The works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel, citizen and secretary of Florence written originally in Italian, and from thence newly and faithfully translated into English.

CHAP. LIV.

How great the authority of a grave man is, to asswage the tumultuousness of the people.

THe second thing remarkable, that was mentioned in my last Chapter, is, that their is nothing more certain to appease a popular tumult, and reduce the people to reason, than the interposition of some wise person of authority among them; as Virgil has told us with very good reason.

Tum pietate gravem, ac meritis si forte virum quem Conspexere, silent, arrectis{que} auribus adstant.

If in their tumults, a grave man appears, All's whist, and nothing stirring but their ears.

He therefore who commands in a mutinous Army, or in a seditious City, and desires to appease either the one or the other, is in my judgment to present himself with the most grace and advantage that he can; adorned with all the ornaments of his dignity, and what-ever

else may make him venerable to the people. Not many years since Florence was divided into Factions, the Frateschi and the Arabiati; and their animosity was so great, they came to blows, and the Frateschi were overthrown, and Pagolantonio Soderini slain among the rest, who was as eminent a Citizen as most of his time; upon the strength of this Victory the people ran in a tumult to his house, with intention to plunder it; but his Brother Fran∣cesco (then Bishop of Volterra, and Cardinal now) being accidently there, as soon as he understood how things were, and perceived the rabble to encrease, he called for the richest of his Robes, and having put them on, and his Episcopal Rochet over them, he marched out into the croud, and by the Majesty of his person, and the efficacy of his language, pre∣vailed with them to forbear, and to return peaceably to their houses; which action was so grateful to the City, that it was celebrated publickly many daies after. I conclude there∣fore that there is not a surer, nor more necessary way to compose the distractions of the people, than the appearance of some grave person in such a posture as may make him vene∣rable to them. To return therefore to what we said before, it may be seen from hence, with what obstinacy the Romans accepted of that proposition for transplanting to Veii, be∣cause they thought it profitable, and did not perceive the inconvenience that was in it; for as there hapned many tumults thereupon, so much more mischief had followed, had not the Senate and some other grave persons interposed, and by good fortune restrain'd them.