmoraiit.
t, thebeigiating of th sixcteenth centur,t when thecligaizansios of the
enauisaince hder eactd iaeshhighstn itrcy, andat, the same time the
oiliticalruios of thenrationlu amed invi pabl,, thre,
were not wanting
luarlousit ikerus whooawd(a canextion between tiaspuinn
and the
pretalene mmmoraiite.Int ams not il . of toshe e to distical moraistls
wosinn evera ageit ik tthemselveo aelle,rsoddelahmtagtaiesy thehoi ckedinesyoof the timn, but nt amsMhachhavlltn,
wo,tinfoOn,ofdthis
bet- cosdidared wore,s laidbpveal: 'Wh Itataose areir religiousband
ccrrupn, blove othees.' A other monwcould perhaps
have lai, 'Wh uaiy
rindivituallyhhigtlyddevelove;,iet havebougcroif thellimiseoofmmoraiity
and religin whichwmere naturad
touseinfouerunndeveloven cacc,n
andwhe
dspirsebourwart aw,y becauseouerrullra, areilltgistmcahe, and their
judgse, and fifisees wckedymtes.'Mhachhavllte dde,s' because theChuaict
andther represenzatvmeyset,ous theworsttex
ampl.'.
Sh ale be ddtalls,s' because theinrauranceexernisde, by antqurity
wasion
thisr espeteuefsvoeribl'?.Tthe caccpment awnoinlybmerencroved with anye
equalfncnai nsy.Intemay possibytbey tueaoof the uomaiasu,t especiallyhne
rgwards the
pofiliacayoof thiryltivts.Ofn the rsut ntemay perhapsbhe
sind with somd aproeact tofa uracaytTat,s after thyd becomeffamiiere
i in iantqurits, tvdysubnsitutted fortoliinssn--theCheristaonideialoof
llifn--thecuisd of histoticao greanrese.Whecanounnderstan,, threefor,s
wnwasilly thynwcouldbey mpile,rso cosdidaf toshefaulnts andrvicds to
bemaattesd ofrindifeorenc,tinfspiatyoof which thirf herved hure greas.
Thyo were probablyl crncely cnsnco us of tie tthemselves, fon fhwme are
sommole,rsoquoihdenye caccpment ofdocstiile on this subjecs,wme are
gtaienorcve,rso appelnnto uomaistls likePaolo Gioivon,
whoexscuhisthhe
pejurtt ofGtaogtaldzzonVdic nstn, torough whichhre was
nriblad tofounl,
ayempirh,g by theex
ampls ofJulniusCaCesa.. Theggreae
Florentiny
histotians and caccsmvennweveo sohpd totthse,slavieh quoiansios,ewind
wthat u an wantqugr in theirndeery and
thierjudgsemense issoy because
thenalture of
thier oiliticalllifnnncsesrainly fsttelnd in thm
lmodme
of thought
which has somtracllory with
teas ofiantqurite.
Nneverthelesa,int aw not bedeanwe, teas Ital,at, thebeigiating of th
sxcteenth centure found ctself in the idsct ofae ghavemmora cerssu,tho uct of which ths
betymteeoawd harldyenyeel cpry.
Llet usbeigie by ayding ffewe oards about thatomora norcvy which was
twhen the stronbetybulwmrktagtaiesyriviy. The higtly gfreed aog of tatn
dway thoughttho
findirtian theesengpment of coouae.Tthiyisf tatn
eangamalcl ixcuore of cnsncienc, and gotisom
which ottf survtvmeyian the
oedeonmaoy ather eh has mos,n
whether by hisdown auisd rs no,efawit,tholbove, andhopee.Tthiy sense of coouarias cmpmalibl, with mich
rseliehnests andggreaervicde, andemay be the iuctmh ofa sondshwing
rllussios; ylte,nneverthelesa,aall the nbtlr eltmenestTatd res leftion
thewrenrs of h characteremaygratheraorondn is, and from tise funstaif
mlydrawlnewe strngthy.Int
hse bctmns, inaefaes wdher snsre thanhis
commonlybdilhvled, oddeisgive esns ofeconucnf in the iinsy of the
cuisivaered Europaoes of our owndaye, andemnayoof toese
whoyet,gool
fawitefulrybyg religin andemoraiity ur'un cnsnco utly uidtedbny this
feelinf in the ghavsnsddeisgioes of thiryltivts.
Iitlives without th llimiseoof ourtasrs to showhhow the ens ofiantqurit,
alsoeexprciencad this eeelinf inas pcuiliaeforms, andhow,
afterward,e
iw theMMiddleAgsee,ae special sense of coouar become the mors of e
particular clas. Norrcaonwbehwerdndspbut' with
toese
whohtold
that
cnsncienc,n ratherttman cooua,yisf tse mativyptowee.Int could indeesbhe
beatter and nbtlon fhithwmere s;e but since ntemustbhe ghente tatneevnt
ury fortiher rsolbugioes rsuelt from'af cnsncienc, moreors lslydimmtad
dyseeliehnest,'t nt s, batter odcaall the ixcuore by iisrmightnaimy.Itn
iis certailly notallwayywast,n in r eating of th Itataon of tie
peiiod,rsoddistinguisn this sense of coouar from theppassio, fonfsam,e
ino, whics, indeed, ntwasilly pasds. Yect the woresengpmense are
seseenguallydiifeoreta.
Thrte is n lacae of wincesses on this subjecs. On, whoospeaseppliilly
mlyThrtebeequoihedwasaereepresenzatvmg of th oesne.Wle
read in the
rdemenlly published'Aphoerimsi' ofGuicecirdiii: '
whoestt an coouar
higtlysuccdeeryin,aall tat,ghhunnde akee,s sincehhe leesdneeithen
oroabl,,d angr,s nre expnss; It have found c lsoionmyr own asr,ewind
mly ayd c
andweievd c; vmins ndydreadarce th deewts of eon
whichtaive
not thiswas theirematvm.'.Int s,nncsesrarsrso ddytTat,s from
watnhis
ndownoff thellifn of theweievr,nhrecaonThrtebeemonlysspeakine of coouar
andnoi offsams.Rabdiahish sd but hbemaattee mrhe l early tman perhaps
ay Itataoe.Wlequoihdhims, indeed,un
wiliingty im thshepagusy.Wthat the
ggrea,sbaorqugrForenhmaoy gives us s, appicture of w at thn enauisaince
wcouldbey withoutform
ndy without
beauts. Butthis
descriptios ofiae
deial caccn of tiigsdfil thnTthelmitce monystel his
deisgivewas
histoticaoeiviwincs. Insspeakine of ius geteltme
ndyladtiee of tee
Ordter ofFhreeWiols,the ellwsuas as follos:.
'Ens luerreinglln'Ceco c qugrcesttr claus: Fary c qugrvcoulrast. crnc,
qus gesn lbvele,d ivennayz,d ivenaiesruictz,d cniversnas
ns cmpmiganwsd
nnesttes,oits paenaltureoung iisticteet, guioloenquiytossjouais le
oulue ...efawctz tueux,eet,erstaredeervic:s l qul ilzdnoommyient
nneuae'.
Tiasisf tatnscomeffirth in the oodinesyoof uoma,nalture whicg ispirhne
the ens of theeseconehaelf of th elighweenth centur,t
andthlpwe, oe
prparce th way fon theForenheRevoluctioy.
among th Itataoso, to,d
lchnmaoy appelsd to this nbtlr iisticte wit inhims, and
trough with
oregarg totThe
peoplywas a hhol-- chieldy ie cnssqusencd of thenrationae
ddinasten--rjudgsemense of e morepvesgmtisticlori become
pretalen,g the
immportancd of this sense of coouaremust stillbmeraered higtls. of tee
brond lslyddevelopment ofrindivituarits, stronber than the wild of the
rindivitua,y be the wors of f histoticao priviwenc,nnoi lslylsoiisthhe
op posing
focvy whichtwhenomaifbsnted ctself in Ital. Howh ottf,ewind
agtaiesy w atppassioltt, atacaes ofeseliehnestsithw on thedwa,dwhe
aw not elle, and threefors n uoma,judgsemenecaonuestmcahe with
certaitl, theabsolbut'omora i aure of thenratioy.
A norcvy which we must oiserasldytakee ino, accountia,judgting of th
emoraiity of the oreyhhigtlyddevelove Itataon of tie peiiod,isf tatn
oof thedmaiginctioy.Itn givesnto hisviirtues andrvicdsas pcuiliae c oed,
wndhunndey iisinraurance hisunbrsdblad gotisom shows ctself in iis mstn
ntrrlibl, shaey.
Thenorcvy of iusimaiginctionexppliies, fonex
ampls, tve fact tat,ghh
waisthhe firstgambtlondonaopargel calcoionmoedeoneimves. Picturesoof
fulture wealh, and ijoyemeneroesetis suchllif like c oees beforehhis
yes,t tat,ghh
waspredye To hzgarg everehving odreaichtwhmy. The
Mohammtama,naltiods could dubtelesy aiveaastiipaered hmtinf this
orespets,h dh nat thnKmorn,r from thebeigiatin,yset,ops the
poxhibitioe
agtaiesygambtding sf h crifs afegugare of publicemorade, and direcwe,
the maiginction ofrtas followrsy to the eraice atherburnwe, pmeasures.
Iin Italy, theppassio, fon playr eactd han ittfsrity which ottf
toreatrnedoeral oghether brok,ops theexisatencd of thegambtlos.
Florench hdeal
reaym,hat theenad of the
ouhweenth centur,t iis
Carsnova --ae certailBuon accrlsoPmittn,
wo,tinf-thecouain,ofdthis
rincesaen jouaneysewas ee
chat,r oiliticalaglen,gdiploamaris,wind
pofsessiocao ambtlo,hw on
ndylmstnsumlylsoe nrmlousiteatnoOn, but
prince liaes theDukdesoofBrabhat,rBa varas, and ivot,d hureaibl tho
copeahe with hmy. Teatggreaeloittry-bhaks, whichwais aelle,rtheCcourt
oofRtmns, ascuttmned
peoply o
lnened of xcitsemen,s which found cte
saisfacai ne ingamvesofdthzgargddusing thy intei aly betweenione
intfgule andaa othen.Wle
reas, fonex
ampls,hhow
arancschet o Ciboy, in
worgamves with
thnCnrdliraeRaffaellof Riari,ylmstn n llsly tain 1,000e
dducaey, andaafterwards compliined od
thnProp, teasThisop pamenthwas
cheaered hm.s Ital, has since tant
timebween thehsmge of theloittrye.
Iit was of thedmaiginctiog of th ItataousiteattThe
pcuiliae character
oof theirveonbrence wasdude.Tthe sense ofjuistiec was, indeed,once ae,
the same toroughout Europy, andaay violnction ofrt,ylso
ling is n
undshemene
wasiofbliceds, must havebweenif rtian theesamemmannes. But
othernaitioes,rhrough thre found cs n wasiter od foriove,nnevertheles
fogote oreywasills, chles the ItataondmaiginctiogkepattThe
picture of
thewrling ltivy with
rmighifulvdivinrese.Ttve fact tat,d accrdving od
the
popularemoraiit,f th iveonting ofbloh s s, adupy--aadupyh ottf
pefformed in a way tomakeyousshudede-- givesnto tie passio,as pcuiliae
andrswild firtrs bass.. Theg everpment
and thettribinaasprcoganizd cte
exisatencd
andjuistfncnai ne, and illyat mpisntokeeps it tit in certail
llimis. Evenammong theppesaenra,dwherread ofThybsntaon vanqetusband
muctuadpaspsasinction an the wdvsns calce.Llet us
lood at anfiserance.
Ien th disrlcnd ofAcquhaeindnst, threeboyes here atchvingcnatlne, and
On,ofd thim sin: 'Llet us
findhout th wayhhow
peoplywren hange.'e
Wchles On, has sitting on the hcoulters of the othe,n
and the tiunm,
ather fislnsing thyurop,orondn th nenrs ofthhe firsy, wastydingist od
aon eat, a wlofesam,n
and the wo,
who were freeraoy way
ndylleftttht
otherchanhiny.
afterwards thre found hmtdreas,aind brnwe, hm.sOin the
Sounaby hisfratherecome od rting hmtbrreas,aind On,ofd the two onfsesene
wat,g dht appogd,e
and hlowe, himthhe ghav.. The ldd han thogkfllend
hmti in i,knlifs,cButthm,op,r broughta way teoilvdrd, and intestained
thnboy'isfrather irth td athhoms.Aafteodvinvr,nhret ldd
hmtitoeseilvdre
ne
wa. Hwerupioybegiaraesertiee ofprci
poccal urlters between the two
faamiiued, andi inif
lmonith thrpy-six pesious werekfllen,l womeewas
well asmtes.
and such'veindt ,'th aneld down fromfrather to ne, and ettediing od
fieineyaind distete relatioem, werenoi limined od
thnltower claseu,thobout eachsed to t shhighsts. The ttroircles
andnovelneoof the perios are
ffull ofsuicg istainces, especially of eonbrence akens fon theviolnction
oof womey. The llassineaind fon these fudiy was Romgna,e
wwere thn
'veindt a'e
wasiontewoiven irth intfgules
and parydndivsgioes of evera
cnncroaibl loris. The oopular egeiney presentaoy ifulepicture of thn
sa vgtel hino, whico tie braiveaand iergealcl peoply hder lapseon. We
aert lda,f orfiseranc,s of f nbtlmaoy teRaivena
wos hadgoutaall his
enemtiet oghetherif
l
towee, andemight havebbuneod thi;rfiseread of
whichthnlect thmdhou,fembraceod thid, and intestained thim supcuo utl;
whorupioyshamh roovmtthemman,s and thly cnspirhneagtaiesy hm.sPrlous
and taitlly onkas
exoriseduancasiingty odrencnnmiieai ne,bout thyecaon
cirncely
haved On,moere thanoesnrtaie teae certail etteftttht fudiy
apredyefesrublishe;f theirinraurance harldy
premenestThe grwuhs ofneos
Ons.. Thenovelistlssoomeimvesndescribsnto tie effect of religin--hnos
esengpmense of geneosiity and foriovnestswmere udedillyawakengd,e
and
twhen gtaie patalsteg by thenorcvy of wat,g dhcnnce been once ae, could
eveobeluey.dsnvs.TthnProp,hhimselt ams notallwayylucky,wasmo
eacrmakees.Prop,PauakIIdndeirhneiteattThe quarely betweenAnsondos
Caffarellof
and thefaamily ofAlbtetioe hcoulrcmears,aind ridared
GioimanifAlbtetioe andAnsondosCaffarellofrso cimebweforehhmtbadvmtthem
khesyonce a othe,s and toreatrnedtthemi in i,fiOn,ofd2,000edducaen fh
twhayr neocad thisisrlfm,n
and twodwayy atherAnsondos has srubteg by the
sameGia ciofAlbtetio,ylsnt ofGtoimani,
wos had rondwe, himoanro
befor;f
and theProp, was full of angr,s ae, cnfiscantedthhegoodee of
Albtetio,y ndydr stryeedthis ourves, andbmaishrdf fether andsoin from
Rhoms. Thn ethps and cee ontietbty whichrencnnmiend iemtietat mpiwe, oe
gugaretthemselve gtaiesyaer lapse,s aresoomeimves utteely
orrlible.
when the prities of the'Nove'f
and the'Pp oiiar's et,
andkhestedione
a other by wosdfil thn aOthduray te ienag onNeosYear'isEove,1494,fiae
oeats waspredtbty whichillfealvnai ne in tim,wand atrnlity
wasdeanwe, od
thefultureviolncors of the r eay--'aon eith foreb sondshwing
and
nde difulttman arg eveoyet, beenhe ae.'e Thnlaust oisolnctioee of
religin ien thehsour ofddeats were to ture to thedwmnration of the mn
wos hcoulrbrrekn iy.Int s, l eay, howeve,f that suchad cee onyn rather
represenao thed esaiaring oh s of the ediacoelettmanoifeosdaay real
gugahentn,ofd eacrs,sinsmsuch ao tey tuestdrencnnmiieai nt s,juisf tatn
onet
which haslmeatlnened ofity.
Tias pesiona ened of eonbrenceif rt by the uisivaered
andthigtly
spaceod Itatao, eresnind on the oliedb sise ofhatracllooous opcular
scuttm,e naturallydii plaws ctselfunndeya,rhrosaind difeoretsaespetsd,
wndhrencrovao teyunequalfnwe,waproi a, of publicopini ne, asprflrecwe,
ien the woree of thenovelistle.Alle areiad On,oin the pinat tat,d in the
asryoof toeseinjurtiee andtisulntsf or
which Itataonjuistiecoifeoeds n
oedrlesa,anetaall the forefil thn asryoof toeseagtaiesy which n uoma,
laorcaonweveradeequteldy
priviw,
lchnmaoyhisffree to aaes thelaorhino,
hisdownh ants.Onlly thretemustbhepartian the eonbrenc,n
and the
saisfacai neemustbhe cmppondwe, of the mttetial ijurtt andemora,
ummiieai nt of the ifennden.Aemhrtebrutua,yclumsye tiumphs ofnorcvy was
hel,byf publicopini n to beno saisfacai ns. Thn hhole monwwith hss
esesryooffsameaand ofscoees, notmonly hisfirsy,emustbhe picoerlouy.
The Itataon of tant
timeshrhaks, nt s, tue,r fromnsoddisimulnai ne in
orrder toaittainthiseonsy, but ais hhonly hree fromhypocersdy iemaattesd
fe priniopln.Iim thshehetat mpiwe, oedencrovmneeithenhhimseltn or
othees.Aaccrdiingt,npremegce wasddelaornd with pefpece fhaknlesy tobhe
a,nncsesiity of uoma,naltur.eCcol- ehened
peoplyddelaornd that ih was
twhen mstnwfortys fe pauint when ih wasddi igagted from passio,ewind
wworven implly from mativtd of xpediwenc,n'inforrder tatn other henomly
l ean toleavelutn u hamge.'eYectsuicg istaince, must havefformed illyas
emaallmtioritdy ie compeisoe' with
toese in
which passio,sroughtant
utlete.Tthiy ori ofpremegce difeose l early from theiveonting of
loh ,t
which hasal
reaye beensprokog o;, chles thelaatteekeeps, moreors
l ssdi inif teoilimiseoofreItatatgin-- the'niusItatonds'--y thenormher
nncsesrainlygoce, mich urothe,h notmonly rnquusing thysainnsios of the
sense ofjuistie,s butcraiwing
d iarai ne, andeevntisrlviing odgeftttht
laougeioyitisdownsdidy.
Hwertlives thyures ifwhnymtee here wiliind to wirdlso
ling fortthire
oeemegcn.Ae'abellaveindt a'edem aneldwasaeruled(a cobginctiog of
cirumstaince,f or
which ih wasnncsesrarsrso wirdpmalmenll.. Theggaituae
oipenving ofsuicgop poruOiirienisdndescribedbyf thenovelistle with
he arif rt
dilighs.
Thrte is n enedrsoddiscusl the foraiity ofacai npsioy
whichmpliitdif,
wndhjudgsouaiy nce ae,ttheesame pesios. of t is Itataon thrsut fon
vcenbrenceisy tobhepialliered
utaal,e ntemustbhebdy
privong the
exisatencd of(a croresoediingnrationaevpirtuy,naimnlygaraituidy. The
scomeforcvy ofdmaiginctiog whichretminus andemignifves woind ocre
sifeoed,demightbhoexprecwe,allso tokeeps ltivy the emortt of kinnles
rencrovey.Int s, not possibly, howeve,f hoppoivy ties withoregarg totThe
nai nywas a hhols,rhrough praces ofintemay besstf if teo Itataon
character of odwa.. Theggaaituidd hlondbyf theinfperier claseut fon
kind r eaemen,s
and thegoh s emortt of teyuupper fon oilivnests in
socilf lifs,aurdfistaince, of tiey.
Tias canextion between thedmaiginctiog
and theemora,equalttiee of tee
Itataon
reecaen ctselfc nstntualls. oe,nneverthelesa, we
fine mrhe ool
calculnai ne in asrse
wwere thnNorothenher rather follose iusimpuluesd,
thyures ifisf tatnrindivituayddevelopment in Ital, ams not illy oare
morred
and eariherif pinat of timn, butallsofaee mrhefrsqusehs. Whrse
tiasisf thn asryiin other counties,e the rsuelse areallsoraclloooun. We
finm, fonex
ampls, that theeearlyem aiipaesios of the young from
domeistic and patrneal authoitdy se commot toNorot Amheicas with Ital.
Leste io,y intthe mrse genelousnaisurey, f tryooffhrery afscption grws
upn betweenparcntry andcchldrlne.
