# 54. How Great an Influence a Grave Man may have in restraining an Excited Crowd

The second thing to be noted in regard to the incident related in the last chapter is that nothing is more suitable to restrain an excited crowd than respect for some man of gravity and standing who in person confronts them. Hence not without reason does Virgil say:

If then some grave and pious man appear

They hush their noise and lend a listening ear.



This being so, a person who has command of an army or who finds himself in a city where a tumult has arisen should present himself before those involved with as much grace and dignity as he can muster, wearing the insignia of whatever rank he holds in order to impress them.

A few years ago Florence was divided into two factions, the Frateschi and the Arrabbiati, as they were called. When they came to blows the Frateschi were overpowered, among whom was Pagolantonio Soderini, a citizen of considerable repute in those days. During the disturbance the populace, having armed itself, went to his house to pillage it. In the house they found by chance Messer Francesco, his brother, then bishop of Volterra, and now a cardinal. On hearing the noise and seeing the crowd, he at once donned his most magnificent robes, put his episcopal rochet over them, confronted the armed crowd, and by his presence and his words held them up. This event was talked of and applauded for several days throughout the whole of the city. I conclude, therefore, that there is no surer or more necessary means of restraining an excited crowd than the presence of a man, worthy of its respect, who appears before it in person.

If then we turn to the aforesaid incident, one notices how obstinately the Roman plebs had taken up the suggestion that they should go to Veii because they thought it advantageous and did not perceive the harm which it involved; and how, when disturbances arose, trouble would have ensued if the senate had not, by means of grave and highly respected men, restrained their madness.