In addition to all this, the people were oppressed[Pg 214] with taxes, and outraged4 by the wanton tyranny of the officers of a foreign power. At last, in the year 1647, the Duke D'Arcos, in order to defray the expenses of a war against France, laid a tax on fruit and vegetables, the common articles of food of the Neapolitan people. This edict occasioned the greatest ferment6, especially among the poorer inhabitants. Masaniello, who was now about twenty-five years of age, and a great favorite at the market-place, on account of his natural quickness and humor, denounced the tax in no measured terms. He seems to have perceived and felt the despotism that oppressed the people, and was, moreover, incited7 to opposition8 by an event which touched him personally.
His wife was one day arrested, as she was entering the city, attempting to smuggle9 a small quantity of flour,—an article which bore a heavy tax. She was accordingly, seized and imprisoned10; nor could Masaniello obtain her release, but upon paying a considerable sum. Thus the fire which was soon to burst forth11 into conflagration12 was already kindling13 in his soul. Opportunity was only wanting, and this was soon offered.
Masaniello was at the head of a troop of young men who were preparing for the great festival of our Lady of the Carmel, by exhibiting sham14 combats, and a mock attack on a wooden castle. On the 7th July, 1647, he and his juvenile15 troops were standing16 in the market-place, where, in consequence of the obnoxious17 tax, but few countrymen had come with the produce of their gardens. The people looked sullen18 and dissatisfied. A dispute arose between a countryman[Pg 215] and a customer who had bought some figs19, as to which of the two was to bear the burden of the tax.
The eletto, a municipal magistrate20, acting21 as provost of the trade, being appealed to, decided22 against the countryman; upon which the latter, in a rage, upset the basket of figs upon the pavement. A crowd soon collected round the man, who was cursing the tax and the tax-gatherer. Masaniello ran to the spot, crying out, "No taxes, no more taxes!" The cry was caught and repeated by a thousand voices. The eletto tried to speak to the multitude, but Masaniello threw a bunch of figs in his face; the rest of the people fell upon him, and he and his attendants escaped with difficulty.
Masaniello then addressed the people round him in a speech of coarse, hot, fiery23 eloquence24; he described their common grievances25 and miseries26, and pointed27 out the necessity of putting a stop to the oppression and avarice28 of their rulers. "The Neapolitan people," said he, "must pay no more taxes!" The people cried out, "Let Masaniello be our chief!"
The crowd now set itself in motion, with Masaniello at their head; it rolled onward29, increasing its numbers at every step. Their rage first fell on the toll-houses and booths of the tax collectors, which were burned, and next on the houses and palaces of those who had farmed the taxes, or otherwise supported the obnoxious system. Armed with such weapons as they could procure30 from the gunsmiths and others, they proceeded to the viceroy's palace, forced their way in spite of the guards; and Masaniello and others, his companions, having reached the viceroy's[Pg 216] presence, peremptorily31 demanded the abolition32 of all taxes.
The viceroy assented33 to this; but the tumult34 increasing, he tried to escape, was personally ill-treated, and at last contrived35, by throwing money among the rioters, to withdraw himself into the castle. The palaces were emptied of their furniture, which was carried into the midst of the square, and there burnt by Masaniello's directions. He was now saluted36 by acclamation, as "Captain General of the Neapolitan people." A platform was immediately raised in the square, and he entered upon the duties of his office.
The revolution was soon complete, and Naples, the metropolis37 of many fertile provinces, the queen of many noble cities, the resort of princes, of cavaliers, and of heroes;—Naples, inhabited by more than six hundred thousand souls, abounding38 in all kinds of resources, glorying in its strength, and proud of its wealth—saw itself forced in one short day to yield to a man esteemed39 one of its meanest sons, such obedience40 as in all its history it had never before shown to the mightiest41 of its legitimate42 sovereigns.
In a few hours, the fisherman found himself at the head of one hundred and fifty thousand men; in a few hours, there was no will in Naples but his; and in a few hours, it was freed from all sorts of taxes and restored to its ancient privileges. In a short space, the fishing wand was exchanged for the truncheon of command; the sea-boy's jacket for cloth of silver and gold. He set about his new duties with astonishing vigor43; he caused the town to be entrenched44; he placed sentinels to guard it against danger[Pg 217] from without, and he established a system of police within, which awed46 the worst banditti in the world, into fear.
Armies passed in review before him; even fleets owned his sway. He dispensed47 punishments and rewards with the like liberal hand; the bad he kept in awe45; the disaffected48 he paralyzed; the wavering he resolved by exhortation49; the bold were encouraged by incitements; the valiant50 were made more valiant by his approbation51. Obeyed in whatever he commanded, gratified in whatever he desired, never was there a chief more absolute, never was an absolute chief, for a time, more powerful. He ordered that all the nobles and cavaliers should deliver up their arms to such officers as he should give commission to receive them. The order was obeyed. He ordered that all men of all ranks should go without cloaks or gowns, or wide cassocks, or any other sort of loose dress, under which arms might be concealed52; nay53, that even the women, for the same reason, should throw aside their farthingales, and tuck up their gowns somewhat high.