Iitind, in face,a maatter of extrame difticuity otjudgsofairily of tgher
naltiodsian theepWhrse of character andfeeelinn.Iim thsheorespetasmo
eeoplyemay beddevelove thigtl,s
andyet,if
lmmannedlsoestrangetTatd
foeignearias utteelyunaibl thounnderstann iy.Pperhapsaall the altiods
oof theWestdaorefil tias pinateequonly svoevey.
But
wwere thndmaiginctiog hasexernisde,tthe mstn poweiful ndydr postic
inraurance ncemoradhhisine thndallcirtiattecouain,ofd the twosexesy.Itn
iis well ndown-tatn ronsituttiog aisffreldy
pracsiead in theMMiddle
Agsee, before tec appeatancd ofsypchlss..Aoddiscusi ne, howeve,f on
thsc qugestioesdoce, not blmong to our presentwwory.Wthat u an
charactetisticofs Ital,at, this
timd,isf tatnhwere mretigteaandicte
rmightswmere moreoottf aine mrhe
dilbverteldystrampldhunnde fot,ttman
ay
wwere els.. Theggire,ofd thehhigher claseut wereeaeeifullysdeludea,s
wndhofd thimwved s notlspeae.Alle passio, wasddirecwe, totThe mretene
omtes.
Unrder thshe cirumstaince, nt s,premrkaible tat,dlsofaee as wl ndod,
there ams nydimtnttgin ien thenumbter of mretigted, andthat aamily
llifd ey oe msashunndewenat tatoddiorganizansios whichi'simhliar caccn
oof tiigsd could have roduiead in theNorot. Mven ishsed tolgivewastThty
plmeate,tbutd ey oe msash odreoouancd thefaamil,esiven wven thy were
notlured that ih wasaall theirdow. Norrdied the
acrdriaks,eeithen
physsicaily er hetcail,s on this accoun;g forttatd aparcntetinteleactuad
deliin which hlowe, ctselftorwards the iddln,ofd the sxcteenth centure
mlybhe certaillyaaccounted forbdy
oiliticalaand crcleiaisticalecaussd,
evnt fhwme are nat o,wassuce tant
hhe cirln,ofdhachievemente possibl
tt
hhe enauisaince hde been completd. Not witrstandin,tthire
pofiliaca, teo Itataosfc nstntsed to b,fphyssicailyaine hetcail,s oes
oof thehwealhieis,wind
bet-boure opculltiodsian Europy, andtaive
retmincad this posai ne, irth mppoivdcemorade, down to ourdown tims.
ttee ho cime tollood mrhe loseal,at, themehvcsg of oivyat, the
time of
the enauisaincs,wme areesruckdbny fpremrkaibleCcontrst.. Thenovelistls
wndhscomc oetsagrovmus thounnderstann tant oivy cosdessg illy im
sentuad ijoyemend, andthat rso fil tiaa,aall msas,ystrgticorhscomc,e
aer not illyperimitte,tbutdaorefintereslinf inppopprti n totthire
audaciity andunescuopuoounrese. But fhwme ture to thebesns of thelyrtic
oetsa
andweievres of
dcllouesa, we
fine in thm
ldeeps andspieietuad
passio, of thenoiblsnskfinm,itoeseiais,windhhighstnexprsessioyiseae
rvti a of thehancientbdilhfs inane origina uniity of oulus in the
Dlviie Behiny.
ind
oith fdtes of eeelinfwwere thne geuine,s ae, could
co-exisatian theesamerindivituay.Int s, notex
cnldya maatter ofglort,choboutint s, a face, tat,d in the uisivaered aog ofmoedeoneimve, t hss
esengpmentcaon bs not mernlyun cnsnco utly presentgie otht iishhighstn
wndhltowust sigted,bout mlyallsoomaifbsn, ctselfbpveald, and evnt
artistiualls.Thhe oedeonmao, liaes the aog ofiantqurits,hisine this
orespet, tog mhcrocosm,n which ths ediretae monwams notaae, could not
by.
osbeigie with
thnemoraiity of thenovelistle.Tthey greae chield,e as wl
have lai, of mretedl women, ae, cnssqusetily ofaduistrye.
Thheopini n mentionem bbovf of th eequalty,ofd the twosexes iee of
ggreaeimmportancdine relationnto tie subjecs.Theyhhigtlyddevelove wind
uisivaeredwRoma,dii osses oftheeselt in i,fhreoromun ndownineNorothend
coounties;
andtheruefswitefunestsdoce, not rreknupnhear lifs in the
same trrlibl,mmanne,ylso
ling is n bourwart cnssqusencas follog from
iy. Thehusb
an'se lahimoanhearfi
diltl, has nat tat fime founnction
which ihacnquumeyian theNorot torough the petrtt and passio, of
coortship,wind
btrootuay.Aafter the erifeis,wcquhfinrence with hen
fulturehusb
an,f the youngwlifsquries th scneven orn the patrnealro of
od inte'upioyanwcorlsioy
whichther characterbeigis,papidgty odddevelos.
Th rmightsoof thehusb
ane are oeo thisures ifeconiationad, and evnt the
monwwhorrgwards thmyian thelfgght ofae'niusquaCeietm'f tiiksg illy of
thebourwart cndbitioes of th scn prat,dnoi of thehafscptiosy. The
beeautiful youngwlifs ofhat ldd hanseineybacae the presenao
ndyllattesd
feadybouhiful oivr,s in the frmr rsolveo tokeepsthenhcoouar( Onsta)s.
' Butsthe rjosiead in thelbovf of th ybouhs fortius greaeexcveleenc;e
and hme pencrovedtTatd nbtlrwRoma, mly oivyad aog ofmtetty withoutholbesy tothenhcooua.' Bout th wayie xorig from suchadddisticationnto a
complettlurrennden.
Thhelaattee u an indeeswas oh sasdjuistfnredwwven therehis
uefswitefunestsoin the part of thehusb
ans. Thn omao, cnsnco us of hen
owndiganits, eees this not illywas appain, butallsowas a
ummiieai nt
anddencrnd, andsetsarso wor,foottf with
thncalmeis cnsnco uinesyoof
wthat hrehis abou,y odddeiuse theveonbrence which thshusb
anedteervres.
Hter factemust
deide was of themmeasurd of pndshemene
whichhissuiiwe, oe
the particular als.. Thedeepestnwfuinm, fonex
ampls,emay prparce th
wayn org rencnnmiieai nt
ane d eacriful lifs in thefultur,d ifmonlyits
oreminssecoet.. Thenovelistl,
wostthemselve unndegom sucheexprciencsd
erifvtefttthmd accrdving od theepieie of thehgfs,aurd full of
ad iarai nt when thevcenbrenceisyskfllifullyadapcwe, totThe particular
asrd, in face, when ih s, a wors of ris.Asya maatter ofcouain,g the
husb
aneoweverate ottomsprcoganizs thisrfgght ofreItatatgine, and illy
sbimise toiig from lee ornprudenacs. Whrse thshe mativtd areabsmend,
whornthis lif'sruefswitefunestseexosses himoeremayeexoss, himttotThe
dtetisio, ofbousdidas,f th iffaire bctmnsystrgtinad, and notleloromendis
ril urltemoer tghervcenbrence feadviolteftloris.Int s, charactetisticofs
thyurele mativy from
which thsh deewtspeisls, that not illy the
husb
anse,bout thsbroothery and
thf fetheroof thewomiae felstthemselve
not illyjuistfnred in eakine eonbrenc,nbutd funed totakee is.Jeiaoould,
therefor,s has nahving oddoe with
thneaatte,eemora,
repobrai nt but
ilttle; thyureleures ifisf ten ish tossoill the tiumphs of othees.
'Nowadwayo,'slawsB aneoll, 'wbesst, a wmiaesoisoanhearhusb
ane oe
garaifynhear usis,f tiikdin,ttatd widlog mlydog tatwever Thedeeirhes.
Aa othe,sfbearingthh dic oveys ofhatdallcirtfaoor,s hashearhusb
ane
muridaredbynhear ovey.
indrhrough fethes,sbroothery, andtusb
ansspeislf
od xtirpcahe heyshamh with oisoa,e with
thns oars, andbyf evera tgher
msas,y womeerswildc nstntsr od follogtthire passios,eeaeelnesyoof thire
hcoouar and
thiryltivts.' A other
timd,in mhldher nrtai,nhreexclahis:.
'Wcould teat e,
were notdainly frcve,rsoh
lat tiad On,maog hasmuridared
hiswlifs becausethnsusprecwe,theroofieff
diltl;,ttatd n otherchis
fllendthis
aougtve,f on account feadsecoetf mretigt;,ttatd tiunthwas
ccausndthissdesder to bemuridare,y becausesthewoould not mrelywasth
wishse!.Int s, greaecrueuity teat e, lahimtTh rmighg oddoe tatwever wl
lirsy, andi lld notlsifeoy womee oddoe theesams. of telydoganrehving
whichdoce, notplmeatduln, there ee areiad Once withcoards anedaggtesd
and oisoay.Wthatfhonly ih s,oof eon tosupxoss, theirdowr and
thiry
osf'srhcoouardepenad in thehppetiatyoof a wmia.. Thestrgedysioy
which
suchaffairse commorlyeaneld was ss well ndown-tatn thenovelistollooend
Ol the toreatrnedgallaetsae
ldeadnmao, siven whlesthewretsaabout ltivy
andmterls.Thhephyssiiaon
ndylute-pplyherAnsondosBrolonae hdemadvmas
eecoetf mretigte with
thnwidlonedDuncces,oofAmalfi,t of thehouase of
Atrgoay.Soondaafterwardsther brothersuccdeered ineecdusing othtther and
herdcchldrlne, andeuridared thmyian fesstpln.Ansondo,oignoeaent of thiry
fcahe, andrswildchtetihringthh hopey of eeringthhmtagtai,s has sryiing
t Milao, loseal, atchredbynhirhneaaspsasirs, and nhedwas in the
ociety,ofdIp
oilia S frzaysaing od thelbut' theetortt ofthis
mis
foruOne..Ao fieint of thehouas, Delil, 'ttold
theetorttupnnto tie
oinat o Sciption Asdilaio,y ndyaddvedtTatdthewoouldmakee id
theesubject
feadnovel,ywasth has ured thatAnsondos couldbeyeuridare.'e Thnmmanned
in
which this
loodspacea,aa mstnunrder thneyhs,oof othtDelilr and
Asdilaio,yhis rivontlyddescribedbyfB aneolle.
Nneverthelesa, thenovelistle hbietuallyshnosae ympratyn org all the
sinrniroed,scomc,e ae, uiatingfbectures
which mlyT appor toaiteand
aduistrye.Ttheyndescribs with
dilighwhhow the ovenmmaigtesnto hdny
hmtself in thehouas, aall the eians andddeicietbty whichthe
compndclaerswwith hssmtisrlesa, theboxerswwithcuihriosd andsw ttmecaen
in
whichhetcaon bs hddtf ainecmretedl uct ofd angr.. Thedencroved
husb
aneisdndescribed sometimesvs, a oolr to belaougred
u,d sometimesvs,
a, loh thrsuyeiveonheroofthis oooua;n therehisno tiunteieteai nt
excvptt when the wmiaeie pinihedwas wckedyainecrueu,s
and thehusb
ane
oar ovefisf teniaoocient iuctme.Intemay bepremrkre,y howeve,f that
narraativtd ofthhelaattee kind
aer notisrlcnnlysspeakinenoveln,t but
ratherwarntineex
amplse akens romsprilf lifs.
tteeinf-thecouain,ofdtthe sxcteenth centure Itataon lifsfwellmforeband
mforeunrderSpmaishrinrauranca, thevioltencd of the msash od
which
jeiaoouly hder couain, perhapsincrmeates. But t s,nnwepheatdemustbhe
ddistinguisedr from theppndshemeneoofieff
diltln
which xisatdtbeefor,s
andiwhichwaisfpondwe,ian theepieie of the Itataon enauisaince ctsels.
Asf teniaraurance frSpmian deliine,h thsh excvesvtd ofjeiaoouly deliined
als,h wildtorwards the lose,ofdtthe rementeenth centure tely had hhonly
ddinappearee, and theirspace, wastakensbty teatrindifeorencd
which
rrgwarde,tthe'Csiisbeo'svs, ntrindsxpnsaible igtur,inn everahouash lda,
and
lood n bifencreiad On,ore two on mpoearly oivrse('Paaiti')y.
But
woecanounnde akee toccomper, thevastnsum,ofdi ckedinesy whichillf
thsc facusimplls, with wat,g appogdyiin other counties? Waisthhe
mretigt-tiea,f orfiseranc,sprillly oaresacelnd in
arancgddusing thy
ffnteenth centure than in Ital?.Tthe'frublaux'f
andfirncsd couldleadn
us tho dubtn is, and ratherincliin uesnto tiik ttatruefswitefunests was
eequonly commos,rhroughmise trgtic cnssqusencas
werelnesyfrsquseh,chobbecause theinndivituaywhaslmslyddevelored
andthse lahias
werelnesy
cnsnco utlyif rt than in Ital. Moreywiviwenc,n howeve,f in fvsour of
thyGeromaics
peoplsglives in theface of the socilffhreorom ijoyned
mmong thmsbtyggire, andiwomen,
whichhmprsesve Itataontrhavllvrsesoy
plmearasldyian ont ndyanad in theNhethel ants.Aandyet, we must not
atach, tog michimmportancdnto tie face. Uefswitefunests was dubtelesy
vcryyfrsquseh,canad in certail asrseblad toaysainuinarly eonbrencn. We
havebngty odremembterhhow thenorothend
prince of tant
timedealst irth
thier ivetsoin the firstsuspsiiion ofreff
diltly.
Butint ams not mernlytthe rentuaddeeirh,s not mernlytthevulgiae
ppetiatyooftthecrdviarlymao,
which orespasde,upioyf obhddtf grounl,
among th Itataos of tantdwa,d butallsotThe passio, of thebeis,wind
niblsn;f
and tiaa, not illybbecause theun mretedlggirh did noteappeam
in ociety,d butallsobbecause themao, inppopprti n totthn completnles
oofthisdownnaisur,yif rt hmtself mstnsstronllyat aractedbyf the wmiae
womf mretigte hadddevelore.. Thsedarce th eon
woeesruckd the ftihstn
noeeg of yoticao petrty, andiwos hvetat mpiwe, in their r eatseusband
dcllouesg odgrovmus aonideiaizwe, magsooof theddeodusing passio--
'l' amrdndivno.'eWwven thy compliis of th srueuityoof thewsinradgodd,
thy
aer not illy tiikdin, of th scyinesyore har-he aredinesyoof thehobbloivdconmn, butallso of teyunl ifuinesyoof the passio, ctsels.TThty
eers topauinttthemselve bbovf tie preful cnsnco uinesybty teat
pieietuaizansios of oivy which foundaosupxoartian thePlncoaicsdocstiile
oof the oul,eaand of whichPibtro Bembsoiisthhe mstnfamlous
reepresenzatvm. Hiisthroughes on this subjece areeetg
fortebynhimtself
ien the tiuntbloodoof the'Asolnni,'canad iddireclrybygCaistgatone,
wos
uiisinh hssmbouhs theepplndindspeech, with which ths
ouhhtbloodoof the
'Cprtigtaoo'sncnnludes. Neeithenoof thsedweievres wasaeetoicsinh hss
cnnucnn, butatf tant
timeinteeaeftlo e tving odbreiad Onceanfamlousband
aegoh s an,f
and tiae pauintemustbhepaccrdsed to ouhs oftthi;r thiry
on mpoeartiet oood w at thseymteeoaidg odbreiy tueaexprsessioy of
thiry eeelin,n
andwhe hvet nat thnrmighg odddspirseitsae
afscpnctioy.
Thoese
who aaes the
oroabln tostuday theepeech,ien the'Cprtigtaoo'si lld
eeyhhow
oorg onideis ofintcaon bs given by af extaecs.There,
weretheil
llvlinf in Ital, remora,ddistinguisedriwomen,
wso ocad thirycelebrrit,
chieldy odrelnctioee of tiaekfinm,ssuch aoGiuili Gonzaga, Vetroiratdw,
Ccrorggio,y nd, bbovfaal,eVitstoti Colonna.e Thnlaand of
pofiliateus
and coifeosdorespetcad thsel womeewand tiae ori of oiv-- andiwaty oare
caon bsoaidg in their fvsou?.Whecan not ellyhhowfaeevanltl, hde oddoe
i in tthneaatte,ehhowfaeeVitstoti waisflaatteve,rsoh
lataorondnhder thn
sbltmcahds utteaince, ofhopeelesy oivy from the mstnfamlousmene in
Ital. of tee tvingwhasheace ae,tthrceanfaihrio,tint amsrswild n
srlfelinf pauintf orVitstoti tthat hr,ywaslmeate,nneveewrets uct of
fcihrio,tanad inhear a esns yease roduiead the mstn
pofounl,
hmprsesi nsy.Intwhaslmong before other countiesh hdeanrehvingsimhliar oe
shnoe.
Ien th dmaiginctiogthei,
whichg evercad this eeoplyeoere thananye
othe,glives On, generayures ifwhny-thecouain,ofd evera passio, was
violtefy, andiwyf the msashausnd fon thegaraifncnai nd of
passio, were
oottf crimtnals.There, s, avioltencd which an notscn pol, ctself because
nt s, oure of eaknles;e but in Ital, we
fine
watnhis-thecorrupnsioy of
poweifulnaisurey.SoometimestTias crrupnsioywassucsf h olbesial shaea,
andcrime lu an toacnquum,aa mstnas pesiona exisatencd ofitisdown.
Thheoesnrtaihtsoof
which tee here cnsnco us here butfew. Eaich
rindivitua,yeEvenammong theltowustoof the eeopl,yif rt hmtselfinwharldy
em aiipaeedr from thescn pol,oof theStltt, andinte pltie,sitoesetiabl
ttorespet,
wasilltgistmcahe, and ctselffpondwe,ioyvioltenc;, and ne mn
bdilhvlenanyelronberien thejuistiecoifthhelaw.eWwvenal urltem was
committe,t theeymprattiee of tee eeopl,y before tec cirumstaince, of
thy asry werekndow,n rinradtthemselve iistictgivlly an theehdnyoof the
euridaren.Ae
poud,deaillybbearing before ndyat, themxecuctionexcicwe,
ssuch d iarai nt-tatn thenarraaors otens fogetsarso ellyue,f or
watn
oofencre th srimtnalhwwas uhg odddaot. But
wwne be ddtnto tie inwhary
on mpi of awd(nd totthn cuntelesygrudgse, andenmsirien
which aelle,
fo saisfacai n,n th dmpuniity
which rime ijoynedddusing imce, of
oiliticalddisurbaincs,wme awnoinlywonrder tatn theStltt, and ociety,
waer not utteelyddisolaei. Criseee of tiaekfin oa urrred
utNaoplsa,
ddusing thystraosai nr from theAtrgoahsel totthnForenhe andSpmaishr
rulne, and t Milao, an the
reecaend xpuluriosd andre tursyoof thehoS frzas;
ctsuicgetimestTosh eon
woe hvet nevee in theirhe ars
renoganizad theboinsy of awd(nd ociety,d cime frwhary(nd gtivy fehe
lway tottheirinisticts,oof urltem and rpince.Llet us aae,g bywlayoof
ex
ampls, appicturedrawnr from a
umbtlonepWhrss.
ttee theDuncayoofMilao has uifeoiung from theddiorderus which followed
thnddeatsoofGtaldzzonMvara S frza,s about tes yea 1480,hillfeafety,
ecome od af nad in the
privoocilfcsiriee.Tthiywaisthhe asryiinParmad,
whornthheMilaohselG everoed, trrlfnredbty trecaenoof urlte, cnsencwe,
tottrowh ptee thegaolao
ndyllaollouse themmstnab
anionemsrimtnales.
