the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第13章

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e　final　armaments　of　the　Lombard　　confederation　against　Barbarossa　（from　1168　on）　was　the　moment　when　a　　universal　Italian　league　was　possible。　But　the　more　powerful　States　had　　already　developed　characteristic　features　which　made　any　such　scheme　　impracticable。　In　their　commercial　dealings　they　shrank　from　no　　measures；　however　extreme；　which　might　damage　their　competitors；　they　　held　their　weaker　neighbors　in　a　condition　of　helpless　dependence　in　　short；　they　each　fancied　they　could　get　on　by　themselves　without　the　　assistance　of　the　r　est；　and　thus　paved　the　way　for　future　usurpation。　　The　usurper　was　forthcoming　when　long　conflicts　between　the　nobility　　and　the　people；　and　between　the　different　factions　of　the　nobility；　had　　awakened　the　desire　for　a　strong　government；　and　when　bands　of　　mercenaries　ready　and　willing　to　sell　their　aid　to　the　highest　bidder　　had　superseded　the　general　levy　of　the　citizens　which　party　leaders　now　　found　unsuited　to　their　purposes。　The　tyrants　destroyed　the　freedom　of　　most　of　the　cities；　here　and　there　they　were　expelled；　but　not　　thoroughly；　or　only　for　a　short　time；　and　they　were　always　restored；　　since　the　inward　conditions　were　favourable　to　them；　and　the　opposing　　forces　were　exhausted。　

Among　the　cities　which　maintained　their　independence　are　two　of　deep　　significance　for　the　history　of　the　human　race：　Florence；　the　city　of　　incessant　movement；　which　has　left　us　a　record　of　the　thoughts　and　　aspirations　of　each　and　all　who；　for　three　centuries；　took　part　in　this　　movement；　and　Venice；　the　city　of　apparent　stagnation　and　of　political　　secrecy。　No　contrast　can　be　imagined　stronger　than　that　which　is　　offered　us　by　these　two；　and　neither　can　be　compared　to　anything　else　　which　the　world　has　hitherto　produced。　

Venice　recognized　itself　from　the　first　as　a　strange　and　mysterious　　creation　the　fruit　of　a　higher　power　than　human　ingenuity。　The　solemn　　foundation　of　the　city　was　the　subject　of　a　legend：　on　March　25；　1413；　　at　midday；　emigrants　from　Padua　laid　the　first　stone　at　the　Rialto；　　that　they　might　have　a　sacred；　inviolable　asylum　amid　the　devastations　　of　the　barbarians。　Later　writers　attributed　to　the　founders　the　　presentiment　of　the　future　greatness　of　the　city；　M。　Antonio　Sabellico；　　t　who　has　celebrated　the　event　in　the　dignified　flow　of　his　hexameters；　　makes　the　priest　who　completes　the　act　of　consecration　cry　to　heaven；　　'When　we　hereafter　attempt　great　things；　S　grant　us　prosperity！　Now　we　　kneel　before　a　poor　altar；　but　if　＇　our　vows　are　not　made　in　vain；　a　　hundred　temples；　O　God；　of　6　gold　a　nd　marble　shall　arise　to　Thee。'　The　　island　city　at　the　end　＇'　of　the　fifteenth　century　was　the　jewel…casket　　of　the　world。　It　；　is　so　described　by　the　same　Sabellico；　with　its　　ancient　cupolas；　＇　its　leaning　towers；　its　inlaid　marble　facades；　its　　compressed　k　splendor；　where　the　richest　decoration　did　not　hinder　the　　y　practical　employment　of　every　corner　of　space。　He　takes　us　to　the　　crowded　Piazza　before　San　Giacometto　at　the　Rialto；　where　the　business　　of　the　world　is　transacted；　not　amid　shouting　and　confusion；　but　with　　the　subdued　bum　of　many　voices；　where　in　the　porticoes　round　the　square　　and　in　those　of　the　adjoining　streets　sit　hundreds　of　money　changers　　and　goldsmiths；　with　endless　rows　of　shops　and　warehouses　above　their　　heads。　He　describes　the　great　Fondaco　of　the　Germans　beyond　the　bridge；　　where　their　goods　and　their　dwellings　lay；　and　before　which　their　ships　　are　drawn　up　side　by　side　in　the　canal；　higher　up　is　a　whole　fleet　　laden　with　wine　and　oil；　and　parallel　with　i　t；　on　the　shore　swarming　　with　porters；　are　the　vaults　of　the　merchants；　then　from　the　Rialto　to　　the　square　of　St。　Mark　come　the　inns　and　the　perfumers'　cabinets。　So　he　　conducts　the　reader　from　one　quarter　of　the　city　to　another　till　he　　comes　at　last　to　the　two　hospitals；　which　were　among　those　institutions　　of　public　utility　nowhere　so　numerous　as　at　Venice。　Care　for　the　　people；　in　peace　as　well　as　in　war；　was　characteristic　of　this　　government；　and　its　attention　to　the　wounded；　even　to　those　of　the　　enemy；　excited　the　admiration　of　other　States。　

