The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 5: PoetryByron, George Gordon Byron, Baron
General
The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 5: Poetry
Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron
English drama; English poetry
[81] ["A decree was at once passed that a public funeral should be
accorded to Foscari, ... and the bells of St. Mark were ordered to peal
nine times.... The same Council also determined that on Thursday night,
November 3, the corpse should be carried into the room of the 'Signori
di notte,' dressed in a golden mantle, with the ducal bonnet on his
head, golden spurs on his feet, ... the gold sword by his side." But
Foscari's wife, Marina (or Maria) Nani, opposed. "She declined to give
up the body, which she had caused to be dressed in plain clothes, and
she maintained that no one but herself should provide for the funeral
expenses, even should she have to give up her dower." It is needless to
add that her protest was unavailing, and that the decree of the Ten was
carried into effect.--_The Two Doges_, 1891, pp. 129, 130.]
[bw] {194} ----_comfort to my desolation_.--[MS. M.]
[82] {195} The Venetians appear to have had a particular turn for
breaking the hearts of their Doges. The following is another instance of
the kind in the Doge Marco Barbarigo: he was succeeded by his brother
Agostino Barbarigo, whose chief merit is here mentioned.--"Le doge,
blessé de trouver constamment un contradicteur et un censeur si amer
dans son frère, lui dit un jour en plein conseil: 'Messire Augustin,
vous faites tout votre possible pour hâter ma mort; vous vous flattez de
me succéder; mais, si les autres vous connaissent aussi bien que je vous
connais, ils n'auront garde de vous élire.' Là-dessus il se leva, ému de
colere, rentra dans son appartement, et mourut quelques jours après. Ce
frère, contre lequel il s'etait emporté, fut précisement le successeur
qu'on lui donna. C'était un mérite don't on aimait à tenir compte;
surtout à un parent, de s'être mis en opposition avec le chef de la
république."--DARU, _Hist, de Vénise_, 1821, in. 29.
[bx] _I trust Heavens will be done also_.--[MS.]
[83] "_L'ha pagata_." An historical fact. See _Hist. de Vénise_, par P.
DARU, 1821, ii. 528, 529.
[Daru quotes Palazzi's _Fasti Ducales_ as his authority for this story.
According to Pietro Giustiniani (_Storia_, lib. viii.), Jacopo Loredano
was at pains to announce the decree of the Ten to the Doge in courteous
and considerate terms, and begged him to pardon him for what it was his
duty to do. Romanin points out that this version of the interview is
inconsistent with the famous "_L'hapagata_."--_Storia, etc._, iv. 290,
note i.]
[84] {196}[Here the original MS. ends. The two lines which follow, were
added by Gifford. In the margin of the MS. Byron has written, "If the
last line should appear obscure to those who do not recollect the
historical fact mentioned in the first act of Loredano's inscription in
his book, of 'Doge Foscari, debtor for the deaths of my father and
uncle,' you may add the following lines to the conclusion of the last
act:--
_Chief of the Ten_. For what has he repaid thee?
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