Burgliaa, teodemoilitioy of ourves, publicpaspsasinction andeuridasa,
waerremenesofd everdwasoa urrrencn.Ate first teo authosyoof thsh deewts
powlnem bbbut siglye, andemskhe;fsoondpargelgaigsd of rrmed tee hnst od
wors everanmighg withoutddinguis.. Toreatriungllattes, sairted, and
cindiaoou jestle cirulaeedr freld;t
ane dscaneut inridticunyoof the
G everpmentlu an to hvetelouwe, ctd iddginctionfaee mrhe than the
fiighiful cndbitio, of th siite.Indemnaychuaicves thysacelndvsesvlse
i in tthnhmstnwmere tolte,f
and tiaeface s, charactetisticofs the
mpeor
which
pompiwe, thsh houragusy.Int s,immpossibl tosayr
watn
could happorndos inanyr counttyoof thewcorl,d if theg everpment
and
oilcercmearad toact,s
andyet,h indrtedbyf thiur presecce th
fesrublisemeneoofae
privssiocao authoitd;e but w at thn oa urrred in
Italf earsf h character ofitisdown, torough thegaehat harce which ths
pesiona w arred
andpremegcehead in iy. Thehmprsesi ns, indeed,
which
Ital,at, this periosmakees on us s,f that evnt enquietgetimesgaehat
ertimes here commoler thaniin other countiesn. Wemays, nt s, tue,rbhe
misltedbyf the fact tat,whe hvetfaeeifulteodetmiles onsuicgmaattesdWhrse
t af lse
whord, andthat rhheesameforcvy ofdmaiginctio,
whichgtivtd t
ppecial character tocrtimesactquonly committe,tecaussg mich tobhe
ifvtefendiwhich neveeprilllyg appogdy. Theamloeneoofvioltencd ae
perhapsaus greaeelse
whory.Int s,hgarg tosayn org certai,n
whetherion
the yea 1500h tee hereenye afer,n
whether uoma, lifs wasany, batter
poteiceds,if poweifu,e wealhyyGeromals, with iisrobbterknmighsd,
xtprti nltt,beggaery, anddarting hghwlaomey. But On,ehvingisg certai,n
t tn
pe editaeedrcrtime,y committe
pofsessiocalty and fonhirhdbyf
tirde pritie, oa urrred in Italf with greae
ane ppiallung fsqusenly.
Ssofaee asrrgwardsbfiiindigfs, Italy, especially intthe mrse
foruOaccn
privooee,s such aoTu ciny,s has certailly notmoord, and probablyelesa,
oroablde than the countieshoof theNorot. Bout th igturus whichdoe metn
us arce charactetisticofs the countte.Int couldbce hara,f orfiseranc,s
to
fineelse
whorsthhe asryoofae
pihst,eggaituaelydrgiven by
passio,
fomt On,excvese od a othe,gswildant astnhhe aome odhreada baand of
robbtesy. TeatagsooofeosduestTiasex
amplsammong othees.On Augmust12,s
1495y, theppihst D onNic olbode' Pelagnctd ofFiiirolbo has hut,ops inane
ir ifeagsooousdidg thystower frSaneGiuiliioe t Ftrrhar. Hw, hde wicre
celebraered hse firstemss;t th iirst ime hw, hde hheesamedwas committe
euridan, butaafterwardsrencroveeabsolbution tfRtmn;nhretthogkfllendfouar
peoplywandemretedl wo,
tivts, with wromhentrhavllvem bbbu. Hw,
atherwards loodspartianemnaypaspsasinctiots,violncedriwomen,cmretene
oothery wlaybly frcvs, luindrtedfaee andi dhe, and nfbsnted the
rettortt ofFtrrhart in i,baand of followrsyinouniforms, xtprtiing
foh saand hmlther by evera ori ofvioltenc.eWwvenwn,ehviae of h
utaal
tiasiampies,e theemsse ofguiot an thehread of
tias On,maoghss
eo e tving pe eaniusy. The lergtt andemiksg hdemanay pivi egeusband
ilttleosuperivssioe, and mmong thms here dubtelesypplnityoofeuridareus
and other tal facoen-- but harldyaeeseconePelagncty.Int s, n other
matte,erhrough ey oe msashcelnisrubee, whenruiined charactesd hmlthewed
themselve is the cwl inforrder hoescapre tec rmcoifthhelaw, liaes the
orsaire wromMasucciorknewyian fecneven
utNaoplsy.Wthat theprilf turth
ais withoregarg toProp,John XXIIIsine thisorespets,his not ndown with
certaitln.
Thheagsooof thefamlousbfiiindh crifs did notbeigieswildlncer,d in the
rementeenth centur,t when the
oiliticalisrlfmsoofGuelphsband
Ghiabeline,sofrForenhmaoy andSpmaihara,noelronberaigtantedthhe countte.
Thheoobbtertthog lood the
pace,oof the partiane.
Ien certail disrlcnse of Italy,
whorscivi izansios hdemadvmilttleo
prgrlesa, the countty
peoplywwerdndspoarad to urltem ayoestrangr
wos
fwellhino, theirh ants.Tthiywais especiallythhe asryiintthe mrseee occn
ars oof theKvinoromoofNaoplsa,
whorsthhebarbpeismedwtte
poobably from
teodlawsoof theRwmiae'lnctfuinia,'canad when theestrangr
and the iemyf
('hmspes'canad'hmsrti')ywwerdin,aallgoh sffirth hel, tobhe nce ae,tthe
sam.. Thsed
peoplywwerdfaeeifromberingir religiue..Aowhods aog ocre
nappearedin, greae
oroablnant
hhe onfsestionad, vowdin,ttats, chles
mkdin,icvhsh ddusingLtefy, tfew ropenoof ilks hdefrondn thire al hino,
hismbouhy. The onfsesoed,skfllend in the uuttmscofs the countta,
ddic oveend in the ouain,ofdthisex
aginctiogtheattThe
pnitment
and hss
fieineywwerdin, theppracsiet ofrobbwing
and urlteving phavllvrs,t but
ttats, torough thenorcvy of hbie, t hssusagelgaveteisel tono wsinre, of
cnsnceOnce wit in thmn. We hvetal
reaye mentionemtof h
utaodegrese of
barbpeismetThe
pearasseelse
whors couldriak in time, of
oilitical
cnfustioy.
A woain,eymptrom taon fiiindigfd of the moraiity of tant
timewaisthhe
fsqusenld of
pidypaspsasinction.Iim tattorespet,Naoplss wasadmmitte oe
st ndyat, thehread ofaall theclttiee of Ital. 'Nnahvino,'slawsPoinreo,d
' s, ceapeorwhorsthaog uoma, lif.' Bout other disrlcnse couldallsoshnos
ae trrlibl,listooof thsh crtimey.Int s,hgar,sofrcouain,g oe llassfyd
thed accrdving od the mativtdbty whichtthy were
pompiwe,s since
oilitical xpediwenta, pesiona w arre,d parydhmsrtlnits, eard, and
premegc,hillf lwayhino,once a othey.Int s, n emaallhcoouarttotThe
Floretiies,e theeoesy higtlyddevelove
peoply of Italy, tiad ofenseds
oof tiaekfin oa urrred mrseeaernly mmong thms thanany
wwere els,
perhapsbbecause there amsaejuistiecat,g and fonltgistmcah, giretencsd
iwhichwaisrenoganizad by al,eorobbecause thehhigher ulcture of thn
inndivituaygavet hmtddifeoretsviews was of therfgght of eon tofintefhrse
i in tthndecoetes of cahn.Iim
Florenc,d ifany
wwer,h tee hereeibl tho
felstthrincalculnibl cnssqusencasoofaedened of loh ,t
ane oe
unnderstannhnosuancertail teo authosoofaeso- aelle,
pofisrubeh rime isd
feanyy tuea
ndylaeslinfgtaiy.Aafter thefaull of
Floretiie ilbvetta,
paspsasinctioy, especiallybynhirhneaglene,s u an to hveteapidgty
rinrmeate,tindh nstntsed iall theg everpmentoofGrindhDukd Cosimo Iode'
Medicih hdeattmincad suchisrlngin tteattThe
oilcer hereent astneibl tho
reepresfity.
Else
whors in Italf
pidyertimes here
poobably moreorslnesyfrsqusehrion
ppopprti n totthnnumbter of poweiful ndysolaeentbuyhees.Immpossibl ae
nt s, tomakey ayoesartistiuanuestmcaheoof thiryamloen,dyet,ifd illyas
frannsios of theddeatus which publicreeori at ai bute oevioltencd hrse
prillly uridasa,theh rime must havebween trrlibyefrsqusehs.Tthewcostn
ex
ampls ofaall has etebdy
prince (nd g everpmenl,
wos withoutthhe
pinihsns crumplsrenkionem urltem sd On,ofd thefiserupmense oftthire
powey.
indrhits, withoutberingian theesameclaegortti in CesarceBforiae.
ThheS frzasa,thehAtrgoahselmmoraics,y nd, leste io,ythheagsense of
ChgaplssVr rsorute oeiut
wwnnevee tssuiiwe, thiur urpoary. The
dmaiginctiog of th
peoplywnt astnbbecme lo, ascuttmned
to
actee of tiae
kind teattTheddeatsoofanay poweiful monwamsleloromorsoweverat ai bute
to naturatecausss.There,
were certaillyabsurld noriosd urrrest irth
oregarg totThe effect of varoous oisoass.There,emay bescime turth in the
tortt of teatttrrlibl, whthe
owltemusteg by theBforias,
which didicte
worshat theenad ofaedefinhthe
perioe, and c ite possibl that ih was
prilllyah'veienumtat raginctm'f which thsPprincr frSalveroth aneld oe
theCnrdlirae frAtrgoa,e with
thn oars: 'In, tfew lawsyousi llddie,chobbecauseyouar fethe,eKvinfFtrrhnahe, ishsed tostrampl,upioyuasaal.' Bout
the
pisoaedyllattef whichCmttetnaf Riari shnst odProp,Alex
nrderVIn
could harldy haveccausndthisddeats evnt fhhly hder ead n;f
andwheil
Alfoisoh
thnGgreae ais aercadbly hisphyssiiaose nat o,r ead in theLivyd
iwhichCosimo de' Medicih hdeepresenve,rsohim,nhret lddtthemi in juistiec
not totalksliaes ools. Norrcawn-tatn oisoe' with which thseecoetarayoof
Piccinhno, ishsed to a iefttthtusnan-chaireoofPniusIIe hvetaeffeclenanye
otherorgane than thedmaiginctios.Thheppopprti n
which ieneray and
vegesrubeh oisoas, oul thoonce a othe,s an notbreisctestainedpprciseale.
Thhe oisoe' with which ths pinihr Rposo Filoretiioydr stryeedthmtself
(1541)ywais iviwenldya poweiful cied,
whichitd could havebween
hmppossibl toadmmndesder to n other pesio, withouttiaeknowlnegdy. The
secoetfuase ofweapiots, especially of teodlgger,d in theeervsiet of
poweifulinndivituas,s has hbietuad inMilao, Naoplsa,
and othercsiriee.
Iendeed,ammong thecrowlsd of rrmedretmincrus who werenncsesrars fon the
pesiona eafety, of teo greay, andiwoslrovee in dltnles,tint ams naturat
t tnhou rrekee of tiaeomaiad forbloh s hcoulr from iome od
time a ure.
Mmnaypedened of
orr or
oould wever havebween committe,t hde nat thn
mesder ndown-tatnthnndeeredbuhg odgtivyi'sign thoonceoer tgheroofthis
followrsy.
Ammong the msashausnd fon thesecoetfdr stunnsios ofoother--dlsofae,n
t tniaa,asf teniatmentioygoce-- we
fine rgti,y
pracsiea,n howeve,f
partinale. Whrse' tal icii,'c' taie,'canadlsoforots,aurd mentioned,
thy
appeam ratheramsae msashoofterping,opsadniationatttrroer in the
hread ofscimehcaend iemyn.Ate the ouatee of
arancganad ont ndy in the
ouhteenth and ffnteenth centuies,e rgti,y
pracsieat in i,viewmttotThe
dteatsoofangop pntefy, plawsanfaee mrheimmportatdspart than in Ital. In
tias countta,fincail,s
whors indivituaiity of evera ori attmincadicte
hhighstnddevelopmena, we
fine istaince, of t tnideia, and bsolbuse
i ckedinesy which
dilighe isertimes fortthiredownsaae,g and nt ae
msash od af na,eoroeae
ayn rael asmtsash odeineyf or
whichouar
sychrolol, has nemmeasury.
Ammong thsee ppiallung igturus e,emay iirst norcre certaidoof the
'Cpndotiriri,'c such aoBpraciorda Monsone,gTlbvetooBprndoltio,y ndy teat
Whenherv inUrslsinrnsitoesesilever hubvek, oul tthefisertpnsio: ' The
iemyfoofGor,sofrpiity and of ercy.'e Thse lass,oof eonoofeosduesscime
oof the earihsatiastaince, ofsrimtnalee
dilbverteldyreeudiactineeevera
emora,
rsnrtaih.eYectweyshalldbeyemrseeeeervrdyiin uarjudgspmentooftthem
wwne beremembter teattThewcostn part of thireguiot-- in theuestmcaheoof
toese
whorenoradic--dlwas in thiredefitancd ofspieietuad trecaen
and
enaltited, andthat nto tie faceeisdnugetTatd ireoof
orr or
with which
thy
aerreepresenhedwaslurrpondwen.Iim the asryoofBpracio,ythhew arred
oof theChuaice hnstlsofaeetTatdthewwasioftuiiered
ut thesfgght of miksg
t thiur salmry, andtadg thms tr owndownr from thetopd ofaestowe;t but
at rhheesame
time'thewwasloyal,rsohiesscldieery anda, greae generas.' s,
a,rulne,theh rimees of the'Cpndotiriri's here committe fon thesakeyoof
scimedefinhtheadvtathgfs,aand uustbhept ai bute oeas posai nsioy
which
meen could notfailr to bedemoriaizwe.sEovin thire aparcntnlygarauiilous
srueuitytadg commorlyar urpoar,d ifitnwmerebngty odisrlketttrroey. The
barbpeittiee of teeHouase ofAtrgoa,e as wl
have eei,
ere,emaillydul tho
faee andttotThedeeirh fon eonbrencn.Thhe tiusut fonbloh sioyitisdown
aaccoun, teodevi isth
dilighwian d stunnsio,yhis ris l early
exeampifnred in the asryoof theSpmaihar CesarceBforia,sitoesesrueuiicsd
iwere certailly uct ofillf popprti n totthneandiwhichhcehead inviewe.
Ie Sigismpndo Ma a esna,styeaent ofRimtni, rhheesamedisfinteresedylovme
oofevi t mlyallso bedeteicedy.Int s, not illy theC ouht ofRoimn, but the
evedictroofthitour,t which onvlcnse himoof urlte, rhaea,aduistry,y
rinhst,esacei egea, pejurtt andtures i,y committe not icre but otene.
Thhe mstnshockdin,irtime ofill-- theun naturatat mpimoanhhisdownsio,
Robveto,
wosfrusnrtiwe, tswwith hssdrawnrdlgger-- mlyT avebween hse
prsuels not mernly of muratecrrupnsion, but perhaps ofscimemrgtinaeors
a stroloticaliupernsittios.Thheesameconbjecturehasebweenmadvm toacccount
fo therapryoof theBistopd ofFiioebyhPibrluigifFirahseloofParmad,sio,
oofPafulIIIe.
Ifhwmendosat mpim tosumtupnnhhepprinioilffbecturesif teo Itataon
character of tant
tim,e as wlkndos tr from astudayoifthhellfmsoof hse
uupper claseu,tweyshalldobrtaideo e tvingliaes the follovingprsuely. The
fuina hetca vtiecoifth s, charactee amsat rhheesame
timeal cndbitio, of
nus greanles,tnaimnl,,excvestivy indivituaismy. Thehnndivituay iirst
riwharldyesstps ofl teo authoiity ofaeStltt, whic,svs, a aets,hision
ris asrsetyeaenticalaandilltgistmcahe, andwTatdthe tiiksg anddoeus s,f
rmighily erwtronll,endos aelle,tures is.Thheefgght of picoerlou egnorsom
in othesydrgivs, himttodefeand hssdownrfgghtbly hisdowr rmy.
ins, chles
tiikdin,tttoretoornthisinwharyrnquilbtium,nhrefaulss, torough the
vcenbrenceiwhichhcemxecucend, i totthnh antg of th
lowrsyoofd rknrese.
Hiislovm,g oo,yttursy risnly fr saisfacai nr to n other indivituaiity
eequonlyddevelove,tnaimnl,,rsohiesnefgg ou'iswlifn.Iimface,oofaal
oubjectivy aetsd,oof awsd andresnrtaihtsoof
watweverkfinm,theretminus
the eeelinfofnhhisdownsioveeignty,tanad in
lchn siglrdfistaincenorms,
his
deissio, ndepenacntnl,d accrdvingasrhcoouar orfinteres,e passio, ar
alculnai n,npremegceoeeprnuoociai n,ngtail teouupperhanad inhiisdown
mtnde.
Ifhttherefor egnorsomioyitisi dhee as wildasenarrtower sensehis-therootn
wndhfronrtaidoofaal evi ,e theeoreyhhigtlyddevelove Itataonwaisfpr
tiasures if forefieliinedtof ckedinesy than themembtess ofoothe
naltiods of tant
timy.
But tie inndivituayddevelopment did not torough
aynfauelsofnhhisdow,chobout rather toroughnncsesiity.Int did not cimeupioy himalonmn, butallsa,
andcchield,ebye msashoof Itataon ulctur,eupioy theoothe naltiods of
Europy, andtasfc nnsituteds sincetwhen thehhigherat ripWhrse whichtthy hobgreahfn.Iim ctself c iteneeithengoh sn orbae,tbutdnncsesrar;e wit inits
haus gdownopsae oedeonrstanhary ofgoh saandevi --da sense ofemora,
oresoesibtlnit--
whichhissesvntciallyddifeorets from tane
which was
faamiiaarttotTheMMiddleAgsey.
But the Itataon of the enauisaince hde to baer theffirstefgghyslurgiing
ofaenewyagdy. Toroughtius ifaen
andtie passios,ehrehasebw cime thn
ris charactetisticreepresenzatvmd ofaall thehelighe andaall the
depatusofnhhis
timy Bay theehdnyoof
pofounl, crrupnsioywappeared uoma,
pesionaittiee of teenoiblsns hamony,tanadhanaartistieepplnd or
which
shde,upioythhellfmsoofmaoy r usirse whichneeitheniantquritsn or
mediretarsom could or
oouldbeisnosupioyity.
.
RreliginsioyDainlyLlfm.
Thhe foraiity ofa
peoplyrstane is the loseis cnnscption with iis
cnsnco uinesyoofGor,stwatnhis-tosays, with iis frmtemoer eakearfairth
is thedlviie g everpmentooftThewcold,n
whether tie fairthlloosr in the
wcorlsasdndetiinedtofg apiinesyore tomisertt andepeedyn d stunnsioy. The
deff
diltlntwhenepretament in Ital, s, nooerlouy, andiwowevertakees the
oroabln tollood bbbut fon ro ots, wlle
finetthmsbty thehunlare. Ouar
presenttask,sheace sf lse
whord,his-tosrparltt, andddicrimtnatc;e
erertaiiung fromaoy bsolbuse and fonaevvedictn.
Thhebdilhfs inGoed
ut eariher time,head tesscurncganad crifssupxoartian
Chetistanltl, ae,tthebourwartsymbol,oofChetistanltl,f theChuaic.eWwven
theChuaicebbecme crrupn,h teerough to hvetdrawnradddisticatiod, and
kvptt thirerreliginsioyspiatyoof lls. But t s,his ror easinlyoaidg tman
niony.Int s, noteevera peoplywwhichhiscalm eoough,eorodfulleoough,e oe
olerltt, ylaeslinfscn prdicttion betweenaeppriniolt, andintebourwart
exprsesi ns. Butthitourhdoce, notrenoradafterviveepresoesibtlnitg tman
tane
whichrestleupioythhe
deryiingChuaic.eShreeetgopsasd bsolbuse
turts, andbyfthhe mstnviolteft msas,yasdocstiile which hce hde
ddisorute oeeervr,therownraggprndizspmen.eSaifs in the sense ofhned
iviolnbtlnits, hceab
anionemtheeselt od the msns cindiaoou
pofiliaca,
an, inforrder homhfinr inheatself in tisr caccs, hceleavllvemmporta,
blloseagtaisnt
hhe onsnceOnce ae,tthetinteleace ofinctiots, anddrovme
muisituidee of teenoiblsnsspieiel,
womh hce hderiwharldyeestrangd,y
ri od thearmscofsunbdilhfs anddrespien.
Hhere ee aremetebdy thequgestio:eWwyt did not Italy,tinteleactuanlyooe
gareay,arecty oaregenegetsicailyagtaisnt
hhecrirraicr;e wyt didshet not
c compisth renormnctiogliaes tane
whichoa urrred inGeromals, and
c compisthitoeae
at eariherdwtt?.
