nce of
the latter by the assistance of the former. To effect this they might
proceed either openly or otherwise, for some of them belonging to the
Council of Ten, forces might be led into the city without exciting
observation.

Rinaldo was much applauded, and his advice was approved of by the whole
assembly. Niccolo da Uzzano who, among others, replied to it, said, "All
that Rinaldo had advanced was correct, and the remedies he proposed good
and certain, if they could be adopted without an absolute division
of the city; and this he had no doubt would be effected if they could
induce Giovanni de' Medici to join them; for with him on their side,
the multitude being deprived of their chief and stay, would be unable
to oppose them; but that if he did not concur with them they could do
nothing without arms, and that with them they would incur the risk of
being vanquished, or of not being able to reap the fruit of victory." He
then modestly reminded them of what he had said upon a former occasion,
and of their reluctance to remedy the evil when it might easily have
been done; that now the same remedy could not be attempted without
incurring the danger of greater evils, and therefore there was nothing
left for them to do but to gain him over to their side, if practicable.
Rinaldo was then commissioned to wait upon Giovanni and try if he could
induce him to join them.

He undertook this commission, and in the most prevailing words he could
make use of endeavored to induce him to coincide with their views; and
begged that he would not by favoring an audacious mob, enable them to
complete the ruin both of the government and the city. To this Giovanni
replied, that he considered it the duty of a good and wise citizen to
avoid altering the institutions to which a city is accustomed; there
being nothing so injurious to the people as such a change; for many are
necessarily offended, and where there are several discontented, some
unpropitious event may be constantly apprehended. He said it appeared to
him that their resolution would have two exceedingly pernicious effects;
the one conferring honors on those who, having never possessed them,
esteemed them the less, and therefore had the less occasion to grieve
for their absence; the other taking them from those who being accustomed
to their possession would never be at rest till they were restored to
them. It would thus be evident that the injury done to one party, was
greater than t