mony and the city. Beginning with his private affairs, he caused
an account of all his property, liabilities, and assets, to be placed in
Diotisalvi's hands, that, with an entire acquaintance with the state of
his affairs, he might be able to afford suitable advice, and the latter
promised to use the utmost care. Upon examination of these accounts the
affairs were found to be in great disorder, and Diotisalvi, instigated
rather by his own ambition than by attachment to Piero or gratitude
to Cosmo, thought he might without difficulty deprive him of both
the reputation and the splendor which his father had left him as his
inheritance. In order to realize his views, he waited upon Piero, and
advised him to adopt a measure which, while it appeared quite correct in
itself, and suitable to existing circumstances, involved a consequence
destructive to his authority. He explained the disorder of his affairs,
and the large amount of money it would be necessary to provide, if he
wished to preserve his influence in the state and his reputation of
wealth; and said there was no other means of remedying these disorders
so just and available as to call in the sums which his father had lent
to an infinite number of persons, both foreigners and citizens;
for Cosmo, to acquire partisans in Florence and friends abroad, was
extremely liberal of his money, and the amount of loans due to him was
enormous. Piero thought the advice good, because he was only desirous to
repossess his own property to meet the demands to which he was liable;
but as soon as he had ordered those amounts to be recalled, the
citizens, as if he had asked for something to which he had no kind of
claim, took great offense, loaded him with opprobrious expressions, and
accused him of being avaricious and ungrateful.

Diotisalvi, noticing the popular excitement against Piero, occasioned
by his own advice, obtained an interview with Luca Pitti, Agnolo
Acciajuoli, and Niccolo Soderini, and they resolved to unite their
efforts to deprive him both of the government and his influence. Each
was actuated by a different motive; Luca Pitti wished to take the
position Cosmo had occupied, for he was now become so great, that he
disdained to submit to Piero; Diotisalvi Neroni, who knew Luca unfit
to be at the head of a government, thought that of necessity on Piero's
removal, the whole authority of the state would devolve upon himself;
Niccolo Soderini desired the city to enjoy greater