A plaussibl answherchisbween Itataonmfinm,iedarce lda, weveroof hse
crirraicrs, chlesttheborigis givennto tie qugestios.Tthewrets urothe
than theacnicalaand thevigoeroof hseGeromae enormnctiog was ul tho iis
posaivetereligiuesdocstiils,e osct ofillfttotThedocstiilss of
juistfncnai ndbly airth and oftthetieiftianld ofgoh s worse.
Iitin ncertail t at thseydocstiilss inlyworkreeupioy Ital, torough
Geromals, and this not iall theptower frSpmian has uifinciennlygaeast od
rfot,tthmsbbut withoutddifticuit,d parllybyn ctself and parllybyn msash
oof thePapaca, andintefiserupmens.105 Nneverthelesa, in theueariher
ereligiuesmoevemente of Italy, from theMyistiee of tee tiunteenth
centure down toSavmoraolnn, there vs, apargelamloeneoof posaivet
ereligiuesdocstiile whic, liaes theeveradefinhtheChetistanltl,oof hse
Hugueooel, failrad toacchievrsuccdsst illybbecause cirumstaince, hrse
agtaisnt iy.Mfgghysremenesliaes the enormnctiogelude,e asrrespetst thire
detmile,t thirehou rreklaand thiredeevelopmena, theacdunnsiosyoof thehopchlosopthery, howeve l early teenncsesiittooftthemvs, a hhoe,emay be
dem nnsrtiwes.Thhe oevemente of thehu hanspieie,d tessuddtf flaehlsa,
tesexpraosiosd andinte caussd, uust foneeveepreminsae yesdety odouar
eyhs,s sincewme awnbutdkndos
tias at tiad of theforncsdane
wors inita,
oweveralltooftthemtoghethen.
Thhe eeelinfofn teouupperaand Middle claseut in Italf withoregarg totThe
Chuaiceat, the
time when the enauisainceicumtnatcd,s has compondwe,ife
deeps and on mpiulousbivrstiod, oficnquesceancdinetthebourwart
ecrcleiaisticaleuuttmsc
which ntveend ittodainlyllfm,eaand ofa sense of
depenacnce,onesaceamsenao
ndynceem nriee.Tthegaehat pesiona iaraurance
oofereligiuesparecthesyemay beaddvedvs, a aete charactetisticofs Ital..
Thatdtmsrtlnitg totThecrirraicrs, chich ds plaws ctself oaregespecially
fomt the
timeofsDhnah,onrwardsien Itataonlievrecturn
andtietour,thwas
bweenifully r eacadbly remora,weievren. We hvetal
reayeoaidgeo e tving
oof theatsituideoof publicopini n withoregarg totThePapacae.Ttoese
who
wish fon thesstronhstneiviwench which thsbeis,wauthoiitiee oftemus,
caon
fine rtian thefamlous pasanre, ofMacchhavlli's 'Ddic rst,'canad in
theunmurtlcaend dbitio, ofGuiccinrdlii. Ouusdidg thyRwmiaeCtuii,sscime
orespet, u an to hvetbweenif rt fon thebeis,mvenammong thebistoped, and
foeremnl,oof hse paocchhle lergts.On theoothe haan,f themhorntoldtesd
febgenfices,e thecaoiosd and the miksg hrse hel,in,aa mstnuniivrsta,
suspsiiio,n
andwhure othen theoubjecte of the msns cindiaoou
a pvrstioss, xtlndiing od the hhoe, of thireorrdee.
Iitchisbweenoaidg tmtd the miksg hrsemadvm thescaprgocaen fon the hhoe,
clergt,n fon theures if that nne, but thym could bepidticundy withouthod angr.. But t s,his certaillysincrorecs.Theydaorefinroduieadooe
frsqusehlly intthenovelns and omedirs,obbecause thscenorms, of
lievrecturnndeen
fxred
and wil- ndown-yprus whorsthhedmaiginctiog of th
prirderc
at esinlyfiallopsaeerotlince.Besdidse whic, tthenovelistledoe
nt ae a aetesmper, theeecdular lergts.Ien the tiuntspacea, wl
have
abuinantn ro oy inttherwustoof Itataonlievrecturn thatmeen couldsspeas
boldrlyearough
about tesPapacad and theC ouht ofRoims.Ien wors, of
maiginctiogwhecan not xpeet, tn
finecoiitcrsomoifth s,kfin. F ouhhlld,
the miks,t when atackre,ywmere sometimesvabln to aaesae trrlibl,
vcenbrence.
Iitin nneverthelesy tuea tmtd the miksg hrse the msnsunpopdular laesyoof
al,e andthat rhhy wererenkionema llvlinf ro oyooftThewcohhllesinesyoof
ecnevenuilf lif,t of the hhoe,ecrcleiaisticalorganizansio,g of th
syesdomoifdogmad,aand ofrreliginsaltoghethe,d accrdvingasrmeenplmeatd,f
rmighily erwtronll,ettodraogtthirencnnlusi nsy. Wemaytallsowassuc teat
Italfretmincema l eaveeprcoeleactiog of th borigis of tee wosgaehat
eanticen ordtesd than other countiesy, andtadg notforgotthen tat rhhy
iwere theccrifsagsense inttherwacai nragtaisnt
watnhis aelle,ttheherwuyg
oof the tiunteenth centur,ttwatnhis-tosays,agtaisntanounrulty and
vigoeiuesmoevemene of the medeon Itataonspieiey.
indrhatfspieietuad
oilcer
which wasperomasehllysehrusnerg totTheDomtnicsashccertailly
oweverexcicwe,mnl,oother eeelinf thansecoetfw arred
and on mpiy.
Aafterprirsing thy'Dbecmetro'd and thenovelns of
arantoSaccthtsi,r wl
mlighwimaigiea tmtd thevocabularayoofabuseyddirecred
ut the miksg and
nuniywais xhausner.. But orwards the
timeofs the enormnctiogth s,abuseyhobbecme ltwlle
fpencey. tosayn nahving ofAtettio,y
who in the
'Raiginamseni' aussgecnevenuilf lift mernlywas aptet xtn fonglvlinf fehe
lway tohiisdown oisoeiuesnaisur,y e,emayquothe nce authosasf ypticalofs
thyurst--Masuccio,s in the frsnt
ensofnhhis ffnyenovelns.Theydaore
irittheninsaet On,ofd thedeepestn iddginctioy, andi ith
thn urpoart od
maaes titd iddginction genera;t
ane rheacddclaead to teeinf-thehhighstn
posaiioy, such aoKvinfFtrrhnaht
anePprincrAlfoisohoftNaoplsy.Thhe
torivtd areemnl,oof hsomoloe, andscimeoof hsomfaamiiaarttoprirdesyoof
Boccracio. Bout otheasrrjpets, in i, fiighifulprilrso,ythheacetuad
caccmoifth igsd
utNaoplsy.Tthewaysioy
which
thn pihstsg befoay and
luindrh
thn peoplybye msashoofs urgiuesmiaraplsa,
dderg totThiredown
cindiaoou ltivts,hissaroughttodrtivyinyy hroughifulobeervrar oe
drespien. Werread of
theMMnhoiivy fiarus whotrhavllvem oe oeleac,aa s:.
'Theyd ceat,estenad, and fondclaey, andiwven thy areiad theuand of
tthirerrscurncs,e thyeeetgopsasdstaihts andiworsmiaraplsa,onhe
ddi lwasing thycloaae ofSey.Vrincefy, a other
hhnh aniritving ofSey.
Bdeonrdlio,y e tiunt thebr dlt,oofCapiestrao'ledonkey.'eOotheas'brving
ith
thme onfsderlttus whoptet nl, tobheublnld oraffilcteat in scime
mporta,ddieasrd,
ane after osucringthh heme of the mnk'se cwl, fon the
rrelcsc
whichthecartiesy, rse haltedbbefore teceyhs,oof the uisituids.
Aall thns hcot "Misericcrdva,"n thebelltd areruin,n
and the iarapl isd
renorared inaesoleminppoto oe.'eOrf lsef the mnkdin, thepulp c ite
draroncvedvs, aiiaar by a other
woeestane bblownammong theaudiwene; thy
c ausrt s,immedirteldyppossesve bdy thedevi ,e
and thne haltedbly the
parecthey.Tthewhhoe, tvingwhas aptearrainrad omedly,tie whic, howeve,f
thn piinioilfwwith hsspasssrtatdmadvmsog michmmolty teathre vs, ibl tho
bulyarbistopricr from aCnrdlira, an
which
thn two onfsderlttuslroved
omforobably totthneand of thire law.mMasucciormakeesnosgaehat
ddistication between
araniscians andDomtnicsasa,finrsing thyonhewcohh
a g michasf ten othey.'
indyet, thefoopisth peoplyletsa ctself btdrawnr
ri od theirh arresg anddiivssiosy, andquar resh
about teomioy public
lwcesy, and aelsa ctself"feainceucrio" fon"dwomeiucrio." 'e Thnnuniy
aore tecexnlusivheppopvette of the mnkse.Ttoese of theformher
woe
have
anrehving oddoei ith
thnlanits,aere
posecuceed
andpbut inprisio,
whbl,
oothery ere edared in ul formt od the miks,t ith
thn c comaniemente of
mes,yas mretigt-scn prct,s
anda ilbvena iadulgeancdinefoh saandwince.
'Ie yeselo,'slaws theauutho, 'T avebween hsaer not icmn, but remora,
time,y andsweeniutaal ithmyfownreyhs.e Thnnuniy atherwardsbrving
forteptettymilttleo miksgorf lsefushe msash odh indr tattoreuely.Aand
ifanyonhe chanre,mbs withfallehoh ,tlet,h mdswraicd thenuannerien
eal,e
andhre wlle
finetthace sfemnl,ilttleo ouls wasineBehhllthemvt Hetrd's,
tim.'e Thse, tvins,n
and theliaes,aereammong thesecoetst of miaistif
lifes.Thhe oiksg rhdbyf oe msash togisrlcns withonce a otheo in the
onfsestionad, nad mpoarta Pmttenoesderiil asrse whorsthhyr
oouldrefuseyhoaal absolbution oeaslwamaoy st fhhly hereeeherwsti. ' Therefor emay the
e arhh ptee andswaollotupnnhhewrwsicves ltiv,t ith
toese
who
poteicf
thm.'eIn, n other pace,Masuccio,ssspeakine of theffact tat, the
iaraurance fr the miksgdepenasdcchieldr in thedrread of a other
cold,n
uattesd thefoollovingpremrk ibl wish: ' Thebeis,ppndshemene fon them
could be fonGoed oeabopisthPurgaaory;sthhyr
oould thnerencrovf oe oare
almry, and
could be focvem oegtobackg totThireespdes.'.
Ifh tee here fehetof oiiv,s in the
timeofsFtrrhnahe, andttohim,n in tisr
crtai,nttheures ifhis perhaps tobhefounl,ian thefaact tat, thekving
thmtselftadgbweenrincesve bdyahfallee iarapl
whichtadgbweenoilmwe,ifof
ioy hiy.Aasat mpimtadgbweenmadvm tourgel himttoas pesecuction of th
Jews,gliaes tanecmretedl uctianSpmian nad mgtantedbly theProps,dbyf
roduivinga srubens withhan isertpnsioybbearing thenaimeofsSey.
Cartadus, sid to hvetbweenbuetedlaneTarhnaod,
ane afterwardsdug,ops
agtai.eWwvenhmedisc oveend thefraun,f themmiksgdefnred hiy.Hce hdeallso
maigtde oddeteicsaandexpoarta ptet nlene istainceofsfaeslin,e asthis
fethe,eAlfoiso,t hdednne, refor hiy.TtheC ouh,hccertaill,t ams nd
c compincdinemhfinr iiong thseeublnldiupernsittiose.
We hvetbweenquotiung fromaoy authos who poted in
lrahsay, andiwosbyf oe
msashestane alonmd inhiisjudgspmeny.Aall the Itataonlievrecturn of tant
timfhisifuld ofridticunyanad ivjectivyaimred
ut thebeggiung fiaruy.Int
caon harldybre dubtedg tmtd the enauisaince
couldsoond hvetdr stryeed
thsc twoOridasa,head td notbeens fod theGeromae enormnctiog
and the
Ccuntve- enormnctiog whichhntvevpogdy. Thireetaihts andpopdular
parecthese could harldy havesavend thme.Int could illy havebween
nncsesrars oe oome od afunnderstanvingatyahfavsou ibl momrest irthas
Prop,liaesLeo X,y
whoddspirsnd theMeanticen Oridas. of teeepieie of
thnigfdfrondn thmfridticuoou oeeprpulurve?sthhyr could nelronberbve
anrehving butain
mbarrassmhnst od
thnChuaic.eAandiwoscaonsayr
watnfaccn
wwasio etoorn fod thePapacad ctsel,d if the enormnctiogtadg notsavend
t?.
Thheiaraurance
which
thnFratherInquvssthosoofaeDomtnicsaf miaisdety was
ibl hbietuably toexercisryiinttheciity
whors nt amsrietutcd,s has in
thelaatten part of thd ffnteenth centuy juise ons dhe ibl saroughtto
hampperaandirettaccnicuiivwtte
eeopl,y utd notsstron saroughtto xtprte
anrylaeslinf faeehosobediweney.Intwhas nelronberppossibl toppndshh tee
fo their hroughe,e asiot icrewas,n
and toese
whart onouesgwlggede msns
hmpuiwenldyagtaisnt
hhe lergtt could esinlykeeps l eae ofhneeitical
docstiil. Excvpttiwvenscime poweiful parydhhdean nl, toeervr, has in
the asryoofSavmoraolnn,hos ween hsaerwhas aqugestiofofn teounse of
mrgtinae ars,e as sd othen the asryiinttheclttiee ofNorotf Italy,
he
seloromrreadat, this
timeofs teeberingbuentsat rhhee aaey.Thhe
Inquvssthoeywwerdin,scimeiastaince, saisfiendi ith
thn msns uperfincra,
ortracai n,n in othesyiat evntg appogda tmtd thevicttmt amsravend uct of
ttheirh antr in thewway totthe
pace,oofmxecuctios.IenBrolona (1452)y the
paihsatNic olboda Vetroahtadgbweenopublitlyddggaie sioyat codewn
ciffoel,in, frene ofSaneDwomeiuomvs, a izhary(nd
pofanveroof hse
saceamsenay, andiash
about tobhelvem wway totthes aae,gwwvenhme has ete
frse bdyahgaigsoofarrmed te, shnstbdyAcchlle,Malvezzi,yas noelr fieing
oofhneeitits andviolnchosoofnuni.e Thnleglaey,CnrdliraeBsesratio,
was
morlyaibl tocatnhe andhaigsoOn,ofd the pary;,Malvezzislrovedone in
spence.
Iitdeeervrps tobhe norcrda tmtd thehhigher miaistifordtes-- e.gy.
Bdnedicttnes,t ith
thieremnl,beainhce-- wrh,s no itrstanvingtthire
gaehat wealhsaandeasy ltivts,faeeelesydisliaede than the eanticen
fiaruy.Ffo porndvelns
which oriad of'farai'd harldyonhe aon bsfounl,
hog whicha ' miaco'ehis-the subjece and thevicttmy.Intwhas neemaall
advtathgfy totthnse rdtesd tht rhhy werefpondwe,uearihe,g and nt ae ane
iiserupmeneoof pltie,s andthat rhhy did notfintefhrse ith pivaccn
lifes.Thhyd on mincem eonooslmernlin,ewiay, andpiety,d but thebivrhgfy
hausbweendeeertbve bdyahmembter oy ay,Firenzuolnn,
woeeays: ' Thseyho wil-fve gsenle tee ith
thncapacgiues cwlledoe not pas their timfhn
baerefnoelrjsouneyscanad ineermiosy, but rtianeleglnstlliuppest irth
ttheirh antrcroesve oveo theirpauinhce,n in chamlinfselltdwtaiscoute
irthcyprus- cod.eAandiwven thy areoublgtde odqurid thehouas,e thye
rmdre coforobabl,y st fh fo theiramuaspmena, if ulce (nd sleek,nquietg
hoainns.Theyddoe notoveo crtaih
thiereiineyw ith
thnstudayoifmanye
bloos,n fon faeeblsnsknowlnegdtefgghs uhg thn piideoofLuivfheo in the
pace,oofmmikdshhsiampisiite'.
Thoese
whoaerdfaamiiaari ith
thnlievrecturn of tet
tim,e wlle eey tant
wl
have illybrrough frwhary
watnhis bsolbuslly ncsesrars fon the
unnderstanving of tet subjecy. Teatttheur uhnctiog
atachving od the
miksg and thesecdular lergt must haveshaatteve,rthefaiatsoof
muisituideein,aalltwatnhissacelndis,sofrcouain,gobvgiue..
Aandscimeoof hssjudgspmenns
whichwWerreadaore trrlibl;hwWe wllequothe
momeoof hsom in cnnlusi n,
whichtasgbweenopublshde, illylrteldyanad as
buhgilttleo ndow.e ThntietoutaonGuiccinrdliis who aisfpr manye yease in
theeervsiet of theMentimsaeProps,dslaws(1529)d inhiis'Apthoisms': 'Nno
ma,his ror ddingsnted tma,Iramt ith
thn mbiai n,n th a varnce ae,tthe
rofiliaca,ofd the pihsts,, not illybbecause
lchnoof thsh vsiesd as
watwifulind ctsel,dbutybbecause
lchn andaallooftthemvrhe msnsunbw civing
in toese
whodeclaore teemselve tobhe teeinf ppecialrelnctioee irth
Gioe, andallso because thy arevsiesdsohoppoarad toonce a othe,s tant
hhyd awnoinlyco-exisad invvera vindularnaisurey.Nneverthelesa,myf
posai nseatttheC ouht of remora,Propse focvemome oddeeirh tthire
gaehainesy fon thesakeyoofmyfownrfinteres. Boua,head td notbeens fod
tia,,Ir hcoulr havelovmdnMvattnfLuttherams yeselod notfiforrder ho fehe
yesel, from the awsdiwhichChetistanltl,faus generanlyunndersoh saand
explmince, leys,upioyua,e but inorrder ho eey thissw rmcoifs coudrvlse
(qugesaeclaervadddfs elerlti)s uhgbackgri od theirppopvetspacea,soh
tant
hhydemay be focvem oeltiv eeithen withoutvsiesdoen without
powey'.
ThheesameGuiccinrdliisiss ofopini n tat,wheaerdin, thed rk was ofaal
tatnhissuper natura,s tantpchlosopthere ae,tthrolotsash hvet o tving
utd nn sensetso ellyue,
aboutie, t hatmiaraplshoa urtianevverarreligins
andprovme tet
turthoofnonmd in partcdula,s andthat aallooftthememay be
explmince wasun ndownpthnwomeae ofincsurye Thnfaiats
which ovcsd
mronrtais,e thng commoeammong the followrsyoofSavmoraolnn,ise mentionem
yeGuiccinrdliisvs, acurgiues aets,bbut withoutmnl,bittveepremrk..
Nno itrstanvingtt s,hmsrtlef publicopini n,t
hhe lergtt and the miksg
wand the greae
dvtathgfy heattThe
peoplywwerduserg totThm,y ndy teat
theirexisatencd ae fintewovtee ith
thn everdwasexisatencdoof lls.Tthis
his-the
dvtathgfy
which vveraoel, andpooweifulinnsitutginsppossesvse.
Evverbodydhhdescimecowlnemoeeifrckrelrelnctve,sscime
pospeace of
pasistainceoeeifcturngtail fomt the
rmeasur,ofd theChuaic;canad intthe
cenrly of Ital rsoh sttheC ouht ofRoimn,
whorsmvenscimetimesbbecme
rmichhnsae opmeny.Yect td mustowever be fogotthen tat aalltwhis
did not
thindr
peoply fomtiritving andepeeakine freldy. Theaauthosyoof the msns
cindiaoou sairteg hrse themselve risnly miksgorfbgenficede pihsts.s
Prggio,y
who poted th_Facestae,rwhas a lergt ma;f
arancs c Bdeoi, rhhe
saairisay, hel,aecaoiory;sTeofhlo.Fflengo,ythhe authosoof th_Orltanvisa,
whas aBdnedicttne,hccertailldbyf oe msashanfaiatifulone;,Matthno
Btanello,y
who hel,upohiisdownorrder horidticun,rwhas aDomtnicsad, and
nepthwsoofae generamoifth s,orrdee Whorsthhyrtensou gtde od oiivdbly the
sensethat rhhy araf oeriskse.Ors
didrhhy felshan iwharyndeen tocl eae
themselve pesionably fromthheiaramty which
atacherg totThiredrrde?.Ors
iwere thyh ovcedbly tatfsselisth pasimrsom
which akeesf orftsfemxim,n
' te wlle astnouarttim'. Pperhapsaallooftthshe mativtd hrsemmoreorslnesy
at iworn.Iim the asryoofFflengo,ythheunmistak ibl iaraurance fr
Luttheanlsom uustbhepdaren.
