Act 2. Scene 2

Cosimo makes a plan.

SCENE 2

(Room with tables and maps. COSIMO is studying one of the maps. FIA is holding a letter.)

FIA

Lost again I hear?

COSIMO

It is what Florence does best and I did advise the government against going to war.

FIA

So what happened to Florence's Grand Campaign this time?

COSIMO

When the Duke's men advanced, ours ran away. They even give condottiere a bad name. Three more cities lost to the Duke. I confess, I need cheering up.

FIA

News of Francesco. When Alfonso moved to plunder Sforza lands in Naples, he broke the siege and then crushed Piccinino's army.

COSIMO

That is good. And relations with the Duke?

FIA

They are one big happy family.

COSIMO

That is not so good. The reason?

FIA

Bianca has given birth to a boy, named by the Duke, Galeazzo Maria. I confess I did have doubts about the pregnancy.

COSIMO

I imagine there's not much to do in a city under siege. In your many travels did you have time to stop off in Ferrara?

FIA

I had a word with Uncle Niccolo. He is very pre-occupied with expensive renovations to his palace.

COSIMO

You mean the price has gone up. By how much?

FIA

Trebled.

COSIMO

Some might consider that somewhat excessive.

FIA

In response, I would remind you of the three cities. And if your plan fails the Duke will wipe the d'Este from the earth.

COSIMO

Fair points. Very well, twelve thousand florins subsidy per year for the next ten years. And what of the messenger?

FIA

Five thousand, paid in advance and a titled husband with some property.

COSIMO

The property?

FIA

Pesaro. I'm told it's a nice place.

COSIMO

Desired by Malatesta owned by his enemy Federico Montefeltro . The husband?

FIA

Alessandro Sforza.

COSIMO

Sister-in-law to our future Duke. You do aim high. Alessandro has no title and I fear has eyes for another.

FIA

I am patient and many people die before their time.

COSIMO

I will do what I can about the title and the property. But I will not intervene in the course of true love.

FIA

Agreed.

COSIMO

The letter?

FIA

(produces a letter) The Duke's letter to Sforza's general.

COSIMO

Which one?

FIA

Ciarpello. He offers him the position of Captain General of the forces of Milan.

COSIMO

(reads letter) One almost feels sorry for Piccinino. The letter is to go to Federico and suggest that he invite Francesco and Bianca to visit.

FIA

In the meantime?

COSIMO

Return to the Duke, say you have talked to Francesco and that he is deciding what to do about Cremona. However, there are two conditions to his current silence. Firstly, Sforza's son Galeazzo Maria is to be named as Count of Pavia.

FIA

And the second?

COSIMO

Bianca is never to know. The Duke will agree to both conditions.

FIA

And the promise to his grandson?

COSIMO

The Duke will have no intention of keeping it. Thinking he has an agreement, the Duke will take his time in deciding how to to betray Francesco. While he is doing that Federico will give Francesco the letter. The proof of a treacherous general will win Franceso's favour and will thereby place Federico in debt to me.

FIA

Pesaro to Alessandro by any chance?

COSIMO

I imagine I will have to provide the financing.

FIA

You're assuming Francesco will execute Ciarpellio. Your forgetting his outmoded notions of personal honour might preclude him from such an act. (Pause.) You've already written to Bianca and she won't hesitate.

COSIMO

No.

FIA

She will be displeased about Cremona and when she is displeased, people tend to suffer permanent injury.

COSIMO

Bianca is nothing if not flexible and if makes her Duchess of Milan she will forgive, eventually.

FIA

So an innocent man dies because he was offered a better job. The Duke will take it as a personal insult and move on Cremona in retaliation. But Venice won't fight a war to enforce the terms of a previous treaty and even if they did, the Duke has many good generals and would offer Venice terms to settle anyway.

COSIMO

They will fight and this time they will not settle. For they will believe they have a chance to nail the Duke to the wall once and for all. As for generals, Piccinino will be offered employment by the Pope and Micheletto Attendolo will be employed by Venice. As for the Duke's other generals, one or two have been fatally indiscreet.

FIA

What will the good Alfonso be doing while all this is going on?

COSIMO

Taking Ancona. Francesco will have no option but to abandon any lingering sentimental attachments and sell what remains to the Pope. After that there will be no more distractions from him becoming the Duke of Milan

FIA

All this sounds very expensive.

COSIMO

Very

FIA

Where will you find the money? Medici resources are considerable but they are not limitless.

COSIMO

The government of Florence was kind enough to contribute.

FIA

You are the government of Florence after the last defeat. (Pause.) You lent money to the previous government to finance the campaign, then paid the army to lose it.

COSIMO

As I said, I did advise them against going to war.

Lights Down.