History of Florence and of the Affairs of Italy: From the Earliest Times to the Death of Lorenzo the Magnificent
Niccolo Machiavelli · en
In the meantime the whole city was roused to arms, and Lorenzo de'
Medici, accompanied by a numerous escort, returned to his house. The
palace was recovered from its assailants, all of whom were either
slain or made prisoners. The name of the Medici echoed everywhere, and
portions of dead bodies were seen borne on spears and scattered through
the streets; while everyone was transported with rage against the Pazzi,
and pursued them with relentless cruelty. The people took possession
of their houses, and Francesco, naked as they found him, was led to the
palace, and hanged beside the archbishop and the rest. He could not
be induced, by any injurious words or deeds, to utter a syllable, but
regarding those around with a steady look, he silently sighed. Guglielmo
de' Pazzi, brother-in-law to Lorenzo, fled to the latter's house, and
by his innocence and the intercession of his wife, Bianca, he escaped
death. There was not a citizen of any rank whatever who did not, upon
this occasion, wait upon Lorenzo with an offer of his services; so great
were the popularity and good fortune which this family had acquired by
their liberality and prudence. Rinato de' Pazzi was at his villa when
the event took place, and on being informed of it, he endeavored to
escape in disguise, but was arrested upon the road and brought to
Florence. Jacopo de' Pazzi was taken while crossing the mountains
of Romagna, for the inhabitants of these parts having heard what had
occurred, and seeing him in flight, attacked and brought him back to the
city; nor could he, though he frequently endeavored, prevail with them
to put him to death upon the road. Jacopo and Rinato were condemned
within four days after the murder of Giuliano. And though so many deaths
had been inflicted that the roads were covered with fragments of human
bodies, not one excited a feeling of regret, except that of Rinato; for
he was considered a wise and good man, and possessed none of the pride
for which the rest of his family were notorious. As if to mark the event
by some extraordinary circumstance, Jacopo de' Pazzi, after having
been buried in the tomb of his ancestors, was disinterred like an
excommunicated person, and thrown into a hole at the outside of the city
walls; from this grave he was taken, and with the halter in which he
had been hanged, his body was dragged naked through the city, and, as
if unfit for sepulture on earth, thrown by the populace into the Arno,
whose waters were then very high. It was an awful instance of the
instability of fortune, to see so wealthy a man, possessing the utmost
earthly felicity, brought down to such a depth of misery, such utter
ruin and extreme degradation. It is said he had vices, among which were
gaming and profane swearing, to which he was very much addicted; but
these seem more than balanced by his numerous charities, for he relieved
many in distress, and bestowed much money for pious uses. It may also