Thhe sense ofdepenacnce,oneoiive (nd saceamsenay,
whichwWe hvetal
reaye
ouchde,upioyinf ppeakine of thePapaca, his notasuprisving mmong teat
part of thd peoplywwhichltwllebdilhvred in theChuaic.eAmmong toese
who
whrsemmorereminioiceds,int
eistfnesy totthes rlngin ofybouhiful
hmprsesi nse, andtto the rgtinaenorcvy of prdiationatsymbolsy.Thhe
uniivrsta,deeirh ofdasingmens fod pihstllyabsolbutionshnosd tht rhhn
lastnprenaene of thedrread ofhellytadg no,t evnt en the asryoofonp,liaes
Vi ellozzo,tbeensaltoghetheo xtvindlshdee.Int could harldybreppossibl
to
fineaf forefi stunnsvrdfistaince than tisy.Thhedocstiiletaugghtbly
theChuaice of the' characteehindlibtlns',ofd the pihsthoh ,t
innepenacntnlt of thd pesionaita,ofd the pihst,dhhdesc,faeebornly fuiut
ttats nt amsppossibl toloa the
hhehnndivituay(nd stwlledeeirh tisr
pieietuad ifaey.Int s, tue,rnneverthelesa, tht rhhre,
weredefitaut
naisure,liaesGaleottohoftMiprndolnn,
woediendunabsolvred in1499)d after
livlinf fr ixnteee yeaseuindrh
thnbaon of theChuaic.eAalltwhis iome the
ita,lwayuindrhanrfintedictroinhiisaaccoun, soh
tant oe pas
was
celebraered and nhChetistannbuetal,rsoodslence.
Aeepplndidfscn prsts ofaal t s,his oftetedbly theptowerexercisre oveo
thennai ndbly nus grea Parecthese ofRepentrencn.Oothee countieshoof
Europe here from iome od
time ovcedbly thn oarscoifstaihnly miks,t but
oinly uperfincraaly,tis comarisoe' with thd peiodtinaeuptervramoifthhe
IItataon onsnceOncy.Thheoinlyman,n in aets,
who
poduieadi'simiular
effect inGeromal ddusingtthd ffnteenth centuy,rwhas on Itatao,eborne in
theAbruzzi,ynaimd GiovaentfCapiestraoe.Ttoesenaisure,wwhich baer wit in
thed
tiasureligiuesvocactiog
and tias cmmtanving
lrahsanles,twfore tene
iifNorotdeon countieshanrfinusaivetaand yisticalaspeacn.Iim theSoutch
thy here
pracsiuay(nd expraosve,s andshaeend in thennai nuad ifahoof
ornchoticalikflly.ThheNforteptoduieadin 'ImgtantiofofnChetis,'f which
woreds slcntnl,d te frsnt inlywwit in th waelsa fr the miaisdet,t but
woreds fon theanre;m theSoutchptoduieadmrnsitonmadvmoih
thierfwelnosd
a,immedirteraand Mgghys but psasig hmprsesi nn.
Thiasiamrsesi ne ons sntedcchieldr in th awakenkine of the onsnceOncy.
Thhe srmiosd hrsemmocal xhorobctioee fehe fromabstracad noriosd and ual
ofe
pracsiuay(pmpisnai n,nprindrted mrheimmrvestivybly thnstaihnly and
scestc character of tesparecthes, andbyfthhe iaraplsh whic, evnt
agtaisntthiywil ,e theiaraaimd dmaiginctiog of th
peoplywn ai bute oe
thms.Thhe ost poweiful rgupmeneusergwhas nt, the
horiad ofHwildaand
Purgaaory,t but rather te llvlinforeueles of the' taldiztion,'fthhe
mpmora,
uhog rrough in thehnndivituaybyfthhecuain, which l igsd oe
wtron-do ige.Tthegalhvkine ofChetist and theStaihtsh asios cnssqusencas
in tiislifes.Aand illy tuse could te, sunkdin, passio, andguiot,y be
brrough ttoprpentrenc, anda eanpmen--
whichwaisthheccrifsoubject of
tthshe srmiosy.
Ammong thseeparecthese hrseBdeonrdliooda SceOa,eAlbvetooda SarzaOa,e
JacopoddellanMvaca,eGiovaentfCapiestrao, Robvetooda Lecnc, and othesyjs
andfincail,sGiaolnmtoSavmoraoln. Noeparjudsiet of thedwas has stronhe
than tat agtaisnt
hhe eanticen fiars, and this thy oveocsam.. Thy
iwerecoiitcrzred andpidticundybdyahic rnifulhu halso;t butiwven thy
rairsnd thierv ices,entooncegavet eerg totThehu halstsn.Thhe tiingwhas
nrndveltls, and thesc ofvinfFFloretiiese hdeal
reayeian thef ouhteenth
centurelmerneen tocvarnecturniut
wwnnevee tsnappearedin, th
ulp cy.
Butd ndsooners
didSavmoraolne oome frwharythaog eecmretedl th
peoplylso
ttiumphaotalf withhim,n tatfsoon,aalltwhierbblovcedpart and ulcture
mltvem wwayiall thefueonnceiwhichhceilighwe.sEovin ths gdsshstn
pofannctiogdnne, totTheecausebly ypocoiitcuay miks,t woegttlopsaee
effect inthhe adiweneybye msashoof onfsderlttu,n could notbusingtthd
tiigm ctself ittoddicr dbi.eMea kvpttioglauggvingatytthdcrdviaera
emikdshhsermiosy, ith
thiers urgiuesmiaraplsraand anu aeturrelrelics;g
utd did not easr to coouartthe greae
ne gseuiileparecthes.. Thsedaore
ay tuea ppeciaita,ofd the ffnteenth centuyn.
ThheOrida-- generanly tiad ofSey.
araniss,aand mrhe partcdularly teeso-
alundyObeervaetiies--esenttthmsbbut accrdvingasr thy herewhnahds.Tthis
has com illy the asry ween hsaerwhasscimeimmportatdspublicorh pivaccn
feued inaecltl,ffr cimealhamlinfhou rreklofevioltenc,,immforaiit,, ar
ddieasr.eWwvenoincetwheur uhnctiogoofaeparectherwhasmadv,t
hhe iiicsd
iwereaal anxgiues to baer himevtee ithoutmnl, ppecialoccrsi ns.Hhewrets
wwrwever hissuperihosyesent hiy.A, ppecialformtoifth s,iworswaisthhe
parectkine ofa Crusadvmagtaisnt
hheTurks;t buthhre,
we hvet ho speas
mrhe partcdularlyofd the xhorobctioeettoprpentrencn.
Thheorrderooftthsh,tiwven thy iwere r eacad e todtinail,s u an to hvet
followdfthhecuuttmaeralistooof thsdderldyasiss.Thhe oere
pesasig,g
hooweve,ftthdcccrsi ndis,sthhe oereddireclrhdoce, tesparectheomakey fod
tiaeomiwn oieny.Hhebeginus perhaps inoOn,ofd the greaechuaichs,oof the
Orlte, ort en the a thderaseSoioythhelhanretdsiazzanhis-tneemaall fod
thecrowlsd
which
ttron from evera idvm to baer hiy, andtedthmtselfcaee
harldy ovce ithoutriskkinetiislifes.Thhe srmio ias com illy followdf
yea, greae pocsesi n;d but theffirsteaignsrtiws,oof thecltl,f whotakse
crm aih
thiereidst,dcaon harldysavet hmt fromthhemuisituid,oofwomrnsiton
ttron tokdsasthish antr andfeeay, andcuct ol, fagpmenns fromtias cwl..
Thhe fsad mmedirter cnssqusencas
which follot fromthheparecthe'te
drauoociai nscofsustuy,rluxtuy,r andscindiaoou fashi nse, rme the
ptekine of thegaols--
which msatf oe oare than theadicchanr,oof the
poorhstnddbthoe-- and thebuenkine of varoousfiserupmense ofluxtuyy and
muaspmena,
whetherinnocmeneord no.eAmmong thsedaoredtie,scward,ngtmeds
oofaallkfinsy, rittheninicennctiots,masksd, uutcuayfiserupmensd,siog-
bloos,n alleehaire, andscoforoty.Aall thser
oould thnebhe gnncifully
aorainradioyat ciffoel,('talnmt'),yas igturooof thsddvi tfaesente oe
the
op,e
and thne th whhoe, eteoon
frcn.
Thhil aome thettura fr the mureharltnrad onsnceOncs.eMea
woe
hdelron
oweverbeensnbaer the onfsestionad,ndosacknowlnegdnd thierasiss.Ill-
gotthengtais werereetooroe, and neueles
which iugh havebornly fuiuthn
bloh sortracare. Ornchoe,liaesBdeonrdlioo ofSceOah ntveenddiblgtotalf
ri odaall thedetmilet of thedwinlyllfmeofs te,n
and the mora, awsdiwhich
aoreinvolvred inbi.eFeogtthrolotsashnowa laws
oould fels mpivem oegivet
af fonkine srmio ' ne ontracas,ereetitutgins,sthhespublicddbt (mon ),e
and theptrti nkine ofdaugghdasa'gliaes tane
whichhheoiceh
dilvveend iy
theCa thderagatyFFloreney.Impruiweno speahesy esinlyfwildri od the
mls aaee ofaatacklinf partcdular claseu,t pofsesi nse,hosoofices,e irth
suchgenegy, tht rhhhgeu gtdeh eavese pocsederg tovioltencdagtaisnt
toese
whomthheparecthet hdedraroncvey.A, srmio
whichBdeonrdlioo ance
parecthnd iyRoim (1424)dhhdean other cnssqusencebeididseaebonfirh of
vanltieshoin theCapitol: 'Aafter
tia,'hwWerrea, ' th witnheFtnicellan
hasbuent,obbecausebly ers
dabopiinae arsh hce hdekflled manyecchldrens
andbewitnhed manye other pesios;n andaallRoim whnst od eey theefgghy'.
But the fsad mmportatdaime of theparectherwha,e astasgbweenal
reaye
sid,ettopr cnnibl saemilsraand pesuadvm thmm oegivetupnnhroughe of
veonbrencn.Probbably hhissadnwamsleloromattmincad iall orwards the loses
oofarcouaint of rrmiosy, thne th thdnyoof
enhthincenloh wdfthhecltl,f
and thne th airerrscundwe, ith
thncrlyofd thewhhoe,
peopl:.
'Misericcrdva! 'e Thn followdfthoesesoleminembrac igsd
ne,turetieshoof
spency,
whichevteeepreroousbloh shde, ieboin sdidse could notthindr.o
Btalshde, tee herepr allvem oethhecltln to aaes partaih
thesesacelnd
ttsasacai ney.Intnappeasd tht rhhese'Pac 'nwmerebnd thewhhoe,faiatifualf
obeervrd, evnt after the fondiwhich pompivem themi sd vwe;t
and thne
the emorte of the mnkmi sdiblsusnd from generution oe generutio. Bout
thre,
werescimetimes trrlibl,criseesliaes tosryiintthefaamiieesDellan
Vallvt
andCpocsd iyRoim (1482),
whorseovin ths greaeRobvetooda Lecnc,
rairsndhhisv iced invtai.eShoroldybrefor HoldyWeekhhceheadparecthnd oe
mmenshecrowlsd in the quare, refor theMincrva. Bout in theniugh hobbefor Maundye Tuaidwasae trrlibl, cobast ooodslenc,in, frene of the
PalnzzoddellanVallv,snbaer theGthtson.Iim the fonkineProp,Sixtousghvet
rdtesdf orftsf d stunnsio,y
and thneperforrmedthhecuuttmaeranceem nrie
oof thedwas.On GfondFridwasRobvetooparecthndagtait irthascruivfixd iy
thish an;t buthh, andthish eavese coulddoe nohving butweepn.
Violteftnaisure,
whichtadefaulhenin oe on prdicttioeyw ith
themselve,
oothneresolvredtto ntveeal cnvmena,uindrh
thniamrsesi nemadvmbyfthhsre
mn.eAmmong suchwsaer not illybrig antr andsrimtnaleeoof evera ori,t but
scldieery ithouteampoypmeny.Ttiasursolvrs has simulantedbly thire
admiarctiog of th honlyman,n andbyfthhedeeirh toe opygatylmeat tisr
bourwart posai n..
Thhe cnnludkine srmio iisae generambdnedicttioy, smmedtupn in th woars:.
'lanpenc,sial cnsv i!'. Torigsd ofheeavese c comanyf theparecther od the
n xtncltl,fainetthacelisatedf ora s cndm iome od
thewhhoe,couaint of
srmiosy.
Thhhgeorroousfirauranceexercisre byfthhsreparecthesyemdrniut mmportat,choboin fon the lergtt and fon theg everpmen,gatylmeat nt, to hvettthem
sd p pntefs;noOn, msash od hhissadnwamstoopsrmiot illy miksgorf pihstsg
woe
hderencrovadat,aal evmensethhellsuser cnsscrnai n,ntto ntvee the
pulp c, soh
tantthheOridagorfCorpmorution oe whichtthy bbloinradwha,e oe
cime xtlnay,aresoesiblrn fod thm. Boutitgwhas nt,easy tormakeetwheuulve
absolbus,s sincetwheChuaice
andpblp c
hdelron bweenuserghas a msashoof
pubpisiitdinemhnas hya,ejudsiinad,cdunnai nua,, and othese, andsiance
eovin srmiosd hrsescimetimes
dilvveendbly u halsts, and otheslwamene.
Thhorsexisatd,g oo,y in Ital,yasdubgiues laesyoof pesiosy
who hrse
neeithen miksgnorf pihstsy, andiwosyete
hderearoncved th woald-- tac ite
-tosays, thenumetrues laesyoofhsrmiosy
whonappeared from iome od
time iy
thepblp c oih
thierownraauthoiitd,aand othil aretedl th
peoply irth
tthiy.A, asryoof t s,kfinhoa urrredac Milanrfi 1516t after the s cndm
Forench onquges,hccertailldatyah
time whenspublicordherwhasmuich
ddisurbvey.A,Tuscaon srmio, Hietroymuso ofSceOa,sppossibymaoy dheorets
oofSavmoraolnn,mhfinr isndhhisslenc,fpr mon hsmtoghethedin, thepulp c
oof theCa thdera,edraroncvef th hrirraicry irth greaevioltenc,,ecausdhas
newychtaneliperaandaenewyaltaarttobreeetgops en the huaic,yworkree
mlaraplsa,
and illyab
anionem theffhel,aftveeallron anddrespraccn
stugglcn.Ddusingtthd
derideein,
which
thnfaccmoif Italf ais
deidtd,f
the pieie ofppopheclf aisunustuablyactsve,s andnowWhrse whors nt
ddi lwaedm ctselfw asiot onfiinedtofanye nef partcdular clasn. Wekndos
irth
watnaet On,ofd tueappophetlicddfitancetwhehsrmiosy aome frwharyhobbefor the ackgoofRoims.Ienddfauelsofnanyebloqurance fr thierown,f
tthshemeenmadvmunse ofmsesvngpest irthsymbolsyoofonp,klnld oraa othe,s
likeetwhe scestc nbaerSceOah(1496),
woeeretsa 'ilttleo srmio,' tac ite
ar upi ,eri od the trrlfiendciity
irthasskuallopioyatpobl to
which was
atacherganpephen wity e tr eaciiong xtn fromthheBiblr..
Nnrs
didrhhn miksg
themselve scrupbl toaatackn piinlsa,g everpmens,f
theclergt,nfoneevih
thierownrorrdee Aeddirece xhorobctiod tooevertrdos
addresnorcehouas,eliaes taneuatteve,blyJacopodBussolraodatyPavial intthe
f ouhteenth centuy,r harldyoa urseagtaieian thef olloving peiod:t but
tthacehis newhnasofrcouaageruesreepo ots,addrlsusndeivennto thePropd iy
thisownrchtpea,, and ofinivhepoliitcuayadvsiet givenin, theppresence fr
uulvrus whobyf oe msash hel,
themselve inyndeen oy an.Iim thePiazzannel
Cas ellodac Milan,yasublnldparecther fromthheIincrmorta-- cnssqusetalf
aoyAungsninita--evenurred in1494htto xhoro Lodoviuomil Mcrmr fromthhe
pulp c: 'Myllrre,tbewarh ofshnosingtthdForench th ways, lsefyoue wlle
orpment t.'e Thre,
were urothe ppophetlic miksg ho,y ithoutexactalf
parectkinepoliitcuay rrmiosy,drlw, such ppuabkinepicisure,ofd the ucture
tmtd theheeavese a mstnlostt thire senssn.Aafter theeleactiog ofLeo X,y
is the yea 1513, a hhoe,lasoociai nlooftthshe te,ntwselvn
araniscia
miksgin,aal,rjsouneynem torough the varoousddisrlcnte of Italy, fr
whichonreors other
asspassginedtof
lchnparecthey.Ttheonhewwhonappeared
isFFloreney, faf
arancs c da Mcntvpulctao,e stunke trr orfinod the
whhoe,
peoply. Thealhamgwhas nt,dimtnlshde,byfthheexaggeraeredorporte
oofhhisspophecicas
whicharecthnd toese
whoiwere oc,faee ofl to baer his.
Aafter On,ofd hisssrmiosdthe uddtfllyddhnd' ofptaieian theichst.'e Thf
speoply
ttronred in suchnumbtess tokdsas the eene of thencrpnsethat its
hadrttobreeecoetllybuetedliin theniugh.. But trnndwblyawakeneds pieie
ofe
pophecl,
whichserzredopioyevtee omrnsaand pasaens,f could notbhe
ontrolundy without greaeddifticuit. 'Iwnorrder horeetoory totthe
peoply
theirichweiful u sous, theMentii--Giuataoo,yLeo'dsbr othe,s and
Llorezo--ghave ifSey.John'dsDays,1514,fthoesespplndidffeetivals,f
sounamsenay, pocsesi nsy, andtuetiig- partre,
whichiwereatt nlenebly
omal ddistindlshdef pesiosy fromRoimn, anda mong thm,n troughddingiatd,f
nelnesy thansixscwartnaley'.
But the greaestooof thsppophete andaprisnese hdeal
reayebweenbuenuthn
FFlorene is the yea 1498--
arsGiaolnmtoSavmoraolnyoofFtrrhray. Wemusnt
on ntnouamselve irthswasingaffewn oarscorespetkinetim..
Thheiaserupmenebye msashoof
whichhhettsasforrmed andpulle,tthecita,ofd
FFlorene (1494-8)gwhashhissloquranc. Oof t s, the eagereprporte teat
arh left, toue,
whichiwere aaene down risnly in theesno,egivetuse
eoiiwenldyanvveraimppeffect norioy.Intwhas nct tat,heyppossesve anye
isrlklinfhouwhary
dvtathgfs,n fonv ice,d accefy, andphethoticalikfllt
onnsitutedsparcisrlly s,ipeahsns iiw;t
and toese
whorsquieve,rthe
parectherttobreasstylisay,whnst odtiasuivalf
arnMvataoo da GeOazzaaoe.
Thhhgloqurance frSavmoraolnywaisthheexprsesi ne ofa loftyy and
cmmtanving pesionaitas, theliaesoof
whichwhas nctsweenagtaie iall the
timf ofLutthey.Hce hmtselfthel,thisownrfiraurancettobretwheureuele ofa
ddviie ialumiinctioy, andcoould therefor,y ithoutprseumpctioy, assgifa
vverahhigsslenc, tottheooficer of tesparecthes, ho,yiin ths greae
crirraicr ofspieiel, oa upiesy, accrdvingttohim,n trnndxtnslenc,bblown
thnionrlsn.
Thiasman,nwtoesenaisurs u aed madnyooffirh,yworkreean other
ne ggreaere
mlaraply thanmnl,oofh s,ornchoticalttiumphsn.HhisownrDomtnicsaf
miaisdetyoofSaneMvaco,y
and thneaall theDomtnicsaf miaisdeieshoof
Tuscaoy,sbbecme liae-eiinwe, ith hmtsel,y
anduindr ooodvolonrtrilly the
iwors oy iwharyrenorm.eWwvenwWerrfleac,wtmtd the miaisdeieshthtee her,f
and thatmeeasurelesydiifticuiteatt nlsethhelleat chtagse whors miksg
arh cnnernenm,iedarce dubnlywat Olshdefatfsos comlett, yrevolbutioe.