This order changed in an instant the whole fashions of the people; not even the proudest and the fairest of Naples' daughters daring to dispute, in the least, the pleasure of the people's idol54. Nor was it over the high and noble alone, that he exercised this unlimited55 ascendancy56. The fierce democracy were as acquiescent57 as the titled few. On one occasion, when the people in vast numbers were assembled, he commanded, with a loud voice, that every one present should, under the penalty of death, retire to his home.[Pg 218] The multitude instantly dispersed58. On another, he put his finger on his mouth, to command silence; in a moment, every voice was hushed. At a sign from him, all the bells tolled59 and the people shouted "Vivas!" at another, they all became mute.
Yet the reign5 of this prodigy60 of power was short, lasting61 only from the 7th till the 16th of July, 1647; when he perished, the victim of another political revolution. His sudden rise, and the multiplicity of affairs that crowded upon him, began to derange62 his intellect. He complained of sensations like that of boiling lead, in his head; he became suspicious, wavering and cruel. In a fit of frenzy63 he went to one of the churches and talked incoherently to the multitude. He was taken by the priests to an adjoining convent, and advised to rest and calm himself. After reposing64 for a time, he arose, and stood looking forth upon the tranquil65 bay of Naples, no doubt thinking of happier days, when, as a poor fisherman, he glided66 out contented67 upon its bosom—when all at once a cry was heard, of "Masaniello!" At the same instant armed men appeared at the cell door. "Here am I,—O, my people want me," said he. The discharge of guns was their only reply; and the victim fell, exclaiming, "Ungrateful traitors68!" His head was now cut off, fixed69 on a pole, and carried to the viceroy, while the body was dragged through the streets and thrown into a ditch, by those who had followed it with acclamations a few hours before!
点击收听单词发音
1 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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2 catching | |
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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3 vending | |
v.出售(尤指土地等财产)( vend的现在分词 );(尤指在公共场所)贩卖;发表(意见,言论);声明 | |
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4 outraged | |
a.震惊的,义愤填膺的 | |
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5 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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6 ferment | |
vt.使发酵;n./vt.(使)激动,(使)动乱 | |
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7 incited | |
刺激,激励,煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8 opposition | |
n.反对,敌对 | |
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9 smuggle | |
vt.私运;vi.走私 | |
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10 imprisoned | |
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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12 conflagration | |
n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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13 kindling | |
n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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14 sham | |
n./adj.假冒(的),虚伪(的) | |
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15 juvenile | |
n.青少年,少年读物;adj.青少年的,幼稚的 | |
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16 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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17 obnoxious | |
adj.极恼人的,讨人厌的,可憎的 | |
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18 sullen | |
adj.愠怒的,闷闷不乐的,(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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19 figs | |
figures 数字,图形,外形 | |
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20 magistrate | |
n.地方行政官,地方法官,治安官 | |
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21 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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22 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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23 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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24 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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25 grievances | |
n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 );苦衷;不满;牢骚 | |
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26 miseries | |
n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 );痛苦的事;穷困;常发牢骚的人 | |
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27 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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28 avarice | |
n.贪婪;贪心 | |
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29 onward | |
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
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30 procure | |
vt.获得,取得,促成;vi.拉皮条 | |
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31 peremptorily | |
adv.紧急地,不容分说地,专横地 | |
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32 abolition | |
n.废除,取消 | |
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33 assented | |
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34 tumult | |
n.喧哗;激动,混乱;吵闹 | |
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35 contrived | |
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
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36 saluted | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
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37 metropolis | |
n.首府;大城市 | |
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38 abounding | |
adj.丰富的,大量的v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的现在分词 ) | |
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39 esteemed | |
adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 );敬重;认为;以为 | |
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40 obedience | |
n.服从,顺从 | |
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41 mightiest | |
adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 );巨大的;强有力的;浩瀚的 | |
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42 legitimate | |
adj.合法的,合理的,合乎逻辑的;v.使合法 | |
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43 vigor | |
n.活力,精力,元气 | |
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44 entrenched | |
adj.确立的,不容易改的(风俗习惯) | |
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45 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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46 awed | |
adj.充满敬畏的,表示敬畏的v.使敬畏,使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47 dispensed | |
v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 );施与;配(药) | |
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48 disaffected | |
adj.(政治上)不满的,叛离的 | |
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49 exhortation | |
n.劝告,规劝 | |
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50 valiant | |
adj.勇敢的,英勇的;n.勇士,勇敢的人 | |
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51 approbation | |
n.称赞;认可 | |
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52 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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53 nay | |
adv.不;n.反对票,投反对票者 | |
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54 idol | |
n.偶像,红人,宠儿 | |
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55 unlimited | |
adj.无限的,不受控制的,无条件的 | |
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56 ascendancy | |
n.统治权,支配力量 | |
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57 acquiescent | |
adj.默许的,默认的 | |
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58 dispersed | |
adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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59 tolled | |
鸣钟(toll的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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60 prodigy | |
n.惊人的事物,奇迹,神童,天才,预兆 | |
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61 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
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62 derange | |
v.使精神错乱 | |
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63 frenzy | |
n.疯狂,狂热,极度的激动 | |
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64 reposing | |
v.将(手臂等)靠在某人(某物)上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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65 tranquil | |
adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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66 glided | |
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 );掠过;(鸟或飞机 ) 滑翔 | |
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67 contented | |
adj.满意的,安心的,知足的 | |
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68 traitors | |
卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 ); 叛徒; 背叛者; 背信弃义的人 | |
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69 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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