Thus began a war to the death between Sixtus and Florence.  The Pope inflamed the whole of Italy, and carried on a ruinous campaign in Tuscany.  It seemed as though the republic might lose her subject cities, always ready to revolt when danger threatened the sovereign State.  Lorenzo’s position became critical.  Sixtus made no secret of the hatred he bore him personally, declaring that he fought less with Florence than with the Medici.  To support the odium of this long war and this heavy interdict alone, was more than he could do.  His allies forsook him.  Naples was enlisted on the Pope’s side.  Milan and the other States of Lombardy were occupied with their own affairs, and held aloof.  In this extremity he saw that nothing but a bold step could save him.  The league formed by Sixtus must be broken up at any risk, and, if possible, by his own ability.  On December 6th, 1479, Lorenzo left Florence, unarmed and unattended, took ship at Leghorn, and proceeded to the court of the enemy, King Ferdinand, at Naples.  Ferdinand was a cruel and treacherous sovereign, who had murdered his guest, Jacopo Piccinino, at a banquet given in his honour.  But Ferdinand was the son of Alfonso, who, by address and eloquence, had gained a kingdom from his foe and jailor, Filippo Maria Visconti.  Lorenzo calculated that he too, following Alfonso’s policy, might prove to Ferdinand how little there was to gain from an alliance with Rome, how much Naples and Florence, firmly united together for offence and defence, might effect in Italy.

Only a student of those perilous times