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12o HISTORICAL ABSTRACT.
1508. Romagna : his real object is to make use of Cesare Borgia for the
present, till he can devote himself unhampered to the work of
aggrandising the Church. After his election he tries to get rid of
him without any glaring violation of faith.
]_achiavelli at Romo.--After death of Plus III, Machiavelli is appointed
(October 23) to go to Rome to watch the election of the new
Pope, and to settle difficulties about the condoHa of Giovan Paolo Baglioni,
whom the Florentines take into their pay in the interests of
France. Reaches Rome October27. [Legazione alla Corte di Roma,
Op. vL 364-494 ; Opere, P. M. iv. 297, with additional documents.]
After election of Julius II, Machiavelli receives instructions from
Florence to urge the Pope to check the advances of the Venetians in
the Romagna, who take Russi and Forlimpopoli, and on November 5
advance against Faenza. Julius II forced to temporise, till his own
position is more secure : negotiates with the Venetians ; tries to get
nd of Cesare Borgia by playing him off against the Venetians in the
Romagna fOp. vi. 403): sends to Florence to demand a safeconduct
for Cesare, November io, which is refused, to the real
satisfaction of the Pope fop. vi. 418 : 'disse, che i' andava bene
cosi'), but he permits him to send an agent (Ennio Filonardi,
Bishop of Veroli) to Florence. The Venetians capture Faenza and
Rimini (about November 17 ; see Machiavelli's letter of November
21, and Guicciardini, Op. Ined. iii. 3o8). During the mght of
November 19 Cesare Borgia leaves Rome for Ostia, 'per imbartarsi
come il tempo lo servir/_.' Julius' anxiety about the Venetian
question increases; on November 22 sends Cardinal Soderini to
Cesare Borgia at Ostia to call upon him to place in his hands Forli
and his possessions in the Romagna : Borgia refuses ; is therefore
kept imprisoned on a French galley at Ostia : is brought to Rome,
November 29 : lodged in the Vatican ; is urged by Julius to cede
Imola and Forli, which are threatened by Venice. On December
18 Machiavelli leaves Rome; arrives at Florence December 21.
[Subsequent history of Cesare Borgia :--on January 29, 15o4, agreement
signed by Julius II and Cesare Borgia ; the latter abandons the
Romagna in return for permission to withdraw where he pleases ;
leaves Rome for Ostia, January 13 ; is kept there till the fortresses
of the Romagna are handed over to Julius II ; then leaves by sea
for Naples ; arrives April 28, under a safe-conduct from Gonsalvo,
who takes him prisoner May25 ; is transferred to Spain, August 20;
arrives at Valencia September 19 (c£ Machiavelli, Op. v. 372 :--
'E bench6 e' fosse da Consalvo visto
Con lieto volto, gli pose la soma
Che meritava un ribellante a Cristo'),
and imprisoned first at Chinchilla, then at Medina del Campo.
Subsequently [October 25, x5o6 ] escapes and joins the King of