Chapter 4 Chapter Four

They were almost at Imola.The city is located on a fertile plain by a river.The surrounding countryside shows no signs of war damage, as the city surrendered before Cesare's troops arrived.When they were still two miles away, they encountered seven or eight men on horseback.Machiavelli recognized one of them as Agapito da Amalia, the Duke's chief secretary.Machiavelli met him at Urbino.He greeted Machiavelli warmly.Now that he had found the man he wanted to meet, Agapito turned his horse and accompanied Machiavelli and his party in the direction of the city.A day earlier, the Consulate had sent a messenger to inform the Florentine representative at the Duke's residence that a special envoy of the Republic would be coming.Now the messenger has arrived at the gate of the city.Due to the long journey, Agapito asked Machiavelli if he needed to rest and recover before meeting the Duke and presenting his credentials.Although the army was stationed outside the city, the small city, now the capital of the Duke of Valentino, was still crowded with all kinds of people.These people include the duke's staff, members of the court, envoys and representatives from other Italian city-states, merchants of all kinds of necessities and luxuries, people seeking official positions, sycophants, spies, actors, poets, prostitutes, etc. The wives and others came to town with a victorious army, hoping to earn some money, by fair or dishonest means.It turned out to be quite difficult to find a place to stay in the city.The only two or three hotels in the city were overcrowded, and people could only sleep in bed for three to five hours.But the Florentine representative at Imola had made arrangements for Machiavelli.He and his entourage were placed in a Dominican monastery.The messenger also suggested taking Machiavelli there directly.But Machiavelli turned to Agapito.

"If your Excellency can receive me, I should rather go to him at once," he said. "Then I'll take a step first to see if he's free. This official will take you into the palace." So Agapito and the others rode away, except the official who had been appointed to accompany Machiavelli.The rest of the group led their horses through the narrow streets until at last they reached a large square.On the way Machiavelli asked the accompanying officer which was the best hotel in the area. "I have no hope of the meals the well-meaning monks in the monastery can prepare, and I don't want to go to bed on an empty stomach."

"Golden Lion Hotel." Machiavelli said to the messenger: "Take me to the palace. After you bring me, go to the Golden Lion Hotel and ask the restaurant to prepare a sumptuous meal for me." Then he said to Piero: "Take the horse Take it to the stables. The courier will tell you how to get to the monastery. When you get there, give the horse's bag to Antonio." Antonio was one of Machiavelli's two servants. "Then, you and the messenger will come to the palace to find me." The palace is a huge, but inconspicuous building.Because the man who built the mansion, Caterina Sforza, was a frugal woman.The building occupies the entire side of the square.Here Machiavelli and the accompanying official dismounted and were let in by the guards into the palace.The accompanying officer sent a soldier in to tell the Chief Secretary they had arrived.In a short while the Chief Secretary was in the room where Machiavelli was waiting.Agapito da Amalia was a tall man with long black hair, a small beard, and calm, intelligent eyes in a pale face.He is a gentleman, his manners are very decent, his eloquence is not hindered, and his frank appearance has caused many people to mistakenly underestimate his abilities.He was very loyal to the duke and devoted himself to the duke's cause.The Duke always has a way of winning over those who are useful to him.Agapito told Machiavelli that the duke would receive him immediately.So they climbed a flight of stairs, and Machiavelli was taken into a richly decorated suite.The suite is surrounded by bas-reliefs and has a large stone fireplace.The sculpture above the fireplace is the arm of Caterina Sforza, a fearless but unfortunate woman who is now held prisoner by the Duke in Rome.The logs were blazing in the hearth of the fireplace, and the Duke stood with his back to the fireplace.The only other person in the room was Juan Borgia, Bishop of Monriel, Pope Alexander's burly and cunning nephew.He was sitting on a high-back carved wooden chair with his legs crossed and his toes facing the fire in the fireplace.

