the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第73部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Segnatura；　found　this　mode　of　　artistic　thought　completely　vulgarized　and　worn　out。　The　new　and　final　　consecration　which　he　gave　to　it　will　remain　a　wonder　to　all　ages。

The　triumphal　processions；　strictly　speaking；　of　victorious　generals；　　formed　the　exception。　But　all　the　festive　processions；　whether　they　　celebrated　any　special　event　or　were　mainly　held　for　their　own　sakes；　　assumed　more　or　less　the　character　and　nearly　always　the　name　of　a　　'Trionfo。'　It　is　a　wonder　that　funerals　were　not　also　treated　in　the　　same　way。

It　was　the　practice；　both　at　the　Carnival　and　on　other　occasions；　to　　represent　the　triumphs　of　ancient　Roman　commanders；　such　as　that　of　　Paulus　Aemilius　under　Lorenzo　the　Magnificent　at　Florence；　and　that　of　　Camillus　on　the　visit　of　Leo　X。　Both　were　conducted　by　the　painter　　Francesco　Granacci。　In　Rome；　the　first　complete　exhibition　of　this　kind　　was　the　triumph　of　Augustus　after　the　victory　over　Cleopatra；　under　　Paul　II；　where；　besides　the　comic　and　mythological　masks；　which；　as　a　　matter　of　fact；　were　not　wanting　in　the　ancient　triumphs；　all　the　other　　requisites　were　to　be　foundkings　in　chains；　tablets　with　decrees　of　　the　senate　and　people；　a　senate　clothed　in　the　ancient　costume；　　praetors；　aediles；　and　quaestors；　four　chariots　filled　with　singing　　masks；　and；　doubtless；　cars　laden　with　trophies。　Other　processions　　rather　aimed　at　setting　forth；　in　a　general　way；　the　universal　empire　　of　ancient　Rome；　and　in　answer　to　the　very　real　danger　which　threatened　　Europe　from　the　side　of　the　Turks；　a　cavalcade　of　camels　bearing　masks　　representing　Ottoman　prisoners；　appeared　before　the　people。　Later；　at　　the　Carnival　of　the　year　1500；　Cesare　Borgia；　with　a　bold　allusion　to　　himself；　celebrated　the　triumph　of　Julius　Caesar；　with　a　procession　of　　eleven　magnificent　chariots；　doubtless　to　the　scandal　of　the　pilgrims　　who　had　come　fm　the　Jubilee。　Two　'Trionfi；'　famous　for　their　taste　and　　beauty；　were　given　by　rival　companies　in　Florence；　on　the　election　of　　Leo　X　to　the　Papacy。　One　of　them　represented　the　three　Ages　of　Man；　the　　other　the　Ages　of　the　World；　ingeniously　set　forth　in　five　scenes　of　　Roman　history；　and　in　two　allegories　of　the　golden　age　of　Saturn　and　of　　its　final　return。　The　imagination　displayed　in　the　adornment　of　the　　chariots；　when　the　great　Florentine　artists　undertook　the　work；　made　　the　scene　so　impressive　that　such　representations　became　in　time　a　　permanent　element　in　the　popular　life。　Hitherto　the　subject　cities　had　　been　satisfied　merely　to　present　their　symbolical　giftscostly　stuffs　　and　wax…candles　on　the　day　when　they　annually　did　homage。　The　guild　　of　merchants　now　built　ten　chariots；　to　which　others　were　afterwards　to　　be　added；　not　so　much　to　carry　as　to　symbolize　the　tribute；　and　Andrea　　del　Sarto；　who　painted　some　of　them；　no　doubt　did　his　work　to　　perfection。　These　cars；　whether　used　to　hold　tribute　or　trophies；　now　　formed　part　of　all　such　celebrations；　even　when　there　was　not　much　　money　to　be　laid　out。　The　Sienese　announced；　in　1477；　the　alliance　　between　Ferrante　and　Sixtus　IV；　with　which　they　themselves　were　　associated；　by　driving　a　chariot　round　the　city；　with　'one　clad　as　the　　goddess　of　peace　standing　on　a　hauberk　and　other　arms。'

