now gave them hope, seeing the turn they had taken, of being able to
restrain him; and, notwithstanding the recent league, the Florentines
and Venetians entered into alliance with the Genoese. Rinaldo degli
Albizzi and the other leading Florentine exiles, observing the altered
aspect of affairs, conceived hopes of being able to induce the duke
to make war against Florence, and having arrived at Milan, Rinaldo
addressed him in the following manner: "If we, who were once your
enemies, come now confidently to supplicate your assistance to enable
us to return to our country, neither you, nor anyone, who considers the
course and vicissitudes of human affairs, can be at all surprised; for
of our past conduct toward yourself and our present intentions toward
our country, we can adduce palpable and abundant reasons. No good man
will ever reproach another who endeavors to defend his country, whatever
be his mode of doing so; neither have we had any design of injuring
you, but only to preserve our country from detriment; and we appeal to
yourself, whether, during the greatest victories of our league, when you
were really desirous of peace, we were not even more anxious for it than
yourself; so that we do not think we have done aught to make us despair
altogether of favor from you. Nor can our country itself complain that
we now exhort you to use those arms against her, from which we have so
pertinaciously defended her; for that state alone merits the love of
all her citizens, which cares with equal affection for all; not one that
favors a few, and casts from her the great mass of her children. Nor are
the arms that men use against their country to be universally condemned;
for communities, although composed of many, resemble individual bodies;
and as in these, many infirmities arise which cannot be cured without
the application of fire or of steel, so in the former, there often occur
such numerous and great evils, that a good and merciful citizen, when
there is a necessity for the sword, would be much more to blame in
leaving her uncured, than by using this remedy for her preservation.
What greater disease can afflict a republic than slavery? and what
remedy is more desirable for adoption than the one by which alone it can
be effectually removed? No wars are just but those that are necessary;
and force is merciful when it presents the only hope of relief. I know
not what necessity can be greater than ours, or what compassion can