Machiavelli bowed to the Duke and Bishop.The Duke approached Machiavelli gracefully, took his hand, and led him to a chair. "Master Clerk, you must be tired from the journey and must be cold and tired," he asked, "Have you eaten yet?" "Yes, sir. I have eaten on the way. It is very rude of me to present you in such a traveler's attire. I apologize for that. But I do not want to delay conveying to you the opinion of the Republic. " He then presented his credentials.The duke gave it to his chief secretary after a brief glance.Cesare Borgia was handsome.He was above average height, with broad shoulders, a strong chest, and a thin waist.He was dressed in black, which accentuated his bright appearance.He wore a ring on the index finger of his right hand, and the only other decoration was the necklace of Saint-Michel given to him by King Louis of France.His hair was dark brown, carefully combed, and fell to his shoulders.He sported a mustache and sideburns trimmed into thin layers.His nose was straight and delicate, and there were a pair of handsome and fearless eyes under his thick eyebrows.His mouth is very defined and very sexy.Skin is clear and radiant.His gait was dignified, yet graceful.There is a regal air between every gesture.Machiavelli could not help thinking that this young man, the product of the union of an ordinary Roman woman and a fat, hook-nosed Spanish priest who climbed to the papal throne by shameless bribery, I don't know where I learned the appearance and manners that an outstanding prince can possess.

"I ask your government to send a representative to meet me because I want to know where the relationship between me and your country is now." He considered his words carefully. Machiavelli then began to expound the rhetoric he had prepared in advance.Although the duke listened, it was clear to Machiavelli that the duke regarded the goodwill and assurances he had expressed in accordance with the will of the quorum as a bunch of useless words.After Machiavelli had finished speaking, the Duke was silent, and there was a brief silence.The Duke leaned back in his chair, stroking the ribbon on his chest with his left hand.When he spoke, it was in a tone of indifference.

"There is a long border between my domain and yours. It is my duty to protect my domain to the best of my ability. I am well aware that your city-state has no good intentions for me. You have tried to pit me against the Pope and The relationship between the Kings of France. You have treated me no better than an executioner. Now you must decide whether to regard me as a friend or as an enemy." His voice was like music, light but not deep.There is a quality in the voice, not bitter, but sharp and murderous, and the arrogance revealed in the words is hard to tolerate.He spoke as if to a lowly servant.But Machiavelli was an experienced diplomat and knew very well how to control his temper.

"I can assure your Excellency that my government expects nothing but your friendship," Machiavelli replied tepidly, "but they have not forgotten that you allowed Vitellozzo to invade our territory." , so they also doubt whether your friendship is really sincere." "I have nothing to do with it. Vitellozzo is acting purely on his own terms." "He receives his salary from you and obeys your command." "The campaign began without my knowledge. It was carried on without my support. I will not pretend that I regret the incident. On the contrary, I do not regret it at all. The Florentines broke their faith in me, It was fitting that they should pay a little for this. But when I realized that they had been punished enough, I gave orders to my generals to withdraw. For this I offended them, and they are now plotting to overthrow me."

Machiavelli thought that now was not an opportune time to remind the duke that he had given the order to retreat only because the King of France had issued an order that could not be delayed or disobeyed. "You are to blame. It is your own fault that Vitellozzo invaded your lands." "We?" Machiavelli exclaimed, genuinely startled. "None of this would have happened if you hadn't been stupid enough to torture and execute Paolo Vitelli. You shouldn't be surprised that his brother Vitellozzo seeks revenge from you. And since I stopped him from going all the way, He's against me now."

Here it is necessary to explain what the duke meant by what he said. Florence had a long period of siege on the city of Pisa.But then the tide turned.The army of the Florentine Republic suffered a major defeat.The junta attributed the defeat to the incompetence of its generals.So they called up two mercenaries who were serving King Louis of France at the time. The two troops were led by the Vitelli brothers, Paul and Vitellozzo.The ruling regiment appointed Paul as its commander-in-chief.A battle was waged by the mercenaries, a breach was breached in the walls, and just as the troops were about to swarm into the city, Paolo Vitelli gave the order to retreat.He said that his purpose in doing so was to avoid more casualties, but in fact, he was already sure that the city of Pisa would surrender conditionally.In spite of this defense of his own, the governing body was convinced that Paul was playing tricks on them, and sent two officers, ostensibly to send money to the brothers, but in reality to arrest them.Paolo Vitelli was stationed a mile outside Cascina, and the commissioners asked him to meet them there to discuss the situation.They treated him to a meal, took him to a secret room, and arrested him.He was then taken to Florence, where his head was beheaded.Paul was tortured before being beheaded, but he vehemently denies any charges.

