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376 IL PRINCIPE.
giano, gli tolse riputazione, e dettegli assai carico.' That the
non-observation of this law diminished Savonarola's popularity
is probably correct, but it is more than doubtful whether Savonarola
had sufficient influence, even if he had the will, to
prevent the execution of the conspirators. The key to the
passage lies in the word 'partigiano,' and the accusation is the
same as in the Decennale primo, while there is the same suggestion
of selfish motives as in the letter of March, 1497.
Leaving out of sight the reference in Discorsi, i. ch. 54, which
contains nothing useful for our present purpose, we come to
Discorsi, iii. ch. 3o. Machiavelli here draws attention to the
wisdom which Moses showed in applying severe measures in
order to introduce 'nuove leggi e nuovi ordini,' and, he continues,
'questa necessit_t conosceva benissimo Frate Girolamo
Savonarola, conoscevala ancora Piero Soderini Gonfaloniere di
Firenze. L' uno non potette vincerla, per non avere autorit_ a
poterlo fare, che fu il Frate, e per non essere inteso bene da
coloro che lo seguitavano, the ne arebbero avuto autorith. Nondimeno
per lui non rimase, e le sue prediche sono piene di
accuse dei savi del mondo, e d' invettive contro a loro, perch_
chiamava cos] questi invidi, e quelli the si opponevano agli
ordmi suoi.' The substance of this extract is essentially the
same as that of Principe, cap. vi ; Machiavelli gives Savonarola
the credit of having recognised the necessity of force, but the
concluding sentences show how completely he was convinced
that Savonarola's object was merely a personal, selfish one.
We have finally to consider various notices of Savonarola in
the Estratto di lettere ai dieci di Balia : these were written after
152o, and probably considerably later, towards the close of
Machiavelli's life. They are merely rough notes, which he
intended to use in continuing the 'Istorie Fiorentine,' and as
they were not meant for publication in the form we have them,
it is obvious that they are of peculiar value as a record of
Machiavelli's opinions. Many of these notices are, however,
of little use for our present purpose, as they are but the bare
record of events, without comment of any kind ; but the following
are characteristic and instructive :--
Opere, P. M. vol. ii. pp. 245-262.
a. Torn6 fra Girolamo dal re [after the interview at Poggibonsi,
1495_ ; disse averli letto il padre del porro.