Aphorismes ciuill and militarie amplified with authorities, and exemplified with historie, out of the first quarterne of Fr. Guicciardine.

APHORISME IX.

THe 1 Panther carries with him a sweet sent, but an vgly face; that enticeth beasts after him, this af∣frighteth them: therefore he hides his head, till he haue the prey within danger. 2 So is the sauour of so∣ueraigntie very sweet, but the vgly face of those meanes by which it is gotten, men see not, and so runne into the toile, and perish in the pursuite. 3 For being once embar∣qued in so bad a cause, the farther they wade, the deeper they are drow∣ned in the whirlpoole of their owne errours: the more they weaue in the loome of such deceitfull plots, the faster they are ensnared in the trap deuised for others.

Zforza had abused the weaknesse of his nephew Iohn Galeaz∣zo, (true Duke of Millan) and the power of his owne Protector∣ship: to the dishonor of his master, and vexation of his countrie. VVhat he had gotten by proximitie of bloud, he intended to hold by dexteritie of wit and policie. The guilt of this fact, made him suspect all: but none more then the King of Naples, into whose house his nephew was matched. To this effect he insinu∣ates with Peter Medici, puts him in mind how capitall enemies they of Aragon had bene to the Florentine State: who notwith∣standing was so farre from inclining to his part, as he stucke so much the faster to the other. He then labours the Pope to warre vpon him, as successor to those Princes, who euer since Frederick Barbarossa his time, had stood ill affected to the Sea of Rome. But the Pope entertained his hopes no longer, then till he had made vse of his friendship, and after leaues Lodowick in the lash. This string being broken, he combines with Venice, who had also her proper end; and besides, by her power and neighbourhood was ablest and readiest to offend him, as afterwards appeared. And lastly, for a conclusion of his vtmost craft and policie, which in∣deed

proued the originall of all his future trouble and finall ca∣lamitie, he vnaduisedly cals in the French King, vnder pretext of the iust title he had to the kingdome of Naples, from Charles Earle of Prouence: who after with his sword pleaded also his right to the Dukedome of Millan, and wanneit, as lawfully descended from the Dukes of Orleans.

Notes

• 1

  Ferunt Pantherarum odore mirè sollicitari quadrupedes cunctas: sed ca∣pitis toruitate terreri. Quamobrem occultato eo, reliqua dulcedine inuitatas, cor∣ripiunt.

  Non sabe la volpeia, con quien trobeia.
• Plin. nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 17.
• Pro. Hisp.
• 2

  Id in Seiano, Vindice, Hippatio, Theophobo: in Mario quoque, Pompeio, Cae∣sare, Sylla, Cinna, & alijs plurimis liquet ex historia.

  Vetus, acpridē insita mortalibus, potentiae cupido, omnibus affectibus flagrantior. Ambiticsi, honores quos quieta Rep desperant, perturbata consequi se posse ar∣bitrantur.

  Ne quis nimiùm sublata secundis colla gerat:

  Quid Crassos, quid Pompeios euertit, & illum

  Adsua qui domitos deduxit flagra Quirites?

  Summus nempe locus, nulla non arte petitus,

  Magna{que} Numinibus vota exaudita malignis.

  Humanus animus insatiabilis est eo, quod fortuna spondet, & ad altiora, & non concessa tendit.

  Quos non Oriens, non Occidens satiauerit.

  Vastus animus immoderata, incredibilia, nimis alta semper cupiebat.

  Habet hoc vitium omnis ambitio, non respicit.
• Tacit. hist. 2.
• Cic. Cat. 2.
• Claud. 2.

  Ruff.
• Liuij l. 14.
• Tacit. Agric. Sal. de Catil. Senec. ep. Sen. Oed. Virg. Pro. Gal. Amyot. in Plut. Cat.
• 3

  Quicquid excessit modum, pendet instabili loco.

  Incidit in Scyllam, qui vult vitare Charybdim.

  Tomber de Fieure, en chaudmal.

  Ambition, non conseille bien son Esclaue.