The Tragedies of the Medici

Alexandre Dumas has well summed up the character of Cosimo de' Medici: "He had," he says, "all the vices which rendered his private life sombre, and all the virtues which made his life in public renowned for splendour; whilst his family experienced unexampled misfortune, his people rejoiced in prosperity and gladness."

This prince possessed all the worst points of a Renaissance tyrant, and was "a monster of vices and virtues": perhaps he was insane, at all events, Caterina was accustomed to speak of him as "Uno Fantastico!"

once his battle-banner was unfurled with the black pennon of his redoubtable father, numbers of old campaigners hastened to his support.

Lorenzino's confession was written partly with a view of removing suspicion from his brother, and to leave unprejudiced the claims of his father's family.

Napoleone de' Franzesi, alone of all the conspirators, effected his escape, but Piero de' Vespucci, father-in-law to "La bella Simonetta"—"Il bel Giulio's" innamorata,—who assisted him, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment in the Stinche, with a heavy fine.

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."

Cosimo has been called "a great merchant and a grand party-leader: the first of Florentines by birth and the first of Italians by culture."

He gained the goodwill of his fellow-citizens by his unselfishness and generosity—truly not too common in the bearing of men of his time.

Salvestro de' Medici was master of the situation—the first of his family to attain the virtual, if not the real, control of the State.