"Paolo Vitelli was a traitor," Machiavelli said. "He was found guilty by a fair trial. He deserved what he did." "It doesn't matter whether he is innocent or guilty. It would be reckless to execute him." "In order to defend the reputation of the Republic, we must deal with the enemies of the Republic vigorously. We need to show the world that Florence still has the courage to protect its own safety." "In that case, why did you let his brother live?" Machiavelli shrugged helplessly.This is indeed a sore foot. "We sent for Vitellozzo and were going to take him to Cascina. He suspected it was a trap. He was sick in bed. He asked our men to give him some time to get dressed and then managed to slip away. .It's screwed up. There are a lot of things you have to let your people do, and these people sometimes make stupid mistakes. If it's you, don't you have anything better?"

The Duke let out a series of light and joyful laughter.His eyes twinkled with humor. "When we have a plan to implement, it would be a mistake for us to stick to the original plan if circumstances have changed and it is not advisable to proceed with it. When slipping through the cracks, you should have taken Paolo to Florence, and put him in the best suite in the Palazzo Vizio, instead of throwing him in prison. Then you should have interrogated him, whatever the evidence, You should acquit him. Then you should restore him to command of the troops, increase his salary, and award him the highest medal of honor that the Republic can bestow. You should convince him that you still have complete confidence in him. " "If so, he will betray us to the enemy." "He might think so. But for a while he'll play it safe to prove that your trust in him is fully justified. These mercenaries are greedy and will do anything for money. You can give Vitai Lozo has a rich reward or treatment that he cannot refuse. He will then rejoin his brother. They ended up swiftly and without trial." Machiavelli blushed. "Such a fraud would cause permanent damage to our good reputation in Florence," Machiavelli protested loudly. "Traitors must be dealt with with corresponding deceptions. Governance does not depend on the exercise of Christian virtues, but on daring and decisiveness." At this moment an officer entered the room and whispered something in Agapito da Amalia's ear.Duke Valentino was somewhat dissatisfied with the interruption.He frowned and tapped his fingers on the table in front of him. "Your Excellency is busy," said Agapito, "they will have to wait a while." "What is it?" asked the Duke. "Two Gascon warriors were caught looting the property of the common people. They were brought here with their loot, and guards were watching over them." "It would be a pity to keep the subjects of the King of France waiting," said the Duke, with a faint smile. "Bring them in." The officer went out.The Duke turned to Machiavelli and said kindly: "I have to deal with a small business, please bear with me." "My time is entirely at your disposal." "I believe that your journey has been smooth, Mr. Secretary." Machiavelli caught a hint of overtones in the Duke's tone. "No surprises, I was lucky enough to find a decent meal in a small restaurant in Scarpellia." "I have always expected that people could travel safely in the area I ruled, just like the Roman Empire in the time of Antony. You will have the opportunity to see here. I have eliminated those who brought disaster to Italy, all kinds Such a local emperor, and through wise management, the situation has improved greatly, and the people have lived and worked in peace and contentment." There was a sound of footsteps outside, and the sound of people shouting.Then the door of the hall opened, and a group of people rushed in.The first was the man who had already entered, and behind him came two well-dressed men who, Machiavelli guessed, were notables of the town.Following them were two women, one older and the other middle-aged.Beside them stood a decent-looking old man.After a while a soldier came in, holding a pair of silver candlesticks, and another soldier held a silver-plated goblet and two silver dinner plates.The two soldiers wore the red and yellow uniform of the duke's troops.Then, half pushed and half pulled, two other people came in with their hands tied behind them.In their grotesque tattered attire, they stood among the duke's soldiers like a pair of thugs.One is frowning, a man of about forty years old, with a burly figure, a black beard, and a blue-black scar on his forehead.The other was a smooth-faced boy with a sickly yellow complexion and frightened and wandering eyes. "Come closer," said the Duke. The two were pushed from behind. "What crime?" So it seems that while the two women were attending mass, someone broke into their house and stole some silver. "How can you prove that these items are your property?" One of the two dignified men said, "Mrs. Brigita is my cousin, and I am familiar with these vessels. These are part of her dowry." Another person also corroborated the testimony of the previous person.The Duke turned to the