Public　institutions　of　every　kind　found　in　Venice　their　pattern；　the　　pensioning　of　retired　servants　was　carried　out　systematically；　and　　included　a　provision　for　widows　and　orphans。　Wealth；　political　　security；　and　acquaintance　with　other　countries；　had　matured　the　　understanding　of　such　questions。　These　slender　fair…　haired　men；　with　　quiet　cautious　steps　and　deliberate　speech；　differed　but　slightly　in　　costume　and　bearing　from　one　another；　ornaments；　especially　pearls；　　were　reserved　for　the　women　and　girls。　At　that　time　the　general　　prosperity；　notwithstanding　the　losses　sustained　from　the　Turks；　was　　still　dazzling；　the　stores　of　energy　which　the　city　possessed；　and　the　　prejudice　in　its　favour　diffused　throughout　Europe；　enabled　it　at　a　　much　later　time　to　survive　the　heavy　blows　inflicted　upon　it　by　the　　discovery　of　the　sea　route　to　the　Indies；　by　the　fall　of　the　Mamelukes　　in　Egypt；　and　by　the　war　of　the　League　of　Cambrai。　

Sabellico；　born　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Tivoli；　and　accustomed　to　the　　frank　loquacity　of　the　scholars　of　his　day；　remarks　elsewhere　with　some　　astonishment；　that　the　young　nobles　who　came　of　a　morning　to　hear　his　　lectures　could　not　be　prevailed　upon　to　enter　into　political　　discussions：　'When　I　ask　them　what　people　think；　say；　and　expect　about　　this　or　that　movement　in　Italy；　they　all　answer　with　one　voice　that　　they　know　nothing　about　the　matter。'　Still；　in　spite　of　the　strict　　imposition　of　the　State；　much　was　to　be　learned　from　the　more　corrupt　　members　of　the　aristocracy　by　those　who　were　willing　to　pay　enough　for　　it。　In　the　last　quarter　of　the　fifteenth　century　there　were　traitors　　among　the　highest　officials；　the　popes；　the　Italian　princes；　and　even　　the　second…rate　Condottieri　in　the　service　of　the　government　had　　informers　in　their　pay；　sometimes　with　regular　salaries；　things　went　so　　far　that　the　Council　of　Ten　found　it　prudent　to　conceal　important　　political　news　from　the　Council　of　the　Pregadi；　and　it　was　even　　supposed　that　Lodovico　il　Moro　had　control　of　a　definite　number　of　　votes　among　the　latter。　Whether　the　hanging　of　single　offenders　and　the　　high　rewards　such　as　a　life…pension　of　sixty　ducats　paid　to　those　who　　informed　against　them　were　of　much　avail；　it　is　hard　to　decide；　one　of　　the　chief　causes　of　this　evil；　the　poverty　of　many　of　the　nobility；　　could　not　be　removed　in　a　day。　In　the　year　1492　a　proposal　was　urged　by　　two　of　that　order；　that　the　State　should　spend　70；000　ducats　for　the　　relief　of　those　poorer　nobles　who　held　no　public　office；　the　matter　was　　near　coming　before　the　Great　Council；　in　which　it　might　have　had　a　　majority；　when　the　Council　of　Ten　interfered　in　time　and　banished　the　　two　proposers　for　life　to　Nicosia　in　Cyprus。　About　this　time　a　Soranzo　　was　hanged；　though　not　in　Venice　itself；　for　sacrilege；　and　a　Contarini　　put　in　chains　for　burglary；　another　of　the　same　family　came　in　1499　　before　the　Signory；　and　complained　that　for　many　years　he　had　been　　without　an　office；　that　he　had　only　sixteen　ducats　a　year　and　nine　　children；　that　his　debts　amounted　to　sixty　ducats；　that　he　knew　no　　trade　and　had　lately　been　turned　into　the　streets。　We　can　understand　　why　some　of　the　wealthier　nobles　built　houses；　sometimes　whole　rows　of　　them；　to　provide　free　lodging　for　their　needy　comrades。　Such　works　　figure　in　wills　among　deeds　of　charity。　

But　if　the　enemies　of　Venice　ever　founded　serious　hopes　upon　abuses　of　　this　kind；　they　were　greatly　in　error。　It　might　be　thought　that　the　　commercial　activity　of　the　city；　which　put　within　reach　of　the　humblest　　a　rich　reward　for　their　labor；　and　the　colonies　on　the　eastern　shores　　of　the　Mediterranean　would　have　diverted　from　political　affairs　the　　dangerous　elements　of　society。　But　had　not　the　political　history　of　　Genoa；　notwithstanding　similar　advantages；　been　of　the　stormiest？　The　　cause　of　the　stability　of　Venice　lies　rather　in　a　combination　of　　circumstances　which　were　found　in　union　nowhere　else。　Unassailable　from　　its　position；　it　had　been　able　from　the　beginning　to　treat　of　foreign　　affairs　with　the　fullest　and　calmest　reflection；　an