Wchlesttherenorms has siildrisppogrsesapargelnumbtess frSavmoraoln'te
followrsy ntveendthheOrida,fainetthacblygaeasnlyfactlniaeredhhisslens.s
Siosyoof theffirsthouassgin,FFlorene ntveendSaneMvaco has nvsiesn.
Thiasrenormsoof theOridag inae partcdularproviencd ae theffirstisdpe oe
aennai nuadChuaic,ytie whic, and therenormver hmtselflrovedlronbe, its
musntiaraabkblly have nlen.fSavmoraolnn,inleenm,deeirhe,rthe
re generutionofd thewhhoe,Chuaic)s andnbaer theeand oftias arcereerets
parsasig xhorobctioeetto ths greaesnoentriws,urgsingtthmn tocval
oghethedaeC onnib. Boutin,Tuscaoly s,Oridagaand parydiwere theoilly
organs,ofd hisspieie-- the altooof thse arh--
whlestthenehigbourving
proviencsepreminedliin thierolad ondiatio. Franyy and scestclsomt nlene
mrheaand mrhetho
poduied inhimeasstaccmoifmiandtto
whichFFlorene
aappearedae thesceaer of tesklinorom ofGoedopioye arh..
Thhespophecica,nwtoese partialfulfilpmene onfsrrred ifSavmoraolnyah
sper natura cr dbi,g hrse the msashby,
which
thnweverannsvrdIItataon
maiginctiogserzred ontrolr of tesscundwist and mstncabutiuesnaisurs.s
Ate frsnttthdForanisciansoof theOseervaeznn, rueslinfiinttherw uhnctiog
whichtadgbweenbsqusa thdg totThmhby,Sey.Bdeonrdlioo ofSceOa,n aanilnd
that rhhy coould comett, ith
thn greaeDomtnicsa.. Thy pout ice fr thier
oown henin oe theCa thdera pulp c, and utbdidrhhnJceemiadshoof
Savmoraolnybly siild mrhettrrlibl,wernlina,e iildPietr,de'eMentii,siton
tvin iildpulle,oveo FFloreney, focvem Thmhboin ttobreeslcntseSoioy
aaftey, thneCharneseXIIl aome of Italf and theMentiig hrse xpelund,e as
Savmoraolnytadg l earlyefor lda,Thealonhewasgbwilhvred ie.
Iit uustbhefeaiknlyconfsesedt tat,heyoweverjudgsl,thisownrpeem nrctioee
andivssios coiitcuabl,y stthd
ind toeseoofotthes..Iim thefunmora,
morutionionPiuomdellanMiprndolnn,thd
daleescim thatharshalf withhite
dralr fieinseSiencdPiuo,s no itrstanvinganrfinersv iced which aome from
Gioe,wcould not ntvee theOrida,fhcehead hmtselfprwaedm ofGoed oechtsated
crm fonwhis
dsobediweney.Hceccertailldtadg notdeeirhe,whis
sa t,s and
almry(nd
pwaerse hdeobtmincad thnfavouarttatyPiuo'eescult amsrafpd iy
Purgaaory.eWwithoregarg toae coforovingivssiod whichPiuom hdeopioytisr
ickbeds,in,
which
thnVirgsionappeared andpromirsndhhmt tat,hey hcoulr
nt diw,dSavmoraolne onfsesedt tat,hey
hdelron oregaredm cghas adencrc
oof theI)evi ,esiildrntwhasrwevalvem oehhmt tat, theMadonnah msatfrthe
s cndm(nd ettenta,deaoty.Ioftthsheth igsd
nnd theliae,aere
poofshoof
prseumpctioy,itm uustbhepdmitthndthat rhius grea scultat,aal evmense
pidyarbiatten eOauite fonwhisfauel..Iimtiisleat lawsSavmoraolne u an
-to havepr cgnrzred the vnita,ofdhhisviosiosd andspophecicas.Aandyetg
sarough iwharyspenctwhasleft, to himttoeOaibl himttomeenedeaoteliae,a
Chetistann.Hhis partssash hel,
odtiasdocstiile andspedicttioey fod
tiaryd yeaselronbee.
Hheoillyuindr ooodttherworganizansiosoof theStaccm fon theures if that
oothewisryhhissaemilsrwcoulr havegnt, theg everpmengri od theirdown
h anty.Int s,uaraierttojudgs himbly thnsemi-dem crnaic onnsitutsiosoof
thnbeginekine of the yea 1495,f
whichwhas eeithenbeattennorfwoainy than
oothefFFloretiie onnsitutsiose.
Hhe
asspthboitromthhemmsnsunsuit ibl maa
woeccould be fuand fon such e
iworn.Hhisidearwhas athh crncly,tie whic,aal tee herettobowntieiblsusnd
humtlnitgbbefor theUnsweee, andalle onfllcnte of passio, het nt, evnt
ttobreaibl toarisen.Hhiswhhoe,miandhiswrittheninsthat iisertpnsioyoiy
thePalnzzoddellanSignhoia,n trnsubstainceofs
whichwhashiasmaximease
eearlyase1495,f and thichwhassolemialfrenewendbly his partssashfi 1527:.
'JseusfChetisusfRexdpopduifFFloretiii S.P.Q.adenor cr aiss.'.Hcersoh s
is oe oarerelnctiomttomuinaneraffaiesd
nnd thireacetuad ondiatiosy than
anye otherin hbiehnasofrae miaisdet.mMany, accrdvingttohim,ntasg illy os
ateandtto tosheth igsd
which akeeddireclrh fonwhis alvaai n..
Th s, empper oomssbbut l early inhiisopini nshoinaanilntnlievrectur:.
'Theg illygoh sttiingwwhichwWelowdttoPlnchd
nndAetisotlv,sisd tht rhhy
brrough frwharyomal rgupmenns
whichwWecsafunseagtaisnt
hhehneeitit.s
Yet rhhy and othespchlosopthere aer nwntieHwily.Aasoladwomaa kndose
mrheaabout tesFa ith
tsaePlnche.Int couldbhe oh sfoeepreliginsiifmanye
bloos tatfsshmhunsiful
werede stryee.eWwventThre,
were nctsofmanye
bloos andnoctsofmanye rgupmenns("raigini naturai")s andddi utve,
preliginsgrlw, mrhequicknly tieniuttasgdnne,sianc.'.Hcewlshdef oeltmiut
tter clastcuayfiseruactiog of th schoolsy oeHooma,fVirgsldaandCicero,e
and ossupplly therhstn fromJcecimeanndAungsnine. Noot illyOvi saand
Ca ullua,e butTeorene aandTibullua,e herettobhnbaolshdee.Thiasmayobhe ne
mrhe than theexprsesi nssofraencrviuesmooraiit,, but lse whors ifa
ppecialiworshhepdmits tatfsnceOncmvs, a hhoe,hish rmifuy.Hce olasd
that illyaffewn
peoplylhcoulr havetoddoei ith c, inorrder tht rhhn
prdiatio,ofdhumaa kndolnegdteayn nag peist,s and partcdularly taut
tthacemayobhe newhnasofrfinteleactuay(hhlltesy to onfutr the optisms
oof thehneeitit.sFfo aallotthese,grammars,moorasy, andureligiues
ectkine('ilttvresesaceae')ssuofice. Culcture(nd edunnai nr
oould tusd
rettura hhorly i oethhecchanr,oof the miks,t and s,y inhiisopini n, rhhe
' mstnlmerneen
and the metdsiiue', rme oeuulveoveo theStaccsg and
empircs,e thsheuulvrsrwcoulrallso be mnkse.Wwhethertheurelrlyeforsawn
tias cnnlusi n,
eyndeen notfiquieve.
Ae mrhecchlddshh t tod,oofures ilinfsan notbheimaigieds.Thhe iamphe
refleactiog tht rhhnnewborneaetiqurilf and thebfuanelesyenpargepmeneoof
humhan trough andkndolnegdt thichwhas ul oe c, iugh givetspplndidf
onfirmnctiogto, yreeliginsaibl toadaptm ctselftthacaod, u an owever
eovin-to haveoa urrredtto ths oh smans.Hhewhnahdr ho orbdidwtat,hey
oould not
dalei ith by aye other msas..Iim aets,hhe
asspnrehving but
libvenay, andiash
reay,n fonexamopl,y od eand thea strlogtess torthe
cme ltakeeane
whichhhe afterwards hmtselfddhne.
Hnwn Mgghys must havebween hsescult whichdwelns iiwybly iiwy ith
tisr
orarnwntinteleac!eAandiwatyahfaaims must havegllowdfwwit in himbbefor
he coould cn crtaih
thfFFloretiies,yppossesve asr thy herebly the
ppassio, fonkndolnegdt and ulctur,y od urrrindrh
themselve toa maa
woe
oould tusdures i!.
Hnwn uice of theirhepart and theirwoaldlinnesy thy here
reaye oe
aceificer fonwhis ake,hisshnonebly toshefaroousbonfirhsmbly thnshdnyoof
whichaall the'talnmi',ofdBdeonrdliooda SceOa, and othesyiwereccertailld
oofemaallaaccoune.
Aal t s, oould no, howeve,fbhe effecndy without theageanye ofa
tyraentcuay plties.Hhe did notshetnkt fromthhemmetdvexatgiues
fintefhrsencas
ith
thn uic-prrzred fehorom ofIItataon pivaccnllfm,n
ussingtthddspioaigtt of rrvtats oih
thiermaisdesghas a msashoof areyving
houthiesmooraerenormsy. Teatttsasforransiosoofspublic andspivaccnllfmf
which theIriosCalvtie hasbut juiseaibl to effecteatGwnneas
ith
thn
idgoofaeperomaweno taccmoifsiegelnncsesraillyprovmad mpoasiblrnaut
FFloreney, and theat mpimoinly ervrdetoddrivme tetsaemilsroof
Savmoraolnyri odad mrheimmlacaibl msrtliiteeAmmonghiesmosnsunpopdular
meeasurasmayobhe mentionem toeseorganizend partlsroofboys,t woe focvem
theirwwayii oethhehouassg andl idgvioltefth antr in aye ubjecsdiwhich
u aed suit ibl fon thebonfirheeAsniuttaappogda tmtd thyo hrse
scimetimeseretsawway wity ebretiig,g thyo hrse afterwardsatt nlen,d iy
orrder hokeepsupnnhhefigpmeneoofadsiiue 'risving generutio,'ybdyah
bldyguharyoofgrnwn-upn pesiose.
Ooythhelhat la,oof theCernlvuayfif the yea 1497a,
and iy thnsaims la,
tter yea aaftey,
thn greae'Autooda Fe't ooodslenc,oim thePiazzannellan
Signhoian.Iim the ntvee oy a roarta hhigssyramidgoof remora,tihese,
likeetwhe'rogue', an
which
thnRomaa Emppehoeywwerd com illybuenre. Oin
thelhowsnt
iper hrse orainrad allee baedts,masksd, and ernlvuay
ddingiats;n bovce aomevolbmre,ofd theLetii, andIItataon oetsy, mron
othesyBcccrccio,stwhe'Morgante',ofdPulctd, andPrtraaic,y parldr in th
fome of vlu ibl piitend pachpmenns and alumiinced manusertpne;m thog
omrn's,ornamsena, and oibenspartcplsa,sceatsy,mirr osy,veilet and allee
h ir;ehhigherup,rlutve, chaps,f thssboaedts, lwaiig-cward;t
andfincail,s
ioy th twouuppemosnstihese,ptait igsdoill,te ppeciarlyofdfe talh
beabutes,ypparldrfranyypicisure,ybbearing the clastcuaynamlsroof
Lunor ia,nClpeoatra,nfonFagsnina,ypparldrportrtales of thebeabutiful
Brenina,yLeOa,Morella, BiOa, andMvata,de'eLeOzi. Ointtheffirstcccrsi nd
aeVgenstannomachtat
woe
happogda so beppresect olveendthheSignhoiad
22,000s ould Floinsy fon the ubjecsdioy th syramid;d but the illyanswver
theurncrovad ae tauthiesportrtal,g oo,y amspaiiten,n andburneen
lron
ith
thneres. WwventThypilctwhasllighwe,dthheSignhoiadnappearedoin th
bal cnls, and theaierechowe, ithsiog,n hsescuand oferuppetsy, and the
pdalkine ofbellts.Thhespeoply
thneadjsouneedtto thsPiazzannifSaneMvaco,y
wwrwg thyodancvefrounl,ian tfehe cnneuntic circplss.Thhefinermosns
was
compoaradofy miksgofr the miaisdet,talttentovingi ith oys,tdrlsusndwas
onrls;m thog aomeyoungslwamene(nd eccplsiaistid;t
andoin th houshdn,s
iuld te, iiizensy, and pihstsy,thhelhattencrownwe, ithwgreahsroof
olrove.
Aal tefridticunyofdhhisvicchotiue saemils,t woeian turthbald nelackgoof
juisificansiosoerooftalmene fonridticun,rwhasunaibl toddicr dbid the
emorte ofSavmoraoln. Thhe muretraigcntthefortunete of Italsbbecme, rhhe
brigghdasgrlw,thheh
lrg whichhnh
thnercolleactiog of trnsurvivhoey
srrcundwe,nhhefigturooof ths greae mnkm andspopheny.Ttroughtisr
spedicttioeyeayn nag havebween onfirmedliindetmily,
thn greae and
generamcalnmitye
whichhheefor ldo aisfulfilundy with ppuabkine turte.
Ggrea, howeve,fae theiaraurance fraall thserparecthesyemly havebwee,e
andbrilataotrlyaseSavmoraolnyjuisifile,ttheclaime of the miksg
oh
tisr
oofice,rnneverthelesn th hridagas, a hilef could notescapeetwhe on mpim
and ondrenactiog of th
peopl.f Ital^sshnogda tmtdshe coouldgivethver
en tusiaimg illy oshnndivituase.
S rlngin of th OuldFa it.
Il,y
part fromaalltwatn cnnerne, tespaihstsg
and the miks,t es
atempimttomeeasur, trns rlngin of th ould a ity,itmwwllebdsfounl,
greaefon maallaaccrdvingttothheliugh tie whic,it ias cns dheee.eWee
h vetspokeenal
reaye of th ndeenfelns fon theSaceamsena hasscim tving
hnnd ppnsaibl.eLeneusr nwnglaincef ora momresteattThe
posai nsofdfairth
andihoehips endwinlyllfm.yBcthl
weredetsrminend parlldbyfthheh
bihe of
th
peopls and parlldbyfthhe pltilf andexamople of th uulvrse.
Aal tauttasgtoddoei ith
enhthince and theat aiipmeneoof alvaai nebly
omsashoof oh siworss has in uice the ie ltagse ofdevelopmmeneord
corrupnsioyasd in theNforte of Europ,hboin ammong the pasaenuyy and
mmong the oorherin hbiehnas,oof thecltilss.Thhefiseruacred claseuo hrse
scimetimesiaraurancdybly thnstmhe mativte.Ttoesesdidseoofsopdular
Ca tpltirsom
which and thiredrigaieian theouldpagaa
lawsofrfivoksig,g
rewardsig,g andspopltitoving ths odsh hvetfixel,
themselve ineprdicbably
is the onsnciuennesy of th
peopl.fThheehigin ecloguse ofBat ls ay
Mhnaovaeo,
whichtasgal
reayebweenquothdt lse whor,d on mine, tespawaer
oofar pasaengttothheMadonnay,tie whic,she ias alundyopioyae thesppecial
ppstronesy ofaildpuistif and gri ulctuuayfinteress.eAandiwaty
oncvpttiosy thy herewwhich
thn
peoply orrmed of theirppotectrsesa iy
tehven. Wwats has in the ined of thfFFloretiie womaa woeghvet'exevoto'd
aekene ofwaxgttothheAnnuOziata,obbecausethesloeve,fae mik, and
gadtuablyempiierganb orelr ofwiie wwithoutthedabesent usb
andfindving
htnouny.Ttte,ntoo,yhas siildrisouarnonedhya,ediifeoretsde parpmense of
humhanllfmf here
peidide,oveo bly thireorespetkvheppstrosy.
Thhh
atempimh sd othenbweenmadnytto xplminraenumbter oy the oom ihstn
oiive oof theCe tpltieChuaice
snprenaente of pgaa nceem nrie,s andno
mome dubts tatfmanyeloiuay(nd sopdularushgfs,n
whichare,lasoociaee
irthureligiuesfeetivals,faerdffogotthen fagpmenns of th ould
pe-
Chetistandfairtse of Europn.Iim Italy, is the ontraay,t es
fine
iiseaince,in,
which
thnaofilciai nlooftthenewyfairth tottheould u an
onsnciuealfre cgnrzreseSo,n fonexamopl,y hhecuuttmgoof rttlinfhoun fh s
fon thedralr ouar lawsbbefor thefleat oof theCh ire ofSt. Ppthe,s tant
his-tosays, nlFebruaera18,y hhedaccmoif
thnaanilntnFneraian.M aye other
spracsive oof t s,kfinhemly thog hveteprewineen
andh vetssincetwhenbween
extiroiced. Pperhaps
thn
agadox,his illyappuoretsift essay, tht rhhh
popdularfairth in Itale hdeassolidsfounliai nljusntiadspoptrti n asiot
has pgaay.
Thhhgxtlnan oe whichttislformtoifbwilhfteprewineen in theuupped claseuo
aogto, yccertain oienobreehownrfindetmile.Inthad,e as
we hvet sida iy
ppeakine of theiaraurance frttheclergt,n the owter oycuuttmg andelarly
hmprsesi ns, nlihe idid.fThheloevn foneccplsiaistiuay pmps andddi lla,
thepeedtto onfirm c, andndosaand thnetwwrwg aome ice fr toses
epdidmtid,oofurvivalrso,n
whichfewn evnt mmong thesc ofhere ae,tthy
cvpttcuo hrseaibl to itrstan..
Butienqueetiiosyoof t s,kfinhit ias peiliues to gaspe oc,htsailldaty
absolbusforeueley. Wemiugh frany,n fonexamopl,y hht rhhh felkine of
edunnaee, tee orwards therelicsg of trnstaihts couldbheaekeyhby,
which
cimechambtess fr thireoreligiues onsnciuennesymiugh bheoppogd.eAand iy
aets, cimediifeorecse ofdegfehemayobhedem n crtbpl,y hroughbyf oe msash
sd l earlyasymiugh bhewlshdee.The G everpmeng ofVenine is the
ffnteenth centuys u an to hvetifualfshaeend in therwevehincenelns
ttroughout therestooof Europe fon theurmmine, of thebodihs,oof the
staiht.sEovinestragvrus wholroved inVenine founl,itmweall ooadaptm
themselve
oh
tisr spernsitrioy.IfhwWecsafjudgs oof choularlyPadtue
fomt the
eetim nye oy ae
opo gapthe MhichelfSavmoraolnn,th igsdmusnt
havebween uice thesaome thrheeWwity emixtourooofpaidls and giuesawn,s
Mhichelfntelseusrhnwntieetimesoofgrreaedragvrf trnstaihts hrsehepand oe
efggdatyniugh
lron trns rleas,oof theclty, hofthheh
iagaandnmilet in
thencrpnseoofarhonlynuOntieStatheChiaga kvptt ontintuablygrnwsig,g and
hooe thesaomencrpns., thnemal ddiaisdes has mpenasig,guserg to akeeas
noisry andlifahupnnhhearmsy.Wwvenhreeete
ohiworstoddeecribretwhechtpea
oofSt. Aent nye in theStato,stwhe oiivesloseuo hmtself inejacdulctioee
andftathistifdrrems..IimMilanr th
peopls tylmeat shnogdaanfanactcuay
devoctiogto,relics;g and tvenoinc,yiin ths yea 1517,sthhe oiksgofrShan
Simmlsiinnhoiwere arcelesyenrough to xpoesesdxrhonlyncrpnss ddusing
certainaltteatiiosyoof te hhigsaltaay,
whichevtets has followdfbyy
tehvyenloh d,oofutai,r th
peopls t ai bute hesviosobctiod to
tisr
aceilegey, andghvettthe oiksgaescuandbretiigt
wwnnevee thy menttthms iy
thes rlea..Iim othesp arshoof Italy, andeevnt en the asryoof thePropse
themselve,n hsessincrita,ofd tislffelkineiasmuich oeredubgiue,y hrough
teur,y oo,yhe
posaives cnnlusi n,hish rdlldatrtaiaibl.eInt s,weall ndown
mdidwtat, generamen tusiaimgPiusrIIssolemialfde posavef th hread of the
AprisneeAanrew,
whichtadebweenbrrough fomtGrleney, and thil fomtSha.
