2 2 Italy and the Visconti 



and pitiless, he joined to immeasurable ambition a genius for enter- 

 prise, and to immovable constancy a personal timidity which he did 

 not endeavor to conceal. The least unexpected motion near him 

 threw him into a paroxysm of nervous terror. No prince employed 

 so many soldiers to guard his palace, or took such multiplied precau- 

 tions of distrust. He seemed to acknowledge himself the enemy of 

 the whole world. But the vices of tyranny had not weakened his 

 ability. He employed his immense wealth without prodigality ; his 

 finances were always flourishing; his cities well garrisoned and 

 victualed; his army well paid; all the captains of adventure scat- 

 tered throughout Italy received pensions from him, and were ready to 

 return to his service whenever called upon. He encouraged the war- 

 riors of the new Italian school : he well knew how to distinguish, 

 reward, and win their attachment. Many young Italians, in order 

 to train themselves to arms, had, from about the middle of this 

 century, engaged in the German, English, and French troops, which 

 inundated Italy; and they soon proved that Italian valor, directed 

 by the reflection and intelligence of a highly civilized nation, who 

 carried their arms as well as tactics to perfection, had greatly the 

 advantage over the brute courage of barbarians." 



The influence of Gian Galeazzo in overthrowing the last 

 remains of liberty in Italy has been thus described^^ : 



L'esprit de liberte sembloit s'eteindre dans toute I'ltalie. . . . 

 Cette terre, autrefois si fertile en citoyens et en heros, sembloit 

 desertee par toutes les vertus et tous les sentimens eleves. Un tyran 

 lache et perfide prenoit a tache de detruire chez les Italiens tout 

 ce qui portoit encore I'image de la loyaute et de I'honneur : il 

 n'attendoit des succes qu'en proportion des vices des peuples ; et il 

 se rejouissoit de voir un gouvernement adopter sa politique fraudu- 

 leuse, assure des-lors qu'il parviendroit bientot a le dominer. Tels 

 etoient les funestes presages qui accompagnoient la fin du quatorzieme 

 siecle. La peste enfin se declaroit en meme temps dans plusieurs 

 parties de I'ltalie; et les peuples, effrayes de tant de fleaux, y 

 reconnoissoient les chatimens qu'ils avoient merites, et se courboient 

 devant la majeste divine, pour implorer sa misericorde. 



Lodi (R. I. S. 16. 786; Giulini 5. 659; Rosmini 2. 157), were kept at 

 Trezzo, where they were well treated, but closely guarded (R. I. S. 16. 

 545, 800, 855; Giulini 5. 662; Rosmini 2. 157; Leo 3. 329). 



^" Cf. Corio, p. 562; Rosmini 2. 207-212; Symonds, Age of the Despots, 

 chap. 2. He was rather less than 51 years old when he died (Oct. 15, 

 1351-Sept. 3, 1402). 



"Sismondi, Fr., 7. 394-5 (chap. 55). 



