File:Stories of persons and places in Europe (1887) (14597179319).jpg

Identifier: storiesofpersons00bene (find matches)
Title: Stories of persons and places in Europe
Year: 1887 (1880s)
Authors: Benedict, E. L. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, London, G. Routledge and sons
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ck furnished a fresh accusation, and so thepersecution went on, until a disease that might have been stopped in thebeginning by proper measures, through ignorance and superstition nearlydepopulated the whole city. The Medici.—Through all Italys darkest hours there was one citywhere prosperity, commerce, pleasure, luxury, learning and the arts con-tinued uninterrupted. This was the city of Florence, which was ruled bythe famous family of Medici. The first great head of this family, thatcame to have such a wide influence throughout Italy and Europe, was Gio-vanni de Medici, a successful merchant. He discovered a great secret ofsuccess in acquiring wealth and worldly influence, and when he was aboutto die he called his two sons to his bed-side and imparted it to them. Hetold them always to side with the multitude, this would bring them patron- Italy. 377 a„e , to avoid taking part in quarrels ; bnt to seek popularity with ail pa, ties 3- , t a «-f +1to fnmilv after Ms death, learned
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ST. PETERS AND THE VATICAN. money to needy citizens , put good »J J^SSKSJSJpaid off the debts ot those whose privilege of voting ™s taK in politics;of them; built up by his ^^£l™^lZ* diadvan-but ruined those opposed to him ^ ™= l H man Toted agalnst the Sci P^tStSfw^eS^ Plenty for others, it was not 878 Persons and Places in ^Europe. for him; his rivals in trade underbid him; taxes increased as his wealthdiminished, nntil he had to sell his property to pay his debts. In politics Cosmo was equally artful. He knew it would not be wise toput himself at the head of affairs ; that would excite jealousy and opposition.He kept carefully out of sight, but he put in power men whom he couldmanage to suit himself,—those who owed him money or other obligations, orwho had done something bad that only he knew about, but whom he wouldnot bring to justice as long as they did his bidding. But worse still was another method by which he sought to keep the peo-ple under his control. He made the

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