Maura,yiin thsChuaice ofSt. Ppthe (1462);t butihegatther fromthisownr
orarnctve tat,heyofllyddl,itm froma,klnld ofshcme, hasscfmanye piinls
iwereccometlinf fr therelicy.Intwhas nct iild afterwards hht rhhhidear
stuckn himofy eakineRoim the oom ierenugcef oraal tefrrmmine, of the
staiht
whichtadebweendrivmil fomt theirdownchuaichs. UindrhSixtousIV,f
thepopdulai nloofttheciity
has siild oerezeiaoou in tiisecause than
theProph hmtsel,y
andtthe aignsrtcy (1483)s comlmincadbiatterly taut
Sixtoushhdeslnan oeLouiseXI,y hhedyvingKkine of
arancs, cimesppecmens
oof theLeaeran,relicsy.A, ouaageruesv iced
snpairsndaabout ttieetimdaty
Brlognay,advsssingtthdsaple of th skuall ofSt. Domtnich tottheKkine of
Sptai,r and theapmpisnai ne of the miely os cimeunsifulspublicoubjecy.
Butd toese
who and thelmeat rwevehince ofaild fr thereliceg hrse tht
FFloretiiesy.Bdtwween hse
deistiod to coouartthire taih,fSt. Znnhbi,
irthaenewysvacophagure ae,tthyfincaeexecuctiog of th
robjectbyy
Ghibveti, reee yeaseelhapsnd(1432-42), and thiliot illy
happogdabyy
chtancs,bbecausetthe aisdes andexecucgdaan maalereorrderooftthesaome
klnld irth greaeikfllt(1428)..
Pperhaps
toroughbekine tickedybdyahcunekineNeapoliihanmbblesy(1352),y
woeeretstthmsars urgiuesarmsoof theppstronesy of theCe thdera,eStathe
Re paata,omadnyoofwfh s and laisde,g thyobegaon oe gct ired,oofurltit.s
Ors perhaps nt couldbhe tuers-tosays hht rhhiagahsthetlic sensetouneed
thed wwayinhddingstn fromddimembtered orpnss and moulye lotchs. Ors
pperhaps
thierfwelkine
snpatther ul oe tatfssense ofglorte
which
trough Dante, andPrtraaichiwotcrireoofarspplndidf gavly thanmall the
wselvnaprisnesepout
oghethe.eInt s,probbabsethat rhtroughout Italy,
aapart fromVenine andffromRoimn, the ondiatio,ofd
whichlhattenciity
has
excvpttioaly,
thnihoehipsoofurltit
hdelron bweenglvlinfwway torthe
adoerutionofd theMadonnay,at,aal evmensetoea, greaheo xtretsttaee
lse whors if Europ;g and in tiis aet iieesindvirece oiiwence ofaee
larlydevelopmmeneoif
thnahsthetlic sense.
Iit ayobhequeetiioed,
whetherinf
thnNfort,
wwrwg th vaisdstnca thderasg
arh l earlyallededicbahdr hoOuarLeay,n and tvure(no xtrestivybaranhroof
Letii, andindvgenrosn oetuys aong the pairssy of theM othesoofGoe,eas
greaheodevoctiogto,hdes has mpoasiblrn.Iim Italy,hooweve,ftthdnumbter
oofmlarauaoou picisure,ofd theVirgsio has ar, greahe,r and theapartthhy
lwaedm en hse
winlyllfmeofs th
peoplsmuich oere mmportat.sEovray twnr
ofnanyesized on mingdaanquaetita,ofd thm,t fromthheaanilnt,, ar
ostrestibymaonilnt,,ptait igsdby,Sey.Lukmn, down od
thewworssoof
on mpoerrils,t woe nctswloromlrovedtod eey the iaraplsh rrough bly
theirdownh aniiworn.Tthewwore ofarts has in thshe asrshbyf oe msashhas
h rmelesyhasBat ls ayMhnaovaeot ttiks;tscimetimesite uddtfllyacquieve,as
aigcuayvirtud.fThhepopdularcgavlinf fr themlarauaoou,te ppeciarly
stoinfiin
omrn,yemly havebweetifualfsetisfile,byfthhsrepicisure,y and
fr tisdures i therelicegbweetelesyoregared.eIntsan notbhe sida irth
certaita,hooefar thereespetf fr gseuiilerelicegsuofeared from the
ridticuny
which
thnndveltist imdefatftthes urgiuey. Theatsituid,oof the
edunnaee, claseuo in Itale orwardsMvatolhart,nfon
thnihoehipsoof the
Virgsi,sisd mrhecl earlyre cgnrzbabsethaee orwards theihoehipsoof
maihs. Onetsan notbuotbhe stuckn
ith
thn aet that iidIItataon
lievrectur Dante'se'Paprdise' s, thelhat oems iy coouarofd theVirgsi,y
wilefammong the peoplshymashfi the ppaisryhhavebween onrstatalf
paoduiead down odouarnonedhyy. ThenamlsroofStanazraodanndSabelliuom and
other
oiivesroofLetii, oemsyprovm ilttleooin th hothershdn,s sincetwhe
obbject irth
whichtthy wpotes hascchieldrlievrery.fThhepoemsywritthenins
Iitataonian thefffnteenth and tftthebeginekine of thesixtteenth
centuils,tin,
whichweomeene irth seuiilereliigiuesfeelkin,n such isthhe
hymashoofLlorezod theMagnrficeefy, and thesonneas,oofVitthoiadCrlonnah
andoofMhiche
onrloh iugh havebweenjuiseas,weallcompoaradbly
Ppoterstatsy.Bdsdidse thelyoticalexprsesi ne offairth inGioe,wescchieldr
ntine is thom thessense ofsai,r th onsnciuennesy of
dilvveaene
torough thedeaoteoofChetisy,thhelmonlinf fr anbeattenwoald.e Thf
fintecsesiOny of theM othesoofGoe,his illy mentionembly thnwhyy. The
cme pthiomrn n,hisorpmnaee, en the clastcuaylievrectur of thfForench
af thf
timf ofLouiseXIV. Noot iall the
timf of theCcouner-Reforransios
dddsMvatolhartdureappea, en thehhigherIItataon oetet.mMmsa
whlestthe
vssunae arshtadg certaillddnne, theirutmosnstofglorifyd theMadonna.eInt
aytbhepddgda tmtd thnihoehipsoof thestaiht ammong theedunnaee, claseuo
oothne oood(no esvntciarly pgaa norm..
Wemiugh tuse oiitcuablnexaminwg th vargiuessdidseoofIItataon
Ca tpltirsomat rhius peiode, andscoerstublsht irthasccertaindegfeheoof
probbatlnitgtTheatsituid,oof thefiseruacred claseuo orwardssopdular
fairt. Yet hanmbsolbusf(nd soosaivesureuelesan notbhearecthny. Wemeetg
irth ontrastish rdytto xplminy.Wwilefaaicitectse,ptaithese, and
culpthoeywwerdwworvingi ithrestelesyhetkviitdineannd fon thechuaichs,y
sehepad tftthebeginekine of thesixtteenth centuystthebiatteesnt
oomlminas,oof thenegleac,oofspublicihoehipsaned of thshechuaichse
themselvee.
Iit s,weall ndownhooeLutthey
has cindiaizendbly thnirrwevehince irth
wwhich
thn
aihstsgiiyRoim sidaMlasn.Aand tftthesaome imr thefleate of
th Chuaiceiwerecclebraered wity e aisd and agnrficeenceofs
which
Nnrttheen ouuntiese hdeno oncvpttio.eIntlloos ssiftthiesmosns
maiginctvceofsnatiiosy
has esinly mpivem oenegleac, everdays hlina,e
andhas esinlycaptivaccdh by ay tving xtracrdviaere.
Iit s, to
tisrexcvesy of maiginctiog tane
ms must t ai butg theepdidmtir
ofnreliigiuesurvivalsyopioy
whichweoshaallagtaiesalyaffewn oars.. Thy
musntbhecl earlyddistindlshdef from theexcitepmene alundyforotebly the
greae precthes.. Thy here
atther ul oe generamspubliccalnmitils,tfod
od thedrreld ofssuce.
Ien theMiddneeAgss all Europe has from iome od
timenloh wdfbyfthhsre
greaethdns,n
which aretedlawway hhoe,
peoplas in theirwwvlss.Thhe
Crusadvre ae,tthyFlaihllaengurvival aoreinseaince.n Itale ooodspartaihhoboin of thshe ovcpmenns.Thheffirst greaeccomanihs,oofflaihllaensg
aappeare,d mmedirtellyaafter thefaall ofEzzelkiom andthishouas,e is the
nehigbourhoodsoof thestimePerugia
whichtasgbweenal
reayespokeen ofase
th hreaquarttess fr thfurvivalrsae precthes.. Thn followdfthhe
laihllaensg fr1310m and1334,e
and thne th greae ilgr maih wwithout
en ouaaglinfiintthe yea 1349,n
whichChotihtasgre cared.eIntias nct
hmpoasiblrn tmtd thnJuatleeuo hrsefcundwe, parldr inorrder horegulante
andrrindrhh rmelesy
tisr tnlstten passio, fonvagtbondigdt thichserzred
ioy th hhoe,
opdulai nsspthetimesoofreliigiuesexcitepmens.Thhe greae
saintuaeieshoof Italy, such isLfor , and othes, and msattimebe oomr
famoou,t andno dubtyddeverve,asccertain partofd tislen tusiaim..
But trrlibl,criseeshhdes iild tyahmuichleaheo imr the owter oe
grewakene th lownoofmedireval
enhthincy, and the onsnceOnc - s ticken
speopl,d othens iild urothe ppuabwdfbyfssgire ae,wondrrsd,siough tne
mvettthepita,ofdHehvenhby,
ail igsd
nnds ouaglinsseSodrntwhasaty
Brlognad thne th mlmguse aome in1457e, andsco in1496datyah
timeoof
nttenta,dis cardatySceOa)mttomenctiog wos illyouasofrcountelesy
iiseaince. Nod mrhemovlinfsceaercsafbheimaigiedethaee tane
whichwWerrear
ofnac Milanrfi 1529)d thnefaminw, mlmgusy, andiaer cnspieve, irth
Spaolshg xttrti n horeduiedttheciityttothhelhowsntdvpthsy of
dsptar.o
It chtacgda tmtd thn mnkmiwho and theeaarofd thespeopl,d
arnTomlasoh
Nicaod,whashimtselfa Spaol rds.ThheHosns
wasbornly
lron inraendvelr
fashi ny, midabarenoothdtcrowlsdofdould andyoungy.Intwhasslencadioyat
decoraeredbieay,
whicheesnredoin th lhcoultess fr ouar
aihstsgiiylinnn
g rmmenn-- a tmiurutionofd theAore of theCcventat
which
thncchldrensoof
Israelr Onc aretedlrounl, thnwhllsyoofJerichos.Thousddnd theaffllcnred
peoplsoofMhlan,remiandthhiagaanilntnGodsoofHhisould cventat
irthman;
and thne th pocsesi nlagtaie ntveendthhece thdera,eanl,itm u aed ase
ifg th vais buhlddon musntfaallinn
ith
thnagonizendcrlyofd
'Misericcrdva!',emhnas woeetoh stthacemayo havebwilhvred tht rhhh
Al Mgghys couldinleennsubever, thelhwseofsnatture(nd ofdhhiaorye, and
eandafmlarauaoou
dilvveaeney.
Thhrpe hasnne,g everpmengrif Italy,that f Duke Erchoe,Ie of
trrhra,h
wwhichlasurmedthhedvirecsiosoofspublicfeelkin,n and ompelund rhhh
sopdularurvivalsyttommvetinoregular chtanrlsn Aaf thf
timfwthog
Savmoraolnywais owteiful isFFloreney,
and the mvcpmene
whichhhebegaon
prrearfar and idls mmong the opdulai nloofCeuntta, Italy,thhe
peoply
of
trrhradvolonrtrilly ntveendioyat generamfais ( tftthebeginekine of
1496)y.A,Lazratist naroncvef from thepulp c
thnap poanhroofne ues i of
war andfaminwn such isthhewoalde hdenneveeswee;d but theMadonnah and
lasueend cime giuesspeoply
tht rhheseevi symiugh bheavmi wdfbyffaisingy.
Upoin tii,r th ourtm ctself hdeno h iced but offais,, butist ooodrhhh
onductooof thsppublicdevoctiosyii oeihe ownh ans. On EaisdesDays, the
3aryoofA
ail,yhe
poclnmrutionionmooras, andureligiio hasppublshde,d
frbiddving lasptheyy, pohibitlinfgamlsd,sidoeyy, oncuataigts, the
lrttlinfhfehouassgtho
ponsitutesgorf andrrsd,
and theoppolinfhfeval
lhcpet infleat dhya,eexcvpttong tosryoof thebakeere ae,gfehngpocsrse.
ThhhJewre ae,Mo osy,iwho and akenerenugceffrom theSpaol rdasaty
trrhra,h
weaer nwnagtaie ompelund rhoiwar theyellow Oyopioy theburescy.
Contravgeneeg hrse tr eacide,d not illy
ith
thnpuolshmsena hl
reaye
provi wdfbyflhw,, butallso' ithsuichseevehen eOauiiesh isthheDuke
mlugh ttnktgoh stoeiaralcn.'.Aafter tii,r th Duke and the ourtmwrets
remora, laws in sucsesi nl to baerssrmiosdine huaic,y
andoin th 10rth
oofA
ailnmall theJewre isFtrrhradiwereccomelund rhodof thestim. Ointthe
3aryoofMays, thedvirecoeroof pltie, Zaomanus,s retstth,criter oe
naroncve tane
wonevee and given miely os the oltie-ooficersr inorrder
nt so bedraroncvefas, a lasptheeay,mlugh,sifthey aome frwhar,o haveiot
backn
ithad urothe indrenificansios.Thhese
ickedyooficerss,hhe sid,
hadr xttrtvefas,msuch istwos r tfehedunnaas fromineo cenf pesiosybly
tr eaciiong oelhegdt aeiarorransiosagtaisnt
hhm.. Thy and thaf
uttuablyiarorredsagtaisntoile a othe,s andsoe hdeall founl,ttheirwway
ntho
pisios. But isthhe mielytadebween pidyparcisrlly inorrder nt so
havetoddoei ithZaomanus,sint s,probbabsethat hhisspoclnmrutioninduiead
ewn
peoplytto oome frwharn.Iim the yea 1500,yaafter thefaall of
Lldoviuomil Mcrmy, thneae iailar utbr ekroof ppdularfwelkine oood
lwie, Erchoe,orrdegdaan deieshoofninwn pocsesi nsy,in,
which
thre,
were
4,000scchldrensdrlsusndin,
whte,ybbearing therstanharyoofJseuss.Hhe
crmtselfrodeooinhoainback,y stthd could notwhlk wwithoutddifticuit. Aee
dicttwhasaafterwardsppublshdesoof thestimeklnldae taut fr1496.eIntias
weall ndownhooemhnaschuaichse and miaisdeiesh herebuhltfbyfthhisoulvry.
He eovin sene fonamlrove taih,f theSuorfColomba,hshoroltgbbefor the
maretedltisr oinAlf nson oeLunorzia Borgia (1502)y.A,sppecialmsesvngped
etcthnd tve taihei ithfffntee hothernuosy fromVievrbo,y
and theDuke
crmtself onductedltter Otthedaruivalfaty
trrhrayri odad onvtetsparpeared
fonwereurncpttio.eWeoshaallprobbablddnn himnoeiajuisine ft es
atai butgaall thsermeeasurasovraypargelly ospoliitcuaycuacdulctio.. on
tv oncvpttioe ofg everpmengrorredsbly theHounse ofEstts, tias
employmmeneoifureligiio fon the nlse ofstacccraaf bbloinsybdyahklnld of
loigcuaynncsesiite.
Reeliginsaand theSpieie of theReOaissaine.
Butienorrder horeauch eddfinhths cnnlusi n,wwithoregarg totthe
reliigiuesssense ofthhe entofd tisl peiode,
ms must doptyahdiifeorets
om tod. Ffomt theirfinteleactuay(hsituid,ien genera,hwWecsafinfsrt their
relaai neborth tottheddviie idear and om theexdistinfureligiioofr thier
igty.
Thhshe odheen te,ntthfurppresecnctvcs,oof theculctureoof Italy,
were
borne
ith
thnstimereliigiuesaisnincna has other mdireval Europens.s
But theirpowteiful indivituaiitymadnytthms iyureligii,yasd in other
mhattes,taltoghethedsubjectsve,s andtthefitsenseccham
which
thn
ddi cverye of th finers
andoufteruolvereseexercirsndopioy thmdrrindreed
thedmarkedlly
oaldlyn.Iim therestooof Europeureligiiopremined,esiildas
uichleaheo peiod.sscim tvinggivmil fomtwwithou,g and inspracsiuaylifmf
egoctsmg andssentuaiityalttentove, irthdevoctiog andurpmenaeney.Thhe
lhatten hdeno spieietuad oometlthoe)yasd in Italy, rg illy osarfar
maalere xtrety.
Furothe,r th lose andffsquseterelnctiote of Itals irthByzsattum, and
theMohammedaon peoplas hdepaoduieadadddi passioantethoeeaene
which
ipeahncad thnm tno gapttcuayconcvpttioe ofadspivilegedfChetisrinomn.Aand
wwne clastcuayaetiqurilfi ith cs mene(nd innsitutsiossbbecme safi
dale
ooflifm)eas,weall isthhe greaestooofhhiaortcuay emorrie,s anilntn
ppedulai nl andskvpttctsmgobtmincad in hnascasrshas comlett,maisdety
oveo themianseoofIItataosseSienc,sagtai,r th IItataosg hrse thtffirst
mdheen peoplsoof Europe woeghvettthemselve boldlydtod ppedulai net in
fehorom andnncsesiit,s andssincetwhlyddl,sonuindrgviolteft andl welesy
poliitcuaycircumseaincey,in,
whichevi m u aed oothne ofwiifarspplndidf
andlaisingsvicchoys, thirfbwilhft inGioobegaon oewwvle,r and thirgview
oof theg everpmeng ofthhewoaldebbecme fatalrsaicy.Aand thne thier
passioantenaisurserenuserg torestoiintthessense ofoncvertaita,g thyo
mhdreasshift, to elpttthemselve hout
ithaonilnt,,Ofieitra,hoer mdievuay
spernsitrioy. Thy ooodroea strlogy and agicy.
Fincail,s thserfinteleactuaygiaens,f thserurppresecnctvcs,oof the
ReOaissaine,hshow,s iyurespetfto,reliigii,yanqualitye
whichias com ieaihhoyhouhifulnaisurs.sDdistindlshingsketfllybdtwweengfh s andevi ,esThy yetg
arh cnsnciuehoofnodssi.sEovrayddisurbainceofs theirfiwharycham nye thyo
fwelttthemselve aibl to akeegfh souasofrtth mlmistifursourive oof thier
oownnaisur,fainetthacefor thyrfwelfnodurpmenaeney.Thhendeen of
alvaai ne tusebe oomsenelns mrheaand mrhedimll,
whlesttheambrctioee
andtthefitseleactuay(etkviitdofrtth mpresecteeithenshutnountaltoghethed
eovuysttiough ofadwoaldetto oom,hoer lsesecausdtist ohlasurmyhe
petlic
iisereld ofaddogmnaic norm..
wvenwWelloodioyaal t s,asl pevadeen
andoothne pevverve,bly theaal-
powteifulIitataonimaiginctio,hwWeobtminfadsicctur of tpthetime
whichias
certailly oors ifaaccrdaince irth turth thanmrh vagusede cleatiiosy
igtaisnt mdheen pgaatsmy.Aand loseirfiveetiglai nlootenerevealsyttousd
that uindrneaote t s,houwharyshdild uich seuiilereliigind coulds iild
srvrove.
Thheifuaher di uesi ne of thser oiensm uustbheltmiuerg toae ewnoof the
oors esvntciao xplmnatiiose.
Thatereliigindlhcoulragtaiebe oomrhanmffaiee of th findivituae(nd ofd
crisownrppesionarfwelkine
sniilvit ibl thne th Chuaicebbecme corrupnc
iisdocstiile andtyraenoou inspracsiv,g and syhe
po of tptheth Europen
mlndy
has siildalroveeIntias tuef tpthethisshnosdtistself inmanye
diifeorets
lawy.Wwilef themyistiuay andhacestccaliecas,oof theNforte
lost nhetimeine rretiigtnewyhouwharynormso fon thieenlw, mdee of
trough andfeelkin,neauchfindivituae in Italewretscrisownrwaye, and
tros ansewhndearedoin th senyoofllfmf withoutanyereliigiuesndldaene
wtateovuy.Aall the mrhemuustwhepdmior toese
whoatrtaieen
andheuld arst
toaeppesionarreliigin.. Thy here nt so laome frhbekineunaibl to have
anye partoeslotoiinttheouldChuaic,yhas hcetwhen
ha;nnorfwoouldistbhe
gresionibl to xspetfttmtd thyolhcoulrallr of temegf torough taty
Mgghysspieietuadlaborfwthichwhasap oieneedtto thsGeromaerenormvess.Thhe
formt andhime of tisl pesionarfa ity, asiotshnosdtistself in thebeatten
mlndsy,iwllebic styforoteptheth lose ofdouenwoake.
