hand, and the moan that had begun in the audience was
stilled, so that only the sound of the rain accompanied his words.
"You, you, you all are consumed with the hideous sin of Vanity. You deck
yourselves in velvets when wool will do. You buy silks and array your sinful
bodies, so that no one will see your utter vileness, your degradation. You let
your women paint their faces so that they are a lure to men. In that you get sin
and more sin, for women should be quiet and chaste, not flaunting creatures in
splendid gowns. If they are beautiful they lure others into sin, and that, too,
is on your heads." His voice was growing louder now, and the words came faster.
"But you are not content. You steep yourself in greater sin. Vanity will undo
you. For which of you has not bought paintings to adorn your walls and scorned
humble plaster? Which of you has not desired your fine chests to be carved in
pagan symbols, showing fruits and trees and lyres because there are those who
follow the damned teachings of the Greek philosophers rather than espouse the
Love of Christ and the joys of heaven? Which of you has not brought into your
homes objects to incite men's hearts to lust? Statues, paintings, shameful
things showing disgraceful nudity disguised as heroes. In that you err, as well,
for those are blasphemous things! Diana is the Goddess of the Moon, and she has
the same horns as the Devil. Think before you touch her. And Venus, what was she
but a harlot who drove men distracted with the splendor of her flesh?"
The people murmured out their shame and an old woman began to sob
convulsively.
"You live for the body, not the soul. None of you, not one, has ever resisted
the urge to cheat at comestio and serve more pies and tarts than you are
allowed. You smile when you think of how clever you are. You are clever in
Gluttony, not in virtue. To use your thoughts to cheat not only the law of la
Repubblica but also God is not wisdom, but the greatest folly! But why do you do
it? What drives you to this evil? You all seek to emulate the great Vanity, the
great Gluttony, the great sins of Medici, who is filled with so many
abominations that the stink of him fills the earth!"
There was an audible gasp and a susurrus of words filled the church. Never
before had Savonarola attacked Laurenzo so directly. Immediately interest
increased and everyone on the hard benches leaned forward. There was a kind of
fascinated fear in many faces.
"Medici's five red balls cannot protect you from the Wrath of God. His
usurer's wealth will never buy salvation for him or for any who seek the path he
treads now, for it goes down to the depths of hell!"
Several of the young men who had been standing along the side walls had
fallen to their knees and had clasped their hands over their eyes.
"Vanity! Fiorenza is stuffed as full of it as a corpse is with maggots. And
where there is Vanity, there Envy is also!" Again he paused, an expression of
loathing distorting his face. "Envy and Vanity, both great sins, cardinal sins.
And you, you nurture them in your bosoms as if they were beloved children. You
make them flourish in your hearts like gardens of pleasure. Every one of you is
tainted with these sins, from the youngest child to the oldest and most
venerable grandfather. Every one of you must burn for these sins unless you
repent."
Many of the women were weeping now, and two of the monks had wiped their
eyes. It was raining harder, but no one noticed.
"In the lascivious delights of your bed you wallow in Lust! What you caress,
what you embrace, is the most pernicious of poisons, for it feeds on the other
sins that have come before. Think of those voluptuous sighs and remember that
they are the substance of evil. That sweet glutting of your lustful desires
draws you forever to perdition."
Some of the men had gone white, and at least one of them cried out at these
ominous words.
Near the back of the church, Simone
stilled, so that only the sound of the rain accompanied his words.
"You, you, you all are consumed with the hideous sin of Vanity. You deck
yourselves in velvets when wool will do. You buy silks and array your sinful
bodies, so that no one will see your utter vileness, your degradation. You let
your women paint their faces so that they are a lure to men. In that you get sin
and more sin, for women should be quiet and chaste, not flaunting creatures in
splendid gowns. If they are beautiful they lure others into sin, and that, too,
is on your heads." His voice was growing louder now, and the words came faster.
"But you are not content. You steep yourself in greater sin. Vanity will undo
you. For which of you has not bought paintings to adorn your walls and scorned
humble plaster? Which of you has not desired your fine chests to be carved in
pagan symbols, showing fruits and trees and lyres because there are those who
follow the damned teachings of the Greek philosophers rather than espouse the
Love of Christ and the joys of heaven? Which of you has not brought into your
homes objects to incite men's hearts to lust? Statues, paintings, shameful
things showing disgraceful nudity disguised as heroes. In that you err, as well,
for those are blasphemous things! Diana is the Goddess of the Moon, and she has
the same horns as the Devil. Think before you touch her. And Venus, what was she
but a harlot who drove men distracted with the splendor of her flesh?"
The people murmured out their shame and an old woman began to sob
convulsively.
"You live for the body, not the soul. None of you, not one, has ever resisted
the urge to cheat at comestio and serve more pies and tarts than you are
allowed. You smile when you think of how clever you are. You are clever in
Gluttony, not in virtue. To use your thoughts to cheat not only the law of la
Repubblica but also God is not wisdom, but the greatest folly! But why do you do
it? What drives you to this evil? You all seek to emulate the great Vanity, the
great Gluttony, the great sins of Medici, who is filled with so many
abominations that the stink of him fills the earth!"
There was an audible gasp and a susurrus of words filled the church. Never
before had Savonarola attacked Laurenzo so directly. Immediately interest
increased and everyone on the hard benches leaned forward. There was a kind of
fascinated fear in many faces.
"Medici's five red balls cannot protect you from the Wrath of God. His
usurer's wealth will never buy salvation for him or for any who seek the path he
treads now, for it goes down to the depths of hell!"
Several of the young men who had been standing along the side walls had
fallen to their knees and had clasped their hands over their eyes.
"Vanity! Fiorenza is stuffed as full of it as a corpse is with maggots. And
where there is Vanity, there Envy is also!" Again he paused, an expression of
loathing distorting his face. "Envy and Vanity, both great sins, cardinal sins.
And you, you nurture them in your bosoms as if they were beloved children. You
make them flourish in your hearts like gardens of pleasure. Every one of you is
tainted with these sins, from the youngest child to the oldest and most
venerable grandfather. Every one of you must burn for these sins unless you
repent."
Many of the women were weeping now, and two of the monks had wiped their
eyes. It was raining harder, but no one noticed.
"In the lascivious delights of your bed you wallow in Lust! What you caress,
what you embrace, is the most pernicious of poisons, for it feeds on the other
sins that have come before. Think of those voluptuous sighs and remember that
they are the substance of evil. That sweet glutting of your lustful desires
draws you forever to perdition."
Some of the men had gone white, and at least one of them cried out at these
ominous words.
Near the back of the church, Simone
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