On the first occasion
a Venetian merchant who happened to be present offered the Signoria
22,000 gold florins for the objects on the pyramid; but the only answer
he received was that his portrait, too, was painted, and burned along
with the rest. When the pile was lighted, the Signoria appeared on the
balcony, and the air echoed with song, the sound of trumpets, and the
pealing of bells. The people then adjourned to the Piazza di San Marco,
where they danced round in three concentric circles. The innermost was
composed of monks of the monastery, alternating with boys, dressed as
angels; then came young laymen and ecclesiastics; and on the outside,
old men, citizens, and priests, the latter crowned with wreaths of
olive.
All the ridicule of his victorious enemies, who in truth bad no lack of
justification or of talent for ridicule, was unable to discredit the
memory of Savonarola. The more tragic the fortunes of Italy became, the
brighter grew the halo which in the recollection of the survivors
surrounded the figure of the great monk and prophet. Though his
predictions may not have been confirmed in detail, the great and
general calamity which he foretold was fulfilled with appalling truth.
Great, however, as the influence of all these preachers may have been,
and brilliantly as Savonarola justified the claim of the monks to this
office, nevertheless the order as a while could not escape the contempt
and condemnation of the people.
Pages:
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547