University of Virginia Library

SCENE X.

[The Signory sit upon a bench outside the Palazzo Pubblico. The Otto di Balìa, the Dieci di Guerra, and the Eighty, or Senate, are seated on benches in the Loggia de' Lanzi. On the floor of the stage, facing them in a semicircle, are ranged the Twelve Buoni Uomini, the Sixteen Gonfalonieri of the Companies, and the persons forming the Twelve Pancate of the simple citizens. Behind these, and to right and left of them, stand the Crowd. The scaffold rises, as described above. Valori occupies the centre of the stage. Francesco Gualterotti, one of the Dieci de Guerra, rises.]
GUALTEROTTI.
Signors and Citizens!
The safety of the Commonwealth demands
Delay be ended, and the guilty pay
The forfeit of their lives.

VOICES.
Appeal! Appeal!
Let the Grand Council speak.

GUALTEROTTI.
Wherefore appeal,
When every voice hath spoken that the law
Appoints to speak? Have not the Signory
With them the Eight, the Doctors of the Law
The panels of the citizens, and, last,
Two hundred special jurymen, pronounced
Their guilt is plain?

FRANCESCO DEGLI ALBIZZI.
Let justice quick be done!
Justice, I say! Than justice, nothing less!

[A Messenger enters the Square, carrying written documents.]
VALORI.
What bring you there?

[He takes the documents, and opens them.]
VALORI.
See! Want you farther proof,
Signors and Citizens, that there is need
Of expedition, it is written down
In these official messages despatched
From Rome and Milan. Your ambassadors
Unravel farther Medicean toils,
Abetted by the Borgian Pope, to snare
The liberties of Florence.

[Hands the documents to the Signory.]
VOICES.
No appeal!

SOME VOICES.
Yes! the Grand Council. Let the People speak.

VALORI.
The People have been heard, and are heard now.
Want you the execution?

[To the People.]
THE CROWD.
Ay! and straight!

A GONFALONIERE.
And if we do not get it, we will bring
The gonfalons of all the Companies
Into the streets, and wake the very stones
Against the traitors.

ONE OF THE EIGHT.
But we have convinced
The Five of treason, and we but await
The pleasure of the Signory, to pass
A fitting sentence.

[Sits down.]
[Valori, with furious mien and fast footsteps, strides to the table in front of the bench where the nine members of the Signory are sitting, and seizes the ballot-box, saying at the same time:]
VALORI.
Only one is fit,
And, it pronounced not, scandal will ensue.

[Turning fiercely to Luca Martini, one of the Signory, who is Proposto for the day, and holding out to him the ballot-box.]
VALORI.
You, the Proposto, put it to the vote.
Your vacillating slowness lets the State
Slide down the jaws of ruin.

[Luca Martini hands the ballot-box to the other members of the Signory, who drop their balls into it, and he then returns it to Valori, who counts the balls.]
VALORI.
Still but five!
Now to what end, O potent Signors,
Have ye so many citizens convened
Who by the hand of your own notary
Have signified their judgment 'gainst these Five,
Subverters of the freedom of the State,
And enemies of Florence?

[The Five Prisoners are led into the Piazza, barefoot and in chains, to move the compassion of the People. Valori turns his back upon them, and addresses the Signory more violently than before.]
VALORI.
Have you grown deaf,
And do not catch the universal cry
Jealous to save the Commonwealth, or blind,
And from your lofty watch-towers not discern,
The imminence of peril? Mind you, sirs!
The People placed you where you are, to shield
Those liberties which, through a false respect
For citizens in bloody treasons dyed,
You have uncovered. But of this be sure,
[He unsheaths his sword.]
An arm will not be wanting, wanting never,
To guard so just and sanctified a Cause
'Gainst them that traverse it! Now, vote again.

[Luca Martini again hands round the ballot-box. As he does so, the prisoners advance to the foot of the scaffold. Bernardo del Nero mounts the steps, reaches the summit, and stands on one side of the block. Niccolò Ridolfi follows, and takes his place on the other side of the block. Lorenzo Tornabuoni begins to ascend, but as he reaches the fifth step, there is a shout, and he pauses and turns, facing (left). At that moment, Candida re-enters, accompanied by Letizia.]
MARTINI.
Our voices are unanimous for death.

ONE OF THE EIGHT.
Therefore be death their doom!

[The People shout, “Long live the Commonwealth! Long live Liberty!” Tornabuoni gazes at Candida, who veils her eyes, and then ascends the remaining steps. Valori, still with sword lifted, turns and sees Candida. He inverts his sword, and gazes on the ground. The curtain falls.]