Bembo has Bollani Warn Against More War: spring 1496

There were several battles  in Italy through the winter and into the spring and summer of 1496. French troops had remained and were thrown out in several places as various locals and forces across Italy and beyond, rose up to assert themselves. The news, full of advances and setbacks as it came to Venice, including that of their own forces, of the delegates and captains in the field. This all incited much discussion throughout the city. One such matter, the war over Pisa, Pietro Bembo tells us, made it to the Council of Ten in the Doge's Palace in Venice.

Bembo used an ancient form of address, and in multiple ways here, to tell this part of his story. Both Herodotus and Thucydides used the form of the extended argument all throughout their famous histories. The form of the extended quotation that was based on what was 'probably said', is just as old. As a form, the extended address within a broader narrative of history was making a resurgence in the European Rennaissance. Guicciardini used it. Macchiavelli too. Perhaps tellingly, Pietro Bembo uses it, but does so very sparingly. He doesn't use it at all in the first book. Only once in this third book of his History of Venice is it used, and for this occasion. Only once again does he use the extended quote as a form of exposition in the second book. And that is only a paragraph or so long. Here the narrative, put in the mouth of Marco Bollani, is an argument for further discussion, and goes on for pages.

In this manner, Pietro Bembo has the Venetian ducal counsellor Marco Bollani explain the scene. War, he says, would be a natural consequence of Venice protecting Pisa (after their request for such protection and after the French left Italy). This act of protection, he thought, would become a renewal of war between Venice and Genoa. Previously these two had been at war for centuries. This their deepset and most personal antagonism, highlighted each of their respective histories as pivotal signposts all through the crusades and beyond.

Recently, with the promised help of the Duke of Milan, Genoa had supplied a naval force that destroyed the French fleet on the Ligurian coast. But with the French mostly gone, Pisa, this jewel of a trade hub for Venice, with its glorious harbour Livorno just down the road, had traditionally seemed a a passing fancy. Now Bembo, having Bollani tell it, this 'natural desire' would be dangerous if fulfilled, and augur darkly for Venice's future. Starting with an odd comparison found, he says, in nature, he expands the idea to compare Venice and Genoa with all the others in the region.

"All things naturally and instictively shun what most harms them and cleave to what has less power and ability to injure them. Sparrows do not flee from hens and geese, indeed they even nest with doves. But from hawks and other birds of prey, they always fly away or conceal themselves as far as they can."

Venice built on an island in a lagoon with sea stretching in all directions but one, naturally always attracted birds. The symbolic emblem of the city, the Lion of St Mark, where it was depicted, as on the flag, always had wings.

"We ought to think, then, that the Genoese likewise, if it were up to them, would under no circumstances permit us to become masters of Pisa: our histories bear witness to how hostile that people was to Venice in the past and all posterity at Genoa will remember what great defeats it suffered at our hands. They would share their armies, fleets and wealth with the Florentines to prevent us gaining control of Pisa. Though such are the temper of the times and so uncertain most people's loyalty that I fear even our allies, even those that profess that they owe their realms to us, will soon desert us when they learn that we mean to enlarge our borders as far as that; and not only desert us, but actually take up arms against us and make common cause with our enemies, in the belief that we can be routed and repelled by their collective military action and strategy." [ii, 13]

Bembo has Balloni fear for the desertion by allies, and war with all as they flocked together against the city. Bembo was writing some thirty years after, as it happened, the allies of Venice did band with its enemies, in order to limit the city's control in Italian affairs.

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from Pietro Bembo: History of Venice; edited and translated by Robert W Ulery, Jr.; in english and latin, The I Tatti Renaissance Library; The President and Fellows of Harvard College, USA 2007