the prince-第27部分

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cted　in　such　a　battle。　Of　the　Florentines　there　fell　twenty　thousand　two　hundred　and　thirty…one　men；　whilst　Castruccio　lost　one　thousand　five　hundred　and　seventy　men。

But　Fortune　growing　envious　of　the　glory　of　Castruccio　took　away　his　life　just　at　the　time　when　she　should　have　preserved　it；　and　thus　ruined　all　those　plans　which　for　so　long　a　time　he　had　worked　to　carry　into　effect；　and　in　the　successful　prosecution　of　which　nothing　but　death　could　have　stopped　him。　Castruccio　was　in　the　thick　of　the　battle　the　whole　of　the　day；　and　when　the　end　of　it　came；　although　fatigued　and　overheated；　he　stood　at　the　gate　of　Fucecchio　to　welcome　his　men　on　their　return　from　victory　and　personally　thank　them。　He　was　also　on　the　watch　for　any　attempt　of　the　enemy　to　retrieve　the　fortunes　of　the　day；　he　being　of　the　opinion　that　it　was　the　duty　of　a　good　general　to　be　the　first　man　in　the　saddle　and　the　last　out　of　it。　Here　Castruccio　stood　exposed　to　a　wind　which　often　rises　at　midday　on　the　banks　of　the　Arno；　and　which　is　often　very　unhealthy；　from　this　he　took　a　chill；　of　which　he　thought　nothing；　as　he　was　accustomed　to　such　troubles；　but　it　was　the　cause　of　his　death。　On　the　following　night　he　was　attacked　with　high　fever；　which　increased　so　rapidly　that　the　doctors　saw　it　must　prove　fatal。　Castruccio；　therefore；　called　Pagolo　Guinigi　to　him；　and　addressed　him　as　follows：

〃If　I　could　have　believed　that　Fortune　would　have　cut　me　off　in　the　midst　of　the　career　which　was　leading　to　that　glory　which　all　my　successes　promised；　I　should　have　laboured　less；　and　I　should　have　left　thee；　if　a　smaller　state；　at　least　with　fewer　enemies　and　perils；　because　I　should　have　been　content　with　the　governorships　of　Lucca　and　Pisa。　I　should　neither　have　subjugated　the　Pistoians；　nor　outraged　the　Florentines　with　so　many　injuries。　But　I　would　have　made　both　these　peoples　my　friends；　and　I　should　have　lived；　if　no　longer；　at　least　more　peacefully；　and　have　left　you　a　state　without　a　doubt　smaller；　but　one　more　secure　and　established　on　a　surer　foundation。　But　Fortune；　who　insists　upon　having　the　arbitrament　of　human　affairs；　did　not　endow　me　with　sufficient　judgment　to　recognize　this　from　the　first；　nor　the　time　to　surmount　it。　Thou　hast　heard；　for　many　have　told　thee；　and　I　have　never　concealed　it；　how　I　entered　the　house　of　thy　father　whilst　yet　a　boya　stranger　to　all　those　ambitions　which　every　generous　soul　should　feeland　how　I　was　brought　up　by　him；　and　loved　as　though　I　had　been　born　of　his　blood；　how　under　his　governance　I　learned　to　be　valiant　and　capable　of　availing　myself　of　all　that　fortune；　of　which　thou　hast　been　witness。　When　thy　good　father　came　to　die；　he　committed　thee　and　all　his　possessions　to　my　care；　and　I　have　brought　thee　up　with　that　love；　and　increased　thy　estate　with　that　care；　which　I　was　bound　to　show。　And　in　order　that　thou　shouldst　not　only　possess　the　estate　which　thy　father　left；　but　also　that　which　my　fortune　and　abilities　have　gained；　I　have　never　married；　so　that　the　love　of　children　should　never　deflect　my　mind　from　that　gratitude　which　I　owed　to　the　children　of　thy　father。　Thus　I　leave　thee　a　vast　estate；　of　which　I　am　well　content；　but　I　am　deeply　concerned；　inasmuch　as　I　leave　it　thee　unsettled　and　insecure。　Thou　hast　the　city　of　Lucca　on　thy　hands；　which　will　never　rest　contented　under　they　government。　Thou　hast　also　Pisa；　where　the　men　are　of　nature　changeable　and　unreliable；　who；　although　they　may　be　sometimes　held　in　subjection；　yet　they　will　ever　disdain　to　serve　under　a　Lucchese。　Pistoia　is　also　disloyal　to　thee；　she　being　eaten　up　with　factions　and　deeply　incensed　against　thy　family　by　reason　of　the　wrongs　recently　inflicted　upon　them。　Thou　hast　for　neighbours　the　offended　Florentines；　injured　by　us　in　a　thousand　ways；　but　not　utterly　destroyed；　who　will　hail　the　news　of　my　death　with　more　delight　than　they　would　the　acquisition　of　all　Tuscany。　In　the　Emperor　and　in　the　princes　of　Milan　thou　canst　place　no　reliance；　for　they　are　far　distant；　slow；　and　their　help　is　very　long　in　coming。　Therefore；　thou　hast　no　hope　in　anything　but　in　thine　own　abilities；　and　in　the　memory　of　my　valour；　and　in　the　prestige　which　this　latest　victory　has　brought　thee；　which；　as　thou　knowest　how　to　use　it　with　prudence；　will　assist　thee　to　come　to　terms　with　the　Florentines；　who；　as　they　are　suffering　under　this　great　defeat；　should　be　inclined　to　listen　to　thee。　And　whereas　I　have　sought　to　make　them　my　enemies；　because　I　believed　that　war　with　them　would　conduce　to　my　power　and　glory；　thou　hast　every　inducement　to　make　friends　of　them；　because　their　alliance　will　bring　thee　advantages　and　security。　It　is　of　the　greatest　important　in　this　world　that　a　man　should　know　himself；　and　the　measure　of　his　own　strength　and　means；　and　he　who　knows　that　he　has　not　a　genius　for　fighting　must　learn　how　to　govern　by　the　arts　of　peace。　And　it　will　be　well　for　thee　to　rule　they　conduct　by　my　counsel；　and　to　learn　in　this　way　to　enjoy　what　my　life…work　and　dangers　have　gained；　and　in　this　thou　wilt　easily　succeed　when　thou　hast　learnt　to　believe　that　what　I　have　told　thee　is　true。　And　thou　wilt　be　doubly　indebted　to　me；　in　that　I　have　left　thee　this　realm　and　have　taught　thee　how　to　keep　it。〃

After　this　there　came　to　Castruccio　those　citizens　of　Pisa；　Pistoia；　and　Lucca；　who　had　been　fighting　at　his　side；　and　whilst　recommending　Pagolo　to　them；　and　making　them　swear　obedience　to　him　as　his　successor；　he　died。　He　left　a　happy　memory　to　those　who　had　known　him；　and　no　prince　of　those　times　was　ever　loved　with　such　devotion　as　he　was。　His　obsequies　were　celebrated　with　every　sign　of　mourning；　and　he　was　buried　in　San　Francesco　at　Lucca。　Fortune　was　not　so　friendly　to　Pagolo　Guinigi　as　she　had　been　to　Castruccio；　for　he　had　not　the　abilities。　Not　long　after　the　death　of　Castruccio；　Pagolo　lost　Pisa；　and　then　Pistoia；　and　only　with　difficulty　held　on　to　Lucca。　This　latter　city　continued　in　the　family　of　Guinigi　until　the　time　of　the　great…grandson　of　Pagolo。

From　what　has　been　related　here　it　will　be　seen　that　Castruccio　was　a　man　of　exceptional　abilities；　not　only　measured　by　men　of　his　own　time；　but　also　by　those　of　an　earlier　date。　In　stature　he　was　above　the　ordinary　height；　and　perfectly　proportioned。　He　was　of　a　gracious　presence；　and　he　welcomed　men　with　such　urbanity　that　those　who　spoke　with　him　rarely　left　him　displeased。　His　hair　was　inclined　to　be　red；　and　he　wore　it　cut　short　above　the　ears；　and；　whether　it　rained　or　snowed；　he　always　went　without　a　hat。　He　was　delightful　among　friends；　but　terrible　to　his　enemies；　just　to　his　subjects；　ready　to　play　false　with　the　unfaithful；　and　willing　to　overcome　by　fraud　those　whom　he　desired　to　subdue；　because　he　was　wont　to　say　that　it　was　the　victory　that　brought　the　glory；　not　the　methods　of　achieving　it。　No　one　was　bolder　in　facing　danger；　none　more　prudent　in　extricating　himself。　He　was　accustomed　to　say　that　men　ought　to　attempt　everything　and　fear　nothing；　that　God　is　a　lover　of　strong　men；　because　one　always　sees　that　the　weak　are　chastised　by　the　strong。　He　was　also　wonderfully　sharp　or　biting　though　courteous　in　his　answers；　and　as　he　did　not　look　for　any　indulgence　in　this　way　of　speaking　from　others；　so　he　was　not　angered　with　others　did　not　show　it　to　him。　It　has　often　happened　that　he　has　listened　quietly　when　others　have　spoken　sharply　to　him；　as　on　the　following　occasions。　He　had　caused　a　ducat　to　be　given　for　a　partridge；　and　was　taken　to　task　for　doing　so　by　a　friend；　to　whom　Castruccio　had　said：　〃You　would　not　have　given　more　than　a　penny。〃　〃That　is　true；〃　answered　the　friend。　Then　said　Castruccio　to　him：　〃A　ducat　is　much　less　to　me。〃　Having　about　him　a　flatterer　on　whom　he　had　spat　to　show　that　he　scorned　him；　the　flatterer　said　to　him：　〃Fisherman　are　willing　to　let　the　waters　of　the　sea　saturate　them　in　order　that　they　make　take　a　few　little　fishes；　and　I　allow　myself　to　be　wetted　by　spittle　that　I　may　catch　a　whale〃；　and　this　was　not　only　heard　by　Castruccio　with　patience　but　rewarded。　When　told　by　a　priest　that　it　was　wicked　for　him　to　live　so　sumptuously；　Castruccio　said：　〃If　that　be　a　vice　than　you　should　not　fare　so　splendidly　at　the　feasts　of　our　saints。〃　Passing　through　a　street　he　saw　a　young　man　as　he　came　out　of　a　house　of　ill　fame　blush　at　being　seen　by　Castruccio；　and　said　to　him：　〃Thou　shouldst　not　be　ashamed　when　thou　comest　out；　but　when　thou　goest　into　such　places。〃　A　friend　gave　him　a　very　curiously　tied　knot　to　undo　and　was　told：　〃Fool；　do　you　think　that　I　wish　to　untie　a　thing　which　gave　so　much　trouble　to　fasten。〃　Castruccio　said　to　one　who　professed　to　be　a　philosopher：　〃You　are　like　the　dogs　who　always　run　after　those　who　will　give　them　the　best　to　eat；〃　and　was　answered：　〃We　are　rather　like　the　doctors　who　go　to　the　houses　of　those　who　have　the　greatest　need　of　them。〃　Going　by　water　from　Pisa　to　Leghorn；　Castruccio　was　much　disturbed　by　a　dangerous　storm　that　sprang　up；　and　was　reproached　for　cowardice　by　one　of　those　with　him；　who　said　that　he　did　not　fear　anything。　Castruccio　answered　that　he　did　not　wonder　at　that；　since　every　man　valued　his　soul　for　what　is　was　worth。　Being　asked　by　one　what　he　ought　to　do　to　gain　estimation；　he　said：　〃When　thou　goest　to　a　banquet　take　care　that　thou　dost　not　seat　one　piece　of　wood　upon　another。〃　To　a　person　who　was　boasting　that　he　had　read　many　things；　Castruccio　said：　〃He　knows　better　than　to　boast　of　remembering　many　things。〃　Someone　bragged　that　he　could　drink　much　without　becoming　intoxicated。　Castruccio　replied：　〃An　ox　does　the　same。〃　Castruccio　was　acquainted　with　a　girl　with　whom　he　had　intimate　relations；　and　being　blamed　by　a　friend　who　told　him　that　it　was　undignified　for　him　to　be　taken　in　by　a　woman；　he　said：　〃She　has　not　taken　me　in；　I　have　taken　her。〃　Being　also　blamed　for　eating　very　dainty　foods；　he　answered：　〃Thou　dost　not　spend　as　much　as　I　do？〃　and　being　told　that　it　was　true；　he　continued：　〃Then　thou　art　more　avaricious　than　I　am　gluttonous。〃　Being　invited　by　Taddeo　Bernardi；　a　very　rich　and　splendid　citizen　of　Luca；　to　supper；　he　went　to　the　house　and　was　shown　by　Taddeo　into　a　chamber　hung　with　silk　and　paved　with　fine　stones　representing　flowers　and　foliage　of　the　most　beautiful　colouring。　Castrucci