hole busy hands--of the people in Arezzo sure to be
thrust into the pie with the ignoble object of plucking out for their
own advantage such plums as they could secure. Florentine convoys were
never safe from attack on the highroads that neighbored the Aretine
dominion, and if any brawl broke out between Florence and one of her
neighbors, a brawl never provoked by Florence, too magnanimous for such
petty dealings, but always inaugurated by the cupidity or the treachery
of her enemies, the Aretines were sure to be found taking part in it,
either openly or secretly, to the disadvantage and detriment of the
noble city.

Now, this state of things had endured long enough in the minds of most
good citizens, and it was felt that the patience of Florence had been
over-abused and her good nature too shamelessly counted upon, and that
it was time to teach these devils of Arezzo a lesson in civility and
fair fellowship. The time for giving this lesson seemed at this present
time the more auspicious because for the moment Florence had her hands
free from other external complications, and was perhaps less troubled
than was her wont by internal agitations. The jolly Guelphs had it their
own way more or less in the city; those that were Ghibelline in
principle or Ghibelline by sentiment were wise enough to keep their
opinions to themselves. Such exiled Ghibellines as had been permitted to
return kept very mum and snug. The Reds and the Yellows wore a show of
peace, and the city would have appeared to any stranger's eyes to be a
very marvel of union and agreement. Under these circumstances it was
thought by many, and indeed boldly asserted by many, that it would be a
good opportunity to take advantage of an idle, peaceful time and give
the people of Arezzo a trouncing. Wherefore, according to certain wise
heads, it became all good citizens to do the utmost that in them lay to
further so excellent a cause, the elders by appropriate contributions,
according to their means, to the coffers of the state, the younger by
volunteering eagerly for service in the ranks of a punitive army to be
raised against Arezzo.

Never was such a time of military enthusiasm among the young with whom
I frequented, nor did any youth of them all show to me more enthusiasm
for the cause of the city than Messer Dante. Ever since that day when he
had seen again the fair girl whom he had loved as a fair child he had
been, as indeed he had said he would be, a chang