--From
these, and the other historical notes which I have collected, it may be
inferred, that Marino Faliero possessed many of the qualities, but not
the success of a hero; and that his passions were too violent.
these, and the other historical notes which I have collected, it may be
inferred, that Marino Faliero possessed many of the qualities, but not
the success of a hero; and that his passions were too violent.
Byron
Tornato in patria, penso a quello, cui nessuno non pose
mente giammai, e soffri quello, che a niuno accadde mai di soffrire:
giacche in quel luogo celeberrimo, e chiarissimo, e bellissimo infra
tutti quelli, che io vidi, ove i suoi antenati avevano ricevuti
grandissimi onori in mezzo alle pompe trionfali, ivi egli fu trascinato
in modo servile, e spogliato delle insegne ducali, perdette la testa, e
macchio col proprio sangue le soglie del tempio, l' atrio del Palazzo, e
le scale marmoree endute spesse volte illustri o dalle solenni
festivita, o dalle ostili spoglie. Ho notato il luogo, ora noto il
tempo: e l' anno del Natale di Cristo, 1355, fu il giorno diciotto
aprile si alto e il grido sparso, che se alcuno esaminera la disciplina,
e le costumanze di quella citta, e quanto mutamento di cose venga
minacciato dalla morte di un solo uomo (quantunque molti altri, come
narrano, essendo complici, o subirono l' istesso supplicio, o lo
aspettano) si accorgera, che nulla di piu grande avvenne ai nostri tempi
nella Italia. Tu forse qui attendi il mio giudizio: assolvo il popolo,
se credere si dee alia fama, benche abbia potuto e castigate piu
mitemente, e con maggior dolcezza vendicare il suo dolore: ma non cosi
facilmente, si modera un' ira giusta insieme, e grande in un numeroso
popolo principalmente, nel quale il precipitoso, ed instabile volgo
aguzza gli stimoli dell' iracondia con rapidi, e sconsigliati clamori.
Compatisco, e nell' istesso tempo mi adiro con quell' infelice uomo, il
quale adorno di un' insolito onore, non so, che cosa si volesse negli
estremi anni della sua vita: la calamita di lui diviene sempre piu
grave, perche dalla sentenza contra di esso promulgata apparira, che
egli fu non solo misero, ma insano, e demente, e che con vane arti si
usurpo per tanti anni una falsa fama di sapienza. Ammonisco i dogi, i
quali gli succederanno, che questo e un' esempio posto innanzi ai loro
occhi, quale specchio, nel quale veggano d' essere non signori, ma duci,
anzi nemmeno duci, ma onorati servi della Repubblica. Tu sta sano; e
giacche fluttuano le pubbliche cose, sforziamoci di governar
modestissimamente i privati nostri affari. "--_Viaggi di Francesco
Petrarca_, descritti dal Professore Ambrogio Levati, Milano, 1820, iv.
323-325.
The above Italian translation from the Latin epistles of Petrarch
proves--1stly, That Marino Faliero was a personal friend of Petrarch's;
"antica dimestichezza," old intimacy, is the phrase of the poet. 2dly,
That Petrarch thought that he had more courage than conduct, "piu di
_coraggio_ che di senno. " 3dly, That there was some jealousy on the part
of Petrarch; for he says that Marino Faliero was treating of the peace
which he himself had "vainly attempted to conclude. " 4thly, That the
honour of the Dukedom was conferred upon him, which he neither sought
nor expected, "che ne chiedeva, ne aspettava," and which had never been
granted to any other in like circumstances, "cio che non si concedette a
nessun altro," a proof of the high esteem in which he must have been
held. 5thly, That he had a reputation for _wisdom_, _only_ forfeited by
the last enterprise of his life, "si usurpo per tanti anni una falsa
fama di sapienza. "--"He had usurped for so many years a false fame of
wisdom," rather a difficult task, I should think. People are generally
found out before eighty years of age, at least in a republic.
--From
these, and the other historical notes which I have collected, it may be
inferred, that Marino Faliero possessed many of the qualities, but not
the success of a hero; and that his passions were too violent. The
paltry and ignorant account of Dr. Moore falls to the ground. Petrarch
says, "that there had been no greater event in his times" (_our times_
literally), "nostri tempi," in Italy. He also differs from the historian
in saying that Faliero was "on the banks of the _Rhone_," instead of at
Rome, when elected; the other accounts say, that the deputation of the
Venetian senate met him at Ravenna. How this may have been, it is not
for me to decide, and is of no great importance. Had the man succeeded,
he would have changed the face of Venice, and perhaps of Italy. As it
is, what _are_ they both?
NOTE C.
Venetian Society and Manners.
"Vice without splendour, sin without relief
Even from the gloss of love to smooth it o'er;
But in its stead, coarse lusts of habitude," etc.
"To these attacks so frequently pointed by the government against the
clergy,--to the continual struggles between the different constituted
bodies,--to these enterprises carried on by the mass of the nobles
against the depositaries of power,--to all those projects of innovation,
which always ended by a stroke of state policy; we must add a cause not
less fitted to spread contempt for ancient doctrines; _this was the
excess of corruption_.