At　the　Venetian　festivals　the　processions；　not　on　land　but　on　water；　　were　marvelous　in　their　fantastic　splendor。　The　sailing　of　the　　Bucentaur　to　meet　the　Princesses　of　Ferrara　in　the　year　1491　seems　to　　have　been　something　belonging　to　fairyland。　Countless　vessels　with　　garlands　and　hangings；　filled　with　the　richly　dressed　youth　of　the　　city；　moved　in　front；　genii　with　attributes　symbolizing　the　various　　gods；　floated　on　machines　hung　in　the　air；　below　stood　others　grouped　　as　tritons　and　nymphs；　the　air　was　filled　with　music；　sweet　odors；　and　　the　fluttering　of　embroidered　banners。　The　Bucentaur　was　followed　by　　such　a　crowd　of　boats　of　every　sort　that　for　a　mile　all　round　_（octo　　stadia）　_the　water　could　not　be　seen。　With　regard　to　the　rest　of　the　　festivities；　besides　the　pantomime　mentioned　above；　we　may　notice　as　　something　new　a　boat…race　of　fifty　powerful　girls。　In　the　sixteenth　　century　the　nobility　were　divided　into　corporations　with　a　view　to　　these　festivals；　whose　most　noteworthy　feature　was　some　extraordinary　　machine　placed　on　a　ship。　So；　for　instance；　in　the　year　1541；　at　the　　festival　of　the　'Sempiterni；'　a　round　'universe'　floated　along　the　　Grand　Canal；　and　a　splendid　ball　was　given　inside　it。　The　Carnival；　　too；　in　this　city　was　famous　for　its　dances；　processions；　and　　exhibitions　of　every　kind。　The　Square　of　St。　Mark　was　found　to　give　　space　enough　not　only　for　tournaments；　but　for　'Trionfi；'　similar　to　　those　common　on　the　mainland。　At　a　festival　held　on　the　conclusion　of　　peace；　the　pious　brotherhoods　（'scuole'）　took　each　its　part　in　the　　procession。　There；　among　golden　chandeliers　with　red　candles；　among　　crowds　of　musicians　and　winged　boys　with　golden　bowls　and　horns　of　　plenty；　was　seen　a　car　on　which　Noah　and　David　sat　together　enthroned；　　then　came　Abigail；　leading　a　camel　laden　with　treasures；　and　a　second　　car　with　a　group　of　political　figures…　…Italy　sitting　be　tween　Venice　　and　Liguriaand　on　a　raised　step　three　female　symbolical　figures　with　　the　arms　of　the　allied　princes。　This　was　followed　by　a　great　globe　with　　the　constellations；　as　it　seems；　round　it。　The　princes　themselves；　or　　rather　their　bodily　representatives；　appeared　on　other　chariots　with　　their　servants　and　their　coats　of　arms；　if　we　have　rightly　interpreted　　our　author。