old man who had come with the two women and said: "Who are you?" "Jocmo Fabroño, sir. I am a silversmith. These two men who were arrested sold me the silver, and they told me that they took it in the city of Forli. .” "Are you sure it's these two people?" "Sure, sir." "We took Jocmo to the Gascon barracks, and he identified the two soldiers without much trouble," said an officer. The duke fixed his sharp eyes on the silversmith. "Is it this way?" "When I heard that Lady Brigita's house had been burglarized, and her candlesticks and silver trays had been stolen, I became suspicious," replied the silversmith, pale and trembling. "I immediately sought out Monsieur Bernardo and told him that two Gascon fighters had sold me some silver." "Are you doing this out of fear or out of a sense of duty?" The silversmith was at a loss for words, and he trembled with fright. "Sir Bernardo is a law enforcement officer and I've done quite a few things for him. If these items were stolen, I don't want to have them." "He's telling the truth, sir," said Marshal Bernardo. "I went to examine the silver and recognized it right away." "They're mine, sir," cried the younger of the two women eagerly. "Anyone will tell you they're mine." "Be quiet." The Duke turned to look at the two Gascon soldiers. "Do you admit that you stole these things?" "No, no," the boy screamed. "It was all wrong. I swear on my mother, I didn't do it. The silversmith was all wrong. I never met him." "Take him away. Torture him for a few rounds, and he will recruit." The boy let out a piercing scream. "No, don't do that. I can't take it!" "Take him away." "I confess!" the boy gasped. The baron let out a short laugh, and turned his head to the other soldier. "And you?" The older soldier turned his head aside, showing an unyielding attitude. "I didn't steal them. I just took them. It's our right. We took this city." "Liar. You didn't capture this city. This city surrendered itself." According to the rules of war in Italy at the time, if a city was captured, soldiers could loot at will and own the property they robbed.But if a city surrenders by itself, the citizens of the surrendered city will have to pay a fee to compensate for some of the costs associated with using these mercenaries to capture the city.Once the citizens pay, they can save their lives and property.This rule is still useful, because it makes citizens willing to surrender.It is not often that one dies fighting in loyalty to a lord. The duke delivered his sentence. "My order is that the troops camp in the open air and are not allowed to occupy private houses. And if they violate the people, they will be sentenced to death." He turned to the officer and said, "hang them in the square at dawn. Let the troops know that they committed crimes." What crime, and what punishment has been received. Let two soldiers guard the body until noon, and let the messengers in the city tell the people every once in a while that they can completely rely on the justice of their lord." "What is he talking about?" asked the young soldier, terrified.For the duke spoke French to the two Gascon soldiers, and Italian to the officer. The older soldier made no answer, but stared at the duke with hatred.The duke, hearing the young soldier's question, restated his sentence in French. "You will be hanged at dawn as a warning to others." The boy let out a desperate wail and fell to his knees. "Please have mercy," he screamed. "I'm too young to die. I don't want to die. I'm afraid." "Take him away," said the Duke. The boy was dragged to his feet, hissing incoherently, tears streaming from his eyes.But the other one, face contorted with rage, gathered all the saliva in his mouth and spat hard on the boy's face.The two were pushed out of the room.The Duke turned to Agapito da Amalia and said: "Make sure to provide them with some religious comfort. My conscience would be wretched if these two were not given the opportunity to confess their sins before going to meet their Creator." A smile played on his lips.The chief secretary left the room.The duke, who was in high spirits, began to speak to his cousin, the cardinal.Of course, these words were also spoken to Machiavelli. "These two are villains as well as fools. It is an unforgivable folly to sell in the same city what they steal in the same city. They should hide their things and wait until a big city like Bologna Or Florence, and then sell. Then there is no danger." At this moment, he noticed that the silversmith was still standing by the door, as if he wanted to say something. "What are you still doing here?" "Who will give me back the money, sir? I am a poor man." "Did you pay the corresponding price for those items?" Duke Valentino asked gently. "I paid what these items were worth. The price those two rascals were asking was ridiculous. I had to make a profit." "Let this teach you a lesson. Next time make sure things come from the right place before you buy them." "Your Excellency, I really can't afford to lose so much money!" "Go away." The Duke roared roughly.The sound was so savage that