DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61902#0355
THE MAKERS OF FLORENCE.
335
altogether discontented.” At the end of one of his sermons
he announced that on the first day of the carnival he
would, if any of his adversaries would dare the experiment
along with him, appear in some public place, bolding the
Sacrament in his hand, and appeal to God by solemn
prayer to send fire from heaven and burn up him—whether
himself or his antagonist—who was in the false way. This
ordeal seems simple enough to have called forth a champion
on the other side; but no one answered the appeal. Savo-
narola, however, kept his word. On the first day of the
carnival, according to Burlamacchi (Villari says the last),
after a solemn mass in San Marco, he came out of the
church in his priest’s robes, carrying the Sacrament, and
ascended the pulpit, which had been raised in the square
outside. The Piazza of San Marco is a very ordinary
square nowadays, planted with a few commonplace bushes
and modest bit of turf - but how strange must have been its
aspect on that spring morning, “ tilled with many thous-
ands of men,” through whom came the procession of
monks, surrounding their prophet. For half an hour the
whole vast multitude was still, praying for the reply from
Heaven. Savonarola made them no eloquent address—the
day of his great preaching was over—and one cannot but
feel that something like despair in his heart must have
been the cause of this pathetic endeavor to call forth an
answer from God. All that he said was simple enough.
“ If I have said anything to you, citizens of Florence, in
the name of God, which was not true ; if the apostolical
censure pronounced against me is valid; if I have deceived
any one—pray to God that he will send fire from heaven
upon me and consume me in presence of the people; and I
pray our Lord God, Three in one, whose body I hold in
this blessed Sacrament, to send death to me in this place if
I have not preached the truth.” Then for half an hour
there was silence, except from the rustle of the multitude
335
altogether discontented.” At the end of one of his sermons
he announced that on the first day of the carnival he
would, if any of his adversaries would dare the experiment
along with him, appear in some public place, bolding the
Sacrament in his hand, and appeal to God by solemn
prayer to send fire from heaven and burn up him—whether
himself or his antagonist—who was in the false way. This
ordeal seems simple enough to have called forth a champion
on the other side; but no one answered the appeal. Savo-
narola, however, kept his word. On the first day of the
carnival, according to Burlamacchi (Villari says the last),
after a solemn mass in San Marco, he came out of the
church in his priest’s robes, carrying the Sacrament, and
ascended the pulpit, which had been raised in the square
outside. The Piazza of San Marco is a very ordinary
square nowadays, planted with a few commonplace bushes
and modest bit of turf - but how strange must have been its
aspect on that spring morning, “ tilled with many thous-
ands of men,” through whom came the procession of
monks, surrounding their prophet. For half an hour the
whole vast multitude was still, praying for the reply from
Heaven. Savonarola made them no eloquent address—the
day of his great preaching was over—and one cannot but
feel that something like despair in his heart must have
been the cause of this pathetic endeavor to call forth an
answer from God. All that he said was simple enough.
“ If I have said anything to you, citizens of Florence, in
the name of God, which was not true ; if the apostolical
censure pronounced against me is valid; if I have deceived
any one—pray to God that he will send fire from heaven
upon me and consume me in presence of the people; and I
pray our Lord God, Three in one, whose body I hold in
this blessed Sacrament, to send death to me in this place if
I have not preached the truth.” Then for half an hour
there was silence, except from the rustle of the multitude