The pope, Clement4 VI., had removed the papal see from Rome to Avignon, in France, leaving the people under the sway of certain noble families, who exercised every species of brutal5 and insolent6 tyranny towards their inferiors. Rienzi saw this, and he felt all the indignation which a generous sympathy for the oppressed could excite. His sentiments being known, he was appointed, in 1346, among others, to proceed to Avignon, and exhort7 the pope to bring back the papal court to its original seat. He acted, on this occasion, with so much energy and eloquence8, that the pope, though he refused compliance9 with the request, conferred upon him the office of apostolic notary10, which, on his return, he executed with the strictest probity11.
[Pg 220]It appears that Rienzi had long meditated12 some great effort for the liberation of his countrymen. He now lost no opportunity to instruct the people in their rights, and stir up indignation against their oppressors. Having prepared men's minds for a change, and having secretly engaged persons of all orders in his designs, he proceeded to put them in execution. In April, 1347, Stephen Colonna, a nobleman, who was governor of Rome, being absent from the city, Rienzi secretly assembled his followers13 upon Mount Aventine, and, by an energetic speech, induced them all to subscribe14 an oath for the establishment of a new government, to be entitled the Good Estate.
Proceeding15 now with more boldness, another assembly was held in the capital; a constitution of fifteen articles was produced and ratified16, and Rienzi was pronounced Tribune by acclamation, with the power of life and death, and all the attributes of sovereignty. Colonna returned, and threatened him with punishment; but the power had changed hands, and Colonna himself was obliged to fly. Rienzi proceeded in the exercise of his authority with strict justice. Some of the more culpable18 nobles were executed, and others banished19.
The power of the new tribune was established, and his reputation extended throughout Italy. His friendship was solicited20 by kings and princes; the pope sanctioned his authority, and even Petrarch, the immortal21 poet, addressed him letters, which are still extant, bestowing22 upon him eloquent23 praise, and urging him to perseverance24 in his glorious career. But, unhappily, there was a weakness in Rienzi's character,[Pg 221] which disqualified him for this giddy elevation. Intoxicated25 with the possession of supreme26 power, and the flatteries bestowed27 upon him, he became capricious and tyrannical, and, in short, commenced a reign17 of terror.
His descent was as rapid as his rise; soon finding that he had lost the affection of the people, in 1348, he withdrew for safety to Naples. Two years after, during a public jubilee28 at Rome, he secretly returned to that city, but being discovered, he withdrew to Prague. He now fell into the hands of Pope Clement, who kept him in prison for three years. His successor, Innocent VI., caused him to be released, and sent him to Rome, to oppose another demagogue, named Boroncelli.
The Romans received him with joy, and he suddenly recovered his former authority. But he was still a tyrant29, and after a turbulent administration of a few months, another sedition30 was excited against him, and he was stabbed to the heart. The fickle31 people now bestowed every indignity32 upon the senseless remains33 of him, whom they had almost worshipped a few weeks before. Such was the career of Rienzi, who was endowed with noble sentiments and remarkable34 eloquence, but was deficient35 in that steadiness of mind and firmness of principle, which are necessary to the just exercise of unlimited36 sway.
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1 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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2 elevation | |
n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高 | |
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3 destined | |
adj.命中注定的;(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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4 clement | |
adj.仁慈的;温和的 | |
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5 brutal | |
adj.残忍的,野蛮的,不讲理的 | |
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6 insolent | |
adj.傲慢的,无理的 | |
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7 exhort | |
v.规劝,告诫 | |
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8 eloquence | |
n.雄辩;口才,修辞 | |
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9 compliance | |
n.顺从;服从;附和;屈从 | |
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10 notary | |
n.公证人,公证员 | |
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11 probity | |
n.刚直;廉洁,正直 | |
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12 meditated | |
深思,沉思,冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 ); 内心策划,考虑 | |
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13 followers | |
追随者( follower的名词复数 ); 用户; 契据的附面; 从动件 | |
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14 subscribe | |
vi.(to)订阅,订购;同意;vt.捐助,赞助 | |
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15 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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16 ratified | |
v.批准,签认(合约等)( ratify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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18 culpable | |
adj.有罪的,该受谴责的 | |
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19 banished | |
v.放逐,驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20 solicited | |
v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 );(指娼妇)拉客;索求;征求 | |
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21 immortal | |
adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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22 bestowing | |
砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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23 eloquent | |
adj.雄辩的,口才流利的;明白显示出的 | |
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24 perseverance | |
n.坚持不懈,不屈不挠 | |
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25 intoxicated | |
喝醉的,极其兴奋的 | |
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26 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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27 bestowed | |
赠给,授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28 jubilee | |
n.周年纪念;欢乐 | |
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29 tyrant | |
n.暴君,专制的君主,残暴的人 | |
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30 sedition | |
n.煽动叛乱 | |
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31 fickle | |
adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的,不坚定的 | |
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32 indignity | |
n.侮辱,伤害尊严,轻蔑 | |
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33 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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34 remarkable | |
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的 | |
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35 deficient | |
adj.不足的,不充份的,有缺陷的 | |
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36 unlimited | |
adj.无限的,不受控制的,无条件的 | |
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