the silversmith responded and left the room quickly like a frightened rabbit. Duke Valentino sat back in his chair, laughing loudly.Then he turned politely to Machiavelli. "I must ask you to forgive the interruption. I think it is necessary to give the people a speedy and fair sentence. I also want the people living in the area I rule to know that if they have a grievance, they can always come to Me. They're going to find me a man who enforces the law unselfishly." Said the cardinal: "This is the most sensible policy for a prince who has just conquered some countries and wants to retain the rule of those countries." "People will forgive you for taking away their political liberty if you don't touch their personal liberty in private," the duke remarked casually. "As long as you don't spoil their women and encroach on their property, they will be content with their fate." Machiavelli watched the development of events calmly.He even has a somewhat recreational mentality.He had no doubt that the whole thing was just a rehearsed play, but he tried not to let it appear that way.He knew very well in his heart that Duke Valentino would never have the guts to hang the soldiers of the two French kings.Perhaps they'd been released by now, with a bounty to compensate them for all the trouble they'd just been through.They could rejoin the Gascon unit the next day.Machiavelli guessed that the drama had been arranged in advance so that he could report to the Tribune how effectively the duke governed his newly conquered territories.It is especially worth reporting that the Duke just mentioned Bologna and Florence by accident.The duke's hint that troops might move into the area was actually a looming threat.For a man with a mind as cunning as Machiavelli, this is all too clear. There was silence in the room.While gently stroking his beard, the Duke gazed at Machiavelli thoughtfully.Machiavelli felt that the Duke was wondering what kind of man this Florentine government had sent him to negotiate with.Machiavelli didn't want to meet the Duke's eyes, so he looked down at his hands, as if wondering if his nails should be trimmed.Machiavelli was confused, and being confused is uncomfortable.Because it was he who was responsible for handling the public case that year, which eventually led to the execution of Paolo Vitelli.Realizing his own mistakes, he had pulled out all the stops to convince his nervous, hesitant superiors that he had to act quickly.It was he who ordered the commissioner to handle the case seriously and quickly.It was he who, after Vitellozzo's escape, still urged Vitelli's execution.But all of his activities were happening behind the scenes, and he wasn't sure how much the Duke knew.It crossed his mind that the Duke's talk of the unfavorable ending of the affair was merely an attempt to show that he was fully aware of Machiavelli's part in the whole affair, and that he had pointed out to Machiavelli with schadenfreude that he had The handling does not appear to be competent.But the Duke is a man who does everything for a reason.If he wanted to let the envoys of Florence know that he knew every move of the Republic government through this incident, it was really impossible.The more likely motive was to shake Machiavelli's confidence so that he could bow his head.Thinking of this, a smile appeared on the corner of Machiavelli's mouth, and he glanced at the Duke.It appeared the Duke was waiting to meet his gaze before speaking. "Master clerk, I want to tell you a secret, a secret that I haven't told any living person so far." "Would you like me to go away for a moment, cousin?" asked the cardinal. "No. I trust your prudence as I trust the clerk." Machiavelli closed his mouth, looked at the Duke, and waited for the Duke to speak. "Vorsini almost begged me on his knees to attack Florence. I have no malice towards your city-state, so I refused their request. But if the gentlemen of your government want to make peace with me, they must and Orsini to do something before mending our differences. We are both friends of the King of France, so it is necessary for us to be friends with each other. Our two territories border each other, and we can make each other's convenience as well as each other's. Inconvenient. You rely on mercenaries led by unreliable mercenary generals, while I have a well-trained and well-equipped army on my side. And, my generals are the best in Europe." "But your generals are no more reliable than ours, sir," Machiavelli replied dryly. "I have other generals who are loyal to me. Let's see who are the fools who conspired to overthrow me—Paglo Orsini, a fool only; the one who thinks I have designs on Bologna Bentivoliu; that Baglioni, lest I take the territory of Perugia; Olivellotto da Fermo; and Vitellozzo, who is crippled with syphilis." "They are powerful and conspiring to make trouble." "I know all their moves. When the conditions are right, I will strike decisively. Believe me, the fire is already burning under the feet of those people. To put out this burning fire, it will take more water than they have. There