On the Magistrates and Republic of Venice

because there are no, or very few, monuments of the ancients extant in Venice; otherwise, of most illustrious men at home and abroad, and of those who have been well-deserving of the republic, there are no tombs, no equestrian statues, no prows of ships, or banners taken from enemies, overcome in huge battles. I shall bring forward one example out of countless others of my kinsman, the Doge Andrea Contarini. In the most grave and by far the most dangerous of all wars—the Genoese war—when this man was presiding over our republic, he saved the fatherland with incredible wisdom and singular greatness of spirit, and routed the enemies, who were already victors, having inflicted a great slaughter upon them; and he either killed or took prisoner all of them to a man. Having saved the fatherland and having increased and strengthened the republic, he closed his final day and took care by his testament that no insignia of a Doge, nor any insignia of our family, should be affixed to his tomb, which is seen to this very day next to the temple dedicated to the divine Stephen. Indeed, you may not even see the name of so great a leader inscribed there; for his modesty brought it about that the monument of a most famous and illustrious prince is unknown to almost everyone.