History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy: From the Earliest Times to the Death of Lorenzo the Magnificent
Niccolo Machiavelli · en
all would go well; but if his dominions were to suffer, they might then
apprehend all kinds of misfortune. They assured him they did not think
it prudent for him to be absent so long from Milan, having recently
succeeded to the government, and being surrounded by many powerful
enemies and suspected neighbors; while any who were desirous of plotting
against him, had an opportunity of doing so with impunity. They would,
therefore, advise him to return to his territories, leaving part of
his troops with them for the use of the expedition. This advice pleased
Galeazzo, who, in consequence, immediately withdrew to Milan. The
Florentine generals being now left without any hindrance, to show that
the cause assigned for their inaction was the true one, pressed the
enemy more closely, so that they came to a regular engagement, which
continued half a day, without either party yielding. Some horses were
wounded and prisoners taken, but no death occurred. Winter having
arrived, and with it the usual time for armies to retire into quarters,
Bartolommeo Coglione withdrew to Ravenna, the Florentine forces into
Tuscany, and those of the king and duke, each to the territories of
their sovereign. As this attempt had not occasioned any tumult in
Florence, contrary to the rebels' expectation, and the troops they had
hired were in want of pay, terms of peace were proposed, and easily
arranged. The revolted Florentines, thus deprived of hope, dispersed
themselves in various places. Diotisalvi Neroni withdrew to Ferrara,
where he was received and entertained by the Marquis Borso. Niccolo
Soderini went to Ravenna, where, upon a small pension allowed by the
Venetians, he grew old and died. He was considered a just and brave man,
but over-cautious and slow to determine, a circumstance which occasioned
him, when Gonfalonier of Justice, to lose the opportunity of victory
which he would have gladly recovered when too late.