Heroes of Modern Europe

								


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Chapter IV
The Prior of San Marco
Long before Lorenzo's death, Girolamo Savonarola had made the
corruption of Florence the subject of sermons which drew vast crowds to
San Marco.  The city might pride herself on splendid buildings
decorated by the greatest of Italian painters; she might rouse envy in
the foreign princes who were weary of listening to the praises of
Lorenzo; but the preacher lamented the sins of Florentines as one of
old had lamented the wickedness of Nineveh, and prophesied her downfall
if the pagan lust for enjoyment did not yield to the sternest
Christianity.
Savonarola had witnessed many scenes which showed the real attitude of
the Pope toward religion.  He had been born at Ferrara, where the
extravagant and sumptuous court had extended a flattering welcome to
Pius IV as he passed from town to town to preach a Crusade against the
Turks.  The Pope was sheltered by a golden canopy and greeted by sweet
music, and statues of heathen gods were placed on the river-banks as an
honour to the Vicar of Christ!
Savonarola shrank from court-life and the patronage of Borsi, the
reigning Marquis of Ferrara.  That prince, famed for his banquets, his
falcons, and his robes of gold brocade, would have appointed him the
court physician it he would have agreed to study medicine.  {42} The
study of the Scriptures appealed more to the recluse, whose only
recreation was to play the lute and write verses of a haunting
melancholy.
Against the wishes of his family Savonarola entered the Order of Saint
Dominic.  He gave up the world for a life of the hardest service in the
monastery by day, and took his rest upon a coarse sack at night.  He
was conscious of a secret wish for pre-eminence, no doubt, even when he
took the lowest place and put on the shabbiest clothing.
The avarice of Pope Sextus roused the monk to burning indignation.  The
new Pope lavished gifts on his own family, who squandered on luxury of
every kind the money that should have relieved the poor.  The Church
seemed to have entered zealously into that contest for wealth and power
which was devastating all the free states of Italy.
Savonarola had come from his monastery at Bologna to the Convent of San
Marco when he first lifted up his voice in denunciation.  He was not
well received because he used the Bible--distrusted by the Florentines,
who expressed doubts of the correctness of its Latin!  Pico della
Mirandola, the brilliant young scholar, was attracted, however, by the
friar's eloquence.  A close friendship was formed between these two
men, whose appearance was as much in contrast as their characters.
Savonarola was dark in complexion, with thick lips and an aquiline
nose--only the flashing grey eyes set under overhanging brows redeemed
his face from harshness.  Mirandola, on the other hand, was gifted with
remarkable personal beauty.  Long fair curls hung to his shoulders and