as count
he was intolerable, he would become doubly so as duke. He therefore
considered it better for the republic of Florence and for Italy, that
the count should be content with his military reputation, and that
Lombardy should be divided into two republics, which could never be
united to injure others, and separately are unable to do so. To attain
this he saw no better means than to refrain from aiding the count, and
continuing in the former league with the Venetians. These reasonings
were not satisfactory to Cosmo's friends, for they imagined that Neri
had argued thus, not from a conviction of its advantage to the republic,
but to prevent the count, as a friend of Cosmo, from becoming duke,
apprehending that Cosmo would, in consequence of this, become too
powerful.

Cosmo, in reply, pointed out, that to lend assistance to the count would
be highly beneficial both to Italy and the republic; for it was unwise
to imagine the Milanese could preserve their own liberty; for the nature
of their community, their mode of life, and their hereditary feuds were
opposed to every kind of civil government, so that it was necessary,
either that the count should become duke of Milan, or the Venetians her
lords. And surely under such circumstances, no one could doubt which
would be most to their advantage, to have for their neighbor a powerful
friend or a far more powerful foe. Neither need it be apprehended
that the Milanese, while at war with the count, would submit to the
Venetians; for the count had a stronger party in the city, and
the Venetians had not, so that whenever they were unable to defend
themselves as freemen, they would be more inclined to obey the count
than the Venetians.

These diverse views kept the city long in suspense; but at length it
was resolved to send ambassadors to the count to settle the terms of
agreement, with instructions, that if they found him in such a condition
as to give hopes of his ultimate success, they were to close with him,
but, if otherwise, they were to draw out the time in diplomacy.

CHAPTER V

Prosecution of the war between the count and the Milanese--The Milanese
reduced to extremity--The people rise against the magistrates--Milan
surrenders to the count--League between the new duke of Milan and the
Florentines, and between the king of Naples and the Venetians--Venetian
and Neapolitan ambassadors at Florence--Answer of Cosmo de' Medici to
the Venetian ambassador--Preparations