第15部分(第3/7 頁)

e　people　of　thiscountry；　it　appears　to　me　that　so　many　things　concur　to　favour　a　newprince　that　I　never　knew　a　time　more　fit　than　the　present。And　if；　as　I　said；　it　was　necessary　that　the　people　of　Israel　should　becaptive　so　as　to　make　manifest　the　ability　of　Moses；　that　the　Persiansshould　be　oppressed　by　the　Medes　so　as　to　discover　the　greatness　of　thesoul　of　Cyrus；　and　that　the　Athenians　should　be　dispersed　to　illustratethe　capabilities　of　Theseus：　then　at　the　present　time；　in　order　todiscover　the　virtue　of　an　Italian　spirit；　it　was　necessary　that　Italyshould　be　reduced　to　the　extremity　she　is　now　in；　that　she　should　bemore　enslaved　than　the　Hebrews；　more　oppressed　than　the　Persians；　morescattered　than　the　Athenians；　without　head；　without　order；　beaten；despoiled；　torn；　overrun；　and　to　have　endured　every　kind　of　desolation。Although　lately　some　spark　may　have　been　shown　by　one；　which　made　usthink　he　was　ordained　by　God　for　our　redemption；　nevertheless　it　wasafterwards　seen；　in　the　height　of　his　career；　that　fortune　rejected　him；so　that　Italy；　left　as　without　life；　waits　for　him　who　shall　yet　healher　wounds　and　put　an　end　to　the　ravaging　and　plundering　of　Lombardy；　tothe　swindling　and　taxing　of　the　kingdom　and　of　Tuscany；　and　cleansethose　sores　that　for　long　have　festered。　It　is　seen　how　she　entreats　Godto　send　someone　who　shall　deliver　her　from　these　wrongs　and　barbarousinsolencies。　It　is　seen　also　that　she　is　ready　and　willing　to　follow　abanner　if　only　someone　will　raise　it。Nor　is　there　to　be　seen　at　present　one　in　whom　she　can　place　more　hopethan　in　your　illustrious　house；　with　its　valour　and　fortune；　favoured　byGod　and　by　the　Church　of　which　it　is　now　the　chief；　and　which　could　bemade　the　head　of　this　redemption。　This　will　not　be　difficult　if　you　willrecall　to　yoursel