The plenary Parliament, having completed its labours, broke up
immediately, and the excellent lords and worthy citizens hied them to
their palaces, their banks, and their offices, more or less pleased with
the morning's work. Not a few reflected, rather grimly, that they had
placed two young lives between themselves and the seat of supreme
authority. Their sons might live to rule Florence, but their own chances
had vanished for ever!

* * * * *

Lorenzo was not backward in gripping, with a firm hand, the reins of
power. Young as he was, he had already formed his ideals and laid out
his plans as to the best government of the State. The yearly symposia in
the Casentino had been productive of much good in the training of the
youthful ruler. The direction of his opinions was signified in that
saying of his: "He who would live in Florence must know how to govern!"

The repetition of this phrase was perhaps indiscreet, and it caused
searchings of heart, as the meaning of it was borne in upon the
comprehensions of the least friendly of the citizens. Lorenzo was
clearly set upon the aggrandisement of his house and the dependence of
all others. Allowance was made for a lad's impetuosity, but at the same
time many a leader kept his hands tightly pressed upon the machinery of
government.

Everyone perceived that the young _Capo della Repubblica_ was in full
possession of the solid grit of his pushful grandfather. He had not
studied the careers of his famous ancestors, Salvestro, Giovanni, and
Cosimo, for nothing. Indeed Piero, his father, in writing to his sons at
Cafaggiuolo to acquaint them with the death of Cosimo, "_Il Padre della
Patria_," in 1463, had pointedly said: "Your mother and I offer the
character and example of your grandfather to our sons."

Besides these strong characteristics he had inherited, in a superlative
degree, the shrewd common-sense of Piero, and his mother's passionate
love of Florence, with all her enthusiasm for what was pure, cultured,
philanthropic, and religious. Niccolo Macchiavelli, somewhat
unwillingly, admitted that--"Lorenzo has all the high-mindedness and
liberality which anybody could expect in one occupying such an exalted
station."

Giuliano tacitly and contentedly accepted a less ambitious and
responsible role. Whilst Lorenzo took the first place and occupied
himself in questions of State policy and in the affairs of the family,
Giuliano drew to himse