enemies was called, leaned threatening to crush him more surely every
day. But Piero, who lay sick at Careggi, armed himself, as did his
friends, who were not few in the city. Now the leaders of his enemies
were Luca Pitti, Dietosalvi Neroni, Agnolo Acciaiuoli, and most
courageous of all, Niccolo Soderini. He, taking arms, as Piero had done,
and followed by most of the people of his quarter, went one morning to
Luca's house, entreating him to mount and ride with him to Palazzo
Vecchio for the security of the Senate, who, as he said, were of his
side. "To do this," said he, "is victory." But Luca had no mind for this
game, for many reasons,--for one, he had already received promises and
rewards from Piero; for another, he had married one of his nieces to
Giovanni Tornabuoni,--so that, instead of joining him, he admonished
Soderini to lay aside his arms and return quietly to his house. In the
meantime the Senate, with the magistrates, had closed the doors of
Palazzo Vecchio without appearing for either side, though the whole city
was in tumult. After much discussion, they agreed, since Piero could not
be present, for he was sick, to go to him in his palace, but Soderini
would not. So they set out without him; and arrived, one was deputed to
speak of the tumult, and to declare that they who first took arms were
responsible; and that understanding Piero was the man, they came to be
informed of his design, and to know whether it were for the advantage of
the city. Piero made answer that not they who first took arms were
blameworthy, but they who gave occasion for it: that if they considered
their behaviour towards him, their meetings at night, their
subscriptions and practices to defeat him, they would not wonder at what
he had done; that he desired nothing but his own security, and that
Cosimo and his sons knew how to live honourably in Florence, either with
or without a Balia. Then, turning on Dietosalvi and his brothers, who
were all present, he reproached them severely for the favours they had
received from Cosimo, and the great ingratitude which they had returned;
which reprimand was delivered with so much zeal, that, had not Piero
himself restrained them, there were some present who would certainly
have killed them. So he had it his own way, and presently new senators
being chosen and another gonfaloniere, the people were called together
in the Piazza and a new Balia was created, all of Piero's creatures.
This so terri