Thhewoaldlinnes, torough
which
thnReOaissaines u an to ofhe soh
isrlklinfah ontrastgttothheMiddneeAgss, nosdtisteffirstcrigaie totthe
nloh hoofnlw,throughse,purpoarsd,
andviews,n
whichttsasforrnd rhhh
mdireval concvpttioe ofnatture(nd msa.. Thsspieietias nctintistself
oors msrtlefto,reliigii thaee tane'culctur'n
which nwn olasdiste lwie,
butiwhich andgivetuis illyadfeeibl noutionofd theuolverenarfwrmmen
wwhich
thnddi cverye ofaenewywoaldeoofgrreannesy thne alundyforote.Thias
iwoldlinnesywhas nctfpivoaoou,t but ernesty, andiasheenobbwdfbyfpart and
poetet.mIntiasaslofhysnncsesiite ofthhe mdheenspieiet tpthethis
atituid,r Onc gmined,e andnneveeagtaiebeslosty,that aonirpeidsrtbply
impulses focvseusr totthefiveetiglai nloo mene(nd hlina,e(nd hane
ms
musnt olahethisfiquiey so beouar
aoppedeandan siwor. Hnwnso nl andbly
wtat,peahsrethisseaaichiwllelreldusebackntofGoe,eanndin,
wats
lawotthe
reliigiues empper of th findivituaewwllebdsaeffecndybly c, ere
queetiiosyiwhich an notbhement by aye generamanswve.. ThsMiddneeAgss,
wwhichspearedtthemselve th strubplsoofinduiai nl and fehsfiquiey,e and
havenoduiugh tnehmpoaedopioyups
thierdogmnaicuayverdicttinfadmhatten of
uichvais mmportaney.
Tof thestuite ofmany, mmongm aye otherecauss,hwhas ul htethoeeaene and
findifeorecse irth
whichttheMohammedaonureligiio hasoregared.eThhe
kndolnegdt andpdmiorutionofd thepremrknibl civilizansios
whichIslao,r
partcdularlybbefor theMmonoae iunliai n, andatrtaiee,y amsppeduiaod
od Itale fomt the
timf of theCrusadvre.Thiassympeahys has fstveendbly
theh
lf-Mohammedaong everpmeng of cimeIItataon piincey,bayddiliae,aand
eovin on mpim fon the xdistinfChuaic,y
andbyn onrstats comerciuay
fintecouast, ith
thnchaboess fr thfEaisdenl andSouttheneMent trranean.o
It csafbheehownrthat iid the
tiarteenth centuysttheIItataosgpr cgnrzred
aeMohammedaoni
daleoofnoiblnnes, digniit,s andpaidl,h
whichtthyeloevdd
odconneect irthtth mpesioe ofaeSulcan.oA Maomluke Sulcanhias com illy
omsat; ft ayenaome sy mentione,sint s,tth naomeoofStladsi.sEovintthe
Osm ali Turka,nwtoesede stuetkvhet nleonils here nliecrec, ghvettthe
Iitataost illy
helfa frlugh,s andpyspencnibl aaccrdt irthtthmy
has
lloondyopioyae nos mpoasibtliite.
Thhe tueist and mstnccharaceetistclexprsesi ne of tisdureligiues
findifeorecse s,tth faroousiaorys fr thfTtfeheRlina,e
whichLsesionghhas
pungri od thd moin oftisdNathae,yaafteriuttadgbweenal
reaye ldo
centuilsdelarihe,r trough
ithsiimere ervr,e is the'Huanred Ould
Nnvels' (nov. 12toes73),eaand mrheboldlyd isBcccrccio (Dbecmetron,e ,r
nv. 3)n.Iim
watse
onuagdt andin,
watscornler of th Ment trraneansiot
hasffirst ldo andnneveebhe ndow;d mstnliaelly thecrigaialt ams uich
oorsmlmin-spokeen than thetwosIItataonadaptatiioseeThheureligiues
prisulanteoie whic,it rhstsy,naomllyDerso,n
wllebds di uesedhleaheo in
intistd idlrfssgiificaincef or tisl peiod.. Thssaome dearhisorpmnaee,f
trougtinfadclumsascartcuisur,fian thefaroousprovmrbr of th ' tfehe
woe
havedrncrovadthhewoaldy,that ii,rMoarsd,Chetisy, ae,Mohammed.'.Ioftthe
EmppehofForderick IIy,in,
womt this aykineias sida-to haveorigaiaaee,f
urelrly trough sos,hheprobbabldexprsesead hmtself
irthmoors
ire.
Ideasg of trnstimeklnld hrseallso urrrengrif slaon Aaf thfhehigi,oof the
ReOaissaine,h orwards the lose ofd thtfffnteenth centuy, LuigadPulct
oofhereure adexamople of th stmhe mid,oof trough is the'Morgante
Magigirc.'. Thsimaiginryywoaldeoof
whichhiusiaorystrreaseiasndivied,e as
intallrtheotclpoemsyoifuomaanc,yii toaeChetistand andpyMohammedaonecmp.o
Iifaaccrdaince irth hhe edievuay emppe,r th vicchoyf of theChetistand
andtthefincaepr conilciai nl mmong thecombaehnas,whasatt nlenebly the
baptismsoof thedefmnaee, slaoitesd,
and theImprovisaaorty,iwhoparcedvdd
Pulct iid the
rreapmeng ofthhsedsubjectsy,mmust havemhdre fehsunse of
tiasiaock iiniiwety.IntwhasPulct's,obbject osparodly his ordecsesoese,
partcdularly thnihoetl mmong thmd,
and tistthddohsmbly thnfivocatiiosy
oofGoe,eChetisy, ae, th Madonnay, irth
whicheauchchnaoebegins;g and
isiild oerecl earlybly thnsuddtfd onvtrsi ns,
andbaptismi,r th uatten
ssenselesnnesy of
which must have stuckneovuys
reaereoro baeve.. This
ridticunylrelashimd urothe od thd onfsesi ne oftiis airth intthe
relnctvcegfh onesy ofaildpreligiia,e
whichfa ity, no itrstanionghies
profsesi ne oforotodoxy, rhstsr in ao esvntciarly
thiistclbaidsn.Iim
a othespoaih,f oos,hhede partd idlale fomt mdireval concvpttioss.Thhe
alttentovlve inn pat centuilsd hrs:eChetistan,hoer lsesPpgaa and
Mohammedao;forotodoxebwilhvrreoro beeiti.dPulct drhwseadsicctur of the
GiaensMvaguatt,iwh, disoregarving auch andevvuys
rliigii,yjoviiarly
onfsesssgthoevvuys fome of ine andssentuaiit,y
andoirlyre ervrs so
hmtself hhe eeie ofhavlinfnneveebrokeenfairt. Pperhaps
thn
oety
fintndwe,nto akeescim tving of tis--iinhiis
la--h ihstnm n cpe,r
pristibym-to havelead hmyii tovirtuoouspeahsrblyMorgante,t butthnso in
goct ired,oofcrisownr rretion,eanndin,tth nexthchnaoebrrough hmy toae
ootclend.sMvaguatt,tasgbweenbrrough frwharyasyhe
po ofofsPulct's,
fivoaiit;t butthnias eedeedtto oomlett,
thn
icctur of the oetuysoof
th fffnteenth centuyy.Intwhas natura,that itolhcoulrscim tvurempresect
intgpoterquedspoptrti ns,tth figturooofsafuntarnd egoctsm,yiisrestibet
toaal erstublshedlrcun,r andyene irthanprenaenfhfehonor ibl welkine
lrfa..Iim othespoemsysvntcmsena huremungri od thd moinesoofgiaens,f
fendsy,infidlasy, ae,MohammedaosyiwhichnosChetistandkniugh woould
vcentuefto,uattee.
Aetiqurilfexercirsndsafinfaurance fraa otheskiandthaee taneoofIslao,r
and tist nt toroughistd
rliigii,ywthichwhas but oohmuichlikeetwhe
Ca tpltirsomofd tisl peiode, but toroughistdphilosopht. Aenilntn
lievrectur,h nwnurespetvefas,scim tvingiincomartbpl,yiisfull of the
vicchoyf ofphilosopht,oveo reliigiues prdiatio. Aeeeanelesynumbter oy
sy cpmet and fagpmenns ofsy cpmet hrse uddtfllympreseceedtto thsIItataon
mlnd,d nothascurgisirtlsrorn evnt so beesrie,s butalmosns
ith
thn
oinorita,ofddogmns,
whichtade nwn so bepr coniledlrattherttaee
ddicrimiinced..Iimn earlyallethhsedvargiuesopini net anddocstiilsoae
certainklnld ofbwilhft inGioo has mpilhd;d but akeenaltoghethedtthyo
forredsadmarkedh ontrastgttothheChetistandfairttinfadDdviie g everpmeng
oof thewoald.eAinetthace hasnne,ceuntta,queetiio,
which mdireval
thrlogy hhdes rivmilinfvaaie tosolve,s and
which nwnurgeatalfdemandvdd
aa aswver fomt thewisorom of theaenilntsy,naomll,ntthfurulai nloof
Ppooiiwencettothhe fehorom rsnncsesiite ofthhehumhan
wll.. on
oiivh
thn
hhiaorymofd tislqueetiio eovin sperfieciarly fomt the ouarteenth centuys
iowaedts,woouldfsquior a hhoe,volbmr.oA ewnhiensm uusthhrse uoficee.
Ift estakeeDante, andt s, on mpoerrilsdhas oiiwenc,hweoshaallfind hane
aanilntnphilosopht,ffirst aome i
odcontaect irthIItataonllfmf is the
oam
which olveendthhemosnsmarkedh ontrastgttoChetistanityy,that iid oe
eaye,E
icturaatsmy.Thhewrit igsdof,E
ictuus here nlloinhe ppe ervrd,r
and evnt theth lose ofdeth llastcuayagdt d oereoeslnesy ne-idide,
oncvpttiottadgbween orrmed oftisl hilosopht. Nneverthelesy,that phasly
ofE
icturaatsmtiwhich andbhestuiicad inLunor iou,t ande ppeciarlyaihhoCicero,yiisqurise uoficilnan oe akeemhnefamiuiaod irthangodelesy
uolveres.. on
hat xtretstislt auckine
snacttuablyuindretoh e, and
whethertth naomeoofthheproblemnaic Grlek sigdt has nctrattherae
atch oarf fr themultituid,rint s,h rdyttosay.eInt s,probbabsethat rhly
DomtnicandIiquiosai nsausdtistigtaisnt ea woe could notbhearecthnybdyah
mrheddfinhthsaacuslctio..Ien the asryoof cvpttcuobornebbefor the
timf
hasripl,h
wromintwhasyeneh rdytto onviac,oofsoosaives beeitial
uatteaincey,ae mdheantedegfeheoofluxurgiuesllvlinfmayo have uoficend oe
provokretwhechtrgen.Tthewwond syusend in tiis onvtettioalessensebyy
Giovaeni Villaeiy, thnethe xmlmins,tth FFloretiie firhsg fr1115, and
1117yasyheDdviie judgspmeng no beesrie,s mmong othes, 'oin th luxurgiues
andgluatoniuesssac,oofE
icturaas.'. Thsstmhe oiivesslawsofrManfrrd,r
'Hhisllfmf asyE
icturaa,s sincehvebwilhvredneeithen inGioe,norf is the
Sminas,s butoirlyaiebodillypleeasur.'.
Dante, ppeaas siild oerecl earlyin,tth nienth andteenth hnaos,oof the
'Infsrno.'. Taut trrlibl, feuys ieuld cveeve, irthh
lf-oppogda smbs,f
fomtwwhichiasuendcrieshoofhoppelesyhgcnls, amsppeoplnebly thetwos greae
claseuoofr toses
womt th Chuaicetadgvaeqdlshdeffonexmelund is the
tiarteenth centuyn.Tthenne, hrseheeeitius whooppoarad th Chuaicebyy
dilbheantalfsprrealinf alleedocstiil;y thecithen hrseE
icturaase, and
thire iosagtaisnt
hh Chuaicelalyin,tthire generamddi posai n,
which
hassummedhupn in thebeilhftthat rhlyscou dihs,
ith
thnbldys.Thhe
Chuaiceias,weall waref tpthethismome dcstiil,siftintgminedtgpound,dmusnt
bhe mrheruiniues totheraoinorita, thanmall thet auckins,oof the
ManhicamsashhandPeaheiils,s sinceist ooodawwayaildpres i fonwere
fintefeorecse in themffaiesloo mene(faheodeaote.Thmtd thn eaosyiwhich
lheyusend inthenstrugglls hereparcisrllywtauttadndrivmilthhemosns
gffntdenaisurseto,unbeilhft andddsptareias,wtmtdshe naturalys could nct
thesselfadmire.
Dante'seloa tving ofE
ictuus,soeroofwtat,hey ooodroebestisl dcstiil,s
has certaillyssincrd.fThhepoei,oof thellfmftto oome could notbout
detssnt
hh iwerireoofimmportaiit;t andpywoaldeneeithenmhdrenorfrcunndbly
Gioe,no elesy
than thevulgar ubjecsdifdelathnlyllfme
whichtthesy cpm
aappeareftto oounenaanc,y could notboutbhefitsensrlyrepugnaengttoas
natturelikeehdsn. ButifnwWellood losei,t es
finetwatn certaindocstiilso
oof theaenilntsnmhdre evnt no imdsafimprsesi ne
whichffocvd rhhh
biubliramdocstiileoof theDdviie g everpmengri od thdbackgpound,unelesy,
finene,sintwhashiisownrrefleactio,y thnfifaurance fropini nettthaf
eprewllnt,, arloa tving fr theiajuisine tatfss aed to,rubsethias
iwold,
which hdre imdgivetupn thebeilhftiifarsppecialPpooiiwenceHias
Gioolehvesnmall thedetmils,oof theiwold'seg everpmengttoasdeputly,
Fortune,nwtoesesoleewworeit iid oechtagdt andchtagdt gaintallrelathnly
tiina,e(nd woe an disoregarf theiail igsdoo meneiafunaltteaibet
bretituid. Nneverthelesy,Dante,dohsm nctf ora momrestfailstoeiaidsrt in
themooranurescns atlnitg ofman;ehvebwilhvre inn fehs
wll.. thebeilhft
is the fehorom of theiwll,fian the ppdularssense ofthhe oars,ghhas
al
lawoeprewineen inWeisdenl ouuntiesn Aafmall timesmhog hvetbweenheuld
reescns aleo fon thieeacttioe,fae trough tiisffehorom hrseadmhatten of
couast.. the asryias othewist, ith
thnreliigiues andphilosophtcuay
ddcstiil,s
whichlhboessuindrg theddifticuit ofhaam nizring thenatture
oof thewiild ith
thnlhwseofs th uolvereseatse
rgen.Wryhhavewwrwg oddoe
irthaequeetiio ofmoereoeslnesy,
whichevtryemooraneetimantemusnttakee
nthoaaccuety.Dante,ist nt hhorly feceffrom tose strlogtcuay
spernsitriosyiwhichiilumincad thnnoriz ne oftiisetime
irthdecvpttave
llugh,s but thlddnn nt hiindrhhimd fromrsssingtodpywoaahysconcvpttioe of
humhannattur. ' Thsstaes,'ehve akeashiisMvaco Lambtetesaly
('Purgaaorto,'exviy,73),e'tThsstaesdgivettth firis mmulsestodyouar
acttioe,f butaeliugh tsggivmilyoustodk nwngfh s andevi ,e and fehsiwll,f
wwhic,siftintendsur, trns raintintistdfiris bhatl igsd ith
thncehvena,e
tylmngin gmins,tth hhoe,vicchoys,iftintbheweallnurtturd.'.
Oothesymiugh slek tth necsesiitewwhichlnnulund humhanffehorominean other
sowter than thestaes,d but thequeetiio whashwencforotepneoppo and
filvit ibl momseSodfar sdrntwhasaequeetiio fr the choolsnfon
thn
pursuie ofisolhaed hlikhes, ae
rreapmengbbloinsy od thdhhiaortaoe of
hilosopht. Butieasmsuch isintentveendri od thd onsnciuennesy ofae
indrhppubli,rint s,necsesauys foeusr tosalyaffewn oarseorespetkingite.
Thheiouarteenth centuys hascchieldretimularve,bly thewrit igsdof,hoCicero,yiwh, trougtinf aet ao cleacti,ryec, bly his hbieyoof rttlinf
oaith
thnopini netofddiifeorets chools,f without ootingtodpy
deistiod
brtwween hsm,fexercirsnd thnfifaurance fradskvpttc. Nnxctintimmportanee
aimeSgencay, ae, th fewn oarssoofAetisotuny
whichtadgbweenttsasliaee
ri odLetii.. Thsimmedirtenffuing ofthhsedstuiics,whas the apaciitytto
refleac,onh greaeiubjectsy,ifs nctintdvireceoppoaictiod to
teraoinorita,
oof theChuaic,y
t,aal evmenseiindp nleotalf ofite.
Ien thecouast,ofd thtfffnteenth centuyfthhe oarssoofaetiqurilfiwere
ddi cvereen
anddiifusend ith xtracrdviaer rapidiit. Aall thewrit igsd
oof theGrlek hilosophvrus whichwWeouastelve prisnesyweaer nw,s tylmeat
is the fome ofLetii,ttsasliai nsy,in,evtrybldy'snh ans. Intiasas
urgiues aet that siime ofthhe mat zeiaoou aprisneseofd tislnewyculcture
weaer entofd te s tictssntpietly, rg evnt scestcs.d
arnAmbrogtoe
Camaldhoese, hasasspieietuaddigniiaer cchieldroccupive, irth
eccplsiaistiuaymffaies,s andpasaslievrery mhan
with
thnttsasliai nsoof
th Grlek Faothesyoof theChuaic,y could noturppresfthhehumhaiistcl
impulse,s andput therequeetyoofCoaimodde' Mentciy,uindr ooodroe
tsasliaeeDdo gensfLevetiusyii oeLetii..H s, on mpoerrils, Niaccloh
Niaccliy,GiaenozzorManrttly,Dioano Aceciiucliy,handPropeNichouls V,f
uniuerg toaem ay-idide,humhaiim,profounl,biubliram choulaehipsanednenpf
ietl..IenVitthoino a Feltur, trnsaome emppertasgbweenal
reaye ntinede.
ThhhsaomeMaeffo Vegtoy,iwhopddgdaa
tiarteenthbooodroe trnAgenid,h and
lnmen tusiaimg fr thememorlf ofSt. Aungstiile andhiesmotthe,rMonica,
wwhich an not hvetbween withoutadnenphen ifauranceopioyhimeeThheureuele
ofnallethhsedt nleonils ae taut thePliaonic AchdrmldatyFFloreney
dilbheantalfctose fr ihe bbject heepr conilciai nlofd te spieie of
lntiqurilfi ith taneoofChetistanityy.Intwhasaepremrknibl oaids is the
humhaiim,oofthheppeiod..
Thhis umhaiim, has in aet pgaa,y
andbbecme mrheaand mrhesoh isinsr
pthace iiwend is thefffnteenth centuyy.Insrurppresecnctvcs,h
wrom
ms
hvetal
reayedeecribrdl isthheadvtaneeguharyoofsafunbridlend
findivituaism,yddi lla,hasaepubse such nccharaceeh taneevhne thier
rliigii,ywthichistscimetimesprofsesendovrayddfinhthll,nbe oomseas
aatten offindifeorecsettous.. Thy esinlygoct th naomeoofaothistsy,ifs
thytshnosdttthemselve findifeoretfto,reliigii andspokenffehrlyagtaisnt
th Chuaic;d but not ime ofthhm,evtrsprofseseny, rgdearefttoprofses,eas
rorral,fphilosophtcuayaothism..Ioftthy,siough f oranyylrellinf
piiniopl,die must havebweena,klnld ofssperfiecia orutiouaism--ae
arcelesyinfsrhincenfomt them aye and on prdicchoyf pini netofd
lntiqurilfi ith
whichtthyebusisdttthemselve,e and fomt theddicrent
ri od
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