are more people. Please be reasonable, my clerk. Urbino is currently in my hands, which means that I control the central region of Italy. Quidobaldo de Montefeltro is my friend, the Pope Going to marry his niece Angela Borgia to the heir and nephew of Guido Baldo. I would never have attacked him if not for the strategic importance of his city-state to me. I must own this place so that I can carry out my plans. I will not spoil my plans with emotion. I can provide you with security and keep you from the threat of the enemy. If we can walk in step, rely on my troops and your fertile land and wealth, plus the support of the Pope as a spiritual leader, we will be the most powerful force in Italy. At that time, instead of paying a large amount of hard currency to the King of France in exchange for his protection, the French will put We see them as an equal force. Now is the time for you and me to form an alliance." Machiavelli was astonished.But he still replied in a tactful tone: "I see the power of Your Excellency's arguments. No one can express these points more clearly and more convincingly. It is rare to find a General who acts as decisively as Your Excellency, and who is thoughtful and eloquent." The Duke smiled and made a slightly negative gesture.Machiavelli's heart rose to his throat, for he knew that what he was going to say next was not what the Duke wanted to hear, but he went on calmly. "I will write a report to the ruling group and report to them all that you have just told me." "What do you mean?" cried the Duke. "The matter is very urgent and must be decided immediately." "I don't have the authority to sign an agreement." The Duke stood up suddenly. "Then what are you here for?" At this moment, the door was suddenly opened.But it was Agapito da Amalia who entered.He came back after finishing what the duke had told him to do.However, the sudden opening of the door still shocked Machiavelli a little.Machiavelli was not a nervous man, but he couldn't help being startled. "I came here because you asked our government to send someone to negotiate with you." "But what I want is an envoy with full authority." Hitherto the Duke had treated Machiavelli with the least courtesy, but now, with burning eyes, he strode towards Machiavelli.Machiavelli stood up, and the two stood facing each other. "The ruling group is playing tricks on me. They sent you here precisely because you have no power to decide anything. I am very annoyed by their irresolute indecision. It has exceeded the bottom line of my tolerance. They intend to test me How patient are you?" The cardinal, who had been silent all this while, said something to smooth things over, and the duke told him rudely to shut up.He started walking up and down the room, throwing a fit.His words were harsh, harsh, and full of sarcasm.He looked completely out of control.Machiavelli, on the other hand, was indifferent. He was not afraid, and looked at the Duke with curiosity.At last the Duke sat back in his chair again. "Tell your government they have greatly offended me." "The last thing my government wants to do is to offend your Excellency. They instructed me to convey to you that the rebels under your command have asked for our support, and we have sternly refused." "From my point of view, it's just sitting on the fence as usual." This sentence is not bad.But to Machiavelli's ears, it was not very pleasant.There was no expression on his face. "My Government does not like Orsini and Vitellozzo. My Government strives to establish good relations with your Excellency. Therefore I must urge you to go into more detail. At the very least, I must tell my Government that you wish to see What does the agreement look like?" "Let's stop today's talks. You forced me to negotiate terms with the rebels. If I agree with Orsini's proposal and attack Florence together, I can make them bow their heads tomorrow." "Florence is under the protection of the King of France," Machiavelli pointed out sharply. "He assured us that four hundred Lancers and a sufficient number of infantry could be provided if necessary." "The French are generous in their promises in return for the money they keep asking for. Once the money comes in, they seldom keep their promises." Machiavelli knew it was true.The Florentines had had enough of King Louis' greed and double-decker.Several times after he received the money, he delayed sending troops.After repeated delays, in the end only half of the promised troops were dispatched.The duke could not have said it more clearly.The Florentines had to accept the duke's terms of alliance (but every Italian knew the duke was a man of no faith), or else he would join forces with the mercenary generals who wanted to rebel against him and attack Florence.Blackmail!The situation is urgent.In frustration, Machiavelli wanted to find a sentence or two to say, so as to leave a way for the subsequent negotiations.But the duke didn't give him a chance to speak. “你还在等什么，书记官大人？你现在可以回去休息了。” 他甚至没有对马基雅维里的鞠躬告辞有任何表示。阿加皮托·达·阿马利亚陪着使节下了楼。 “阁下是个急性子的人，不习惯被人顶撞。”他说道。 “确实如此。我总不会对此视而不见吧。”马基雅维里尖刻回答着。