The　Carnival；　properly　so　called；　apart　from　these　great　triumphal　　marches；　had　nowhere；　perhaps；　in　the　fifteenth　century　so　varied　a　　character　as　in　Rome。　There　were　races　of　every　kindof　horses；　asses；　　buffaloes；　old　men；　young　men；　Jews；　and　so　on。　Paul　II　entertained　the　　people　in　crowds　before　the　Palazzo　di　Venezia；　in　which　he　lived。　The　　games　in　the　Piazza　Navona；　which　had　probably　never　altogether　ceased　　since　the　classical　times；　were　remarkable　for　their　warlike　splendor。　　We　read　of　a　sham　fight　of　cavalry；　and　a　review　of　all　the　citizens　in　　arms。　The　greatest　freedom　existed　with　regard　to　the　use　of　masks；　　which　were　sometimes　allowed　for　several　months　together。　Sixtus　IV　　ventured；　in　the　most　populous　part　of　the　cityat　the　Campofiore　and　　near　the　Banchi　to　make　his　way　through　crowds　of　masks；　though　he　　declined　to　receive　them　as　visitors　in　the　Vatican。　Under　Innocent　　VIII；　a　discreditable　usage；　which　had　already　appeared　among　the　　Cardinals；　attained　its　height。　In　the　Carnival　of　1491；　they　sent　one　　another　chariots　full　of　splendid　masks；　of　singers；　and　of　buffoons；　　chanting　scandalous　verses。　They　were　accompanied　by　men　on　horseback。　　Apart　from　the　Carnival；　the　Romans　seem　to　have　been　the　first　to　　discover　the　effect　of　a　great　procession　by　torchlight。　When　Pius　II　　came　back　from　the　Congress　of　Mantua　in　1459；　the　people　waited　on　him　　with　a　squadron　of　horsemen　bearing　torches；　who　rode　in　shining　　circles　before　his　palace。　Sixtus　IV；　however；　thought　it　better　to　　decline　a　nocturnal　visit　of　the　people；　who　proposed　to　wait　on　him　　with　torches　and　olive…branches。

But　the　Florentine　Carnival　surpassed　the　Roman　in　a　certain　class　of　　processions；　which　have　left　their　mark　even　in　literature。　Among　a　　crowd　of　masks　on　foot　and　on　horseback　appeared　some　huge；　fantastic　　chariots；　and　upon　each　an　allegorical　figure　or　group　of　figures　with　　the　proper　accompaniments；　such　as　Jealousy　with　four　spectacled　faces　　on　one　head；　the　four　temperaments　with　the　planets　belonging　to　them；　　the　three　Fates；　Prudence　enthroned　above　Hope　and　Fear；　which　lay　　bound　before　her；　the　four　Elements；　Ages；　Winds；　Seasons；　and　so　on；　　as　well　as　the　famous　chariot　of　Death　with　the　coffins；　which　　presently　opened。　Sometimes　we　meet　with　a　splendid　scene　from　　classical　mythologyBacchus　and　Ariadne；　Paris　and　Helen；　and　others。　　Or　else　a　chorus　of　figures　forming　some　single　class　or　category；　as　　the　beggars；　the　hunters　and　nymphs；　the　lost　souls　who　in　their　　lifetime　were　hardhearted　women；　the　hermits；　the　astrologers；　the　　vagabonds；　the　devils；　the　sellers　of　various　kinds　of　wares；　and　even　　on　one　occasion　'il　popolo；'　the　people　as　such；　who　all　reviled　one　　another　in　their　songs。　The　songs；　which　still　remain　and　have　been　　collected；　give　the　explanation　of　the　masquerade　sometimes　pathetic；　　sometimes　in　a　humorous；　and　sometimes　in　an　excessively　indecent　tone。　　Some　of　the　worst　in　this　respect　are　attributed　to　Lorenzo　the　　Magnificent；　probably　because　the　real　author　did　not　venture　to　　declare　himself。　However　this　may　be；　we　must　certainly　ascribe　to　him　　the　beautiful　song　which　accompanied　the　masque　of　Bacchus　and　Ariadne；　　whose　refrain　still　echoes　to　us　from　the　fifteenth　century；　like　a　　regretful　presentiment　of　the　brief　splendor　of　the　Renaissance　itself：

'Quanto　？bella　giovinezza；　Che　si　fugge　tuttavia！　Chi　vuol　esser　lieto；　sia：　Di　doman　non　c'？certezza。'

Part　Six

MORALITY　AND　RELIGION

Morality　and　Judgement

The　relation　of　the　various　peoples　of　the　earth　to　the　supreme　　interests　of　life；　to　God；　virtue；　and　immortality；　may　be　investigated　　up　to　a　certain　point；　but　can　never　be　com