"That freedom of manners, which had been long boasted of as the
principal charm of Venetian society, had degenerated into scandalous
licentiousness: the tie of marriage was less sacred in that Catholic
country, than among those nations where the laws and religion admit of
its being dissolved. Because they could not break the contract, they
feigned that it had not existed; and the ground of nullity, immodestly
alleged by the married pair, was admitted with equal facility by priests
and magistrates, alike corrupt. These divorces, veiled under another
name, became so frequent, that the most important act of civil society
was discovered to be amenable to a tribunal of exceptions; and to
restrain the open scandal of such proceedings became the office of the
police. In 1782 the Council of Ten decreed, that every woman who should
sue for a dissolution of her marriage should be compelled to await the
decision of the judges in some convent, to be named by the court.
mente giammai, e soffri quello, che a niuno accadde mai di soffrire:
giacche in quel luogo celeberrimo, e chiarissimo, e bellissimo infra
tutti quelli, che io vidi, ove i suoi antenati avevano ricevuti
grandissimi onori in mezzo alle pompe trionfali, ivi egli fu trascinato
in modo servile, e spogliato delle insegne ducali, perdette la testa, e
macchio col proprio sangue le soglie del tempio, l' atrio del Palazzo, e
le scale marmoree endute spesse volte illustri o dalle solenni
festivita, o dalle ostili spoglie. Ho notato il luogo, ora noto il
tempo: e l' anno del Natale di Cristo, 1355, fu il giorno diciotto
aprile si alto e il grido sparso, che se alcuno esaminera la disciplina,
e le costumanze di quella citta, e quanto mutamento di cose venga
minacciato dalla morte di un solo uomo (quantunque molti altri, come
narrano, essendo complici, o subirono l' istesso supplicio, o lo
aspettano) si accorgera, che nulla di piu grande avvenne ai nostri tempi
nella Italia. Tu forse qui attendi il mio giudizio: assolvo il popolo,
se credere si dee alia fama, benche abbia potuto e castigate piu
mitemente, e con maggior dolcezza vendicare il suo dolore: ma non cosi
facilmente, si modera un' ira giusta insieme, e grande in un numeroso
popolo principalmente, nel quale il precipitoso, ed instabile volgo
aguzza gli stimoli dell' iracondia con rapidi, e sconsigliati clamori.
Compatisco, e nell' istesso tempo mi adiro con quell' infelice uomo, il
quale adorno di un' insolito onore, non so, che cosa si volesse negli
estremi anni della sua vita: la calamita di lui diviene sempre piu
grave, perche dalla sentenza contra di esso promulgata apparira, che
egli fu non solo misero, ma insano, e demente, e che con vane arti si
usurpo per tanti anni una falsa fama di sapienza. Ammonisco i dogi, i
quali gli succederanno, che questo e un' esempio posto innanzi ai loro
occhi, quale specchio, nel quale veggano d' essere non signori, ma duci,
anzi nemmeno duci, ma onorati servi della Repubblica. Tu sta sano; e
giacche fluttuano le pubbliche cose, sforziamoci di governar
modestissimamente i privati nostri affari. "--_Viaggi di Francesco
Petrarca_, descritti dal Professore Ambrogio Levati, Milano, 1820, iv.
323-325.
The above Italian translation from the Latin epistles of Petrarch
proves--1stly, That Marino Faliero was a personal friend of Petrarch's;
"antica dimestichezza," old intimacy, is the phrase of the poet. 2dly,
That Petrarch thought that he had more courage than conduct, "piu di
_coraggio_ che di senno. " 3dly, That there was some jealousy on the part
of Petrarch; for he says that Marino Faliero was treating of the peace
which he himself had "vainly attempted to conclude. " 4thly, That the
honour of the Dukedom was conferred upon him, which he neither sought
nor expected, "che ne chiedeva, ne aspettava," and which had never been
granted to any other in like circumstances, "cio che non si concedette a
nessun altro," a proof of the high esteem in which he must have been
held. 5thly, That he had a reputation for _wisdom_, _only_ forfeited by
the last enterprise of his life, "si usurpo per tanti anni una falsa
fama di sapienza. "--"He had usurped for so many years a false fame of
wisdom," rather a difficult task, I should think. People are generally
found out before eighty years of age, at least in a republic.
--From
these, and the other historical notes which I have collected, it may be
inferred, that Marino Faliero possessed many of the qualities, but not
the success of a hero; and that his passions were too violent. The
paltry and ignorant account of Dr. Moore falls to the ground. Petrarch
says, "that there had been no greater event in his times" (_our times_
literally), "nostri tempi," in Italy. He also differs from the historian
in saying that Faliero was "on the banks of the _Rhone_," instead of at
Rome, when elected; the other accounts say, that the deputation of the
Venetian senate met him at Ravenna. How this may have been, it is not
for me to decide, and is of no great importance. Had the man succeeded,
he would have changed the face of Venice, and perhaps of Italy. As it
is, what _are_ they both?
NOTE C.
Venetian Society and Manners.
"Vice without splendour, sin without relief
Even from the gloss of love to smooth it o'er;
But in its stead, coarse lusts of habitude," etc.
"To these attacks so frequently pointed by the government against the
clergy,--to the continual struggles between the different constituted
bodies,--to these enterprises carried on by the mass of the nobles
against the depositaries of power,--to all those projects of innovation,
which always ended by a stroke of state policy; we must add a cause not
less fitted to spread contempt for ancient doctrines; _this was the
excess of corruption_.
"That freedom of manners, which had been long boasted of as the
principal charm of Venetian society, had degenerated into scandalous
licentiousness: the tie of marriage was less sacred in that Catholic
country, than among those nations where the laws and religion admit of
its being dissolved. Because they could not break the contract, they
feigned that it had not existed; and the ground of nullity, immodestly
alleged by the married pair, was admitted with equal facility by priests
and magistrates, alike corrupt. These divorces, veiled under another
name, became so frequent, that the most important act of civil society
was discovered to be amenable to a tribunal of exceptions; and to
restrain the open scandal of such proceedings became the office of the
police. In 1782 the Council of Ten decreed, that every woman who should
sue for a dissolution of her marriage should be compelled to await the
decision of the judges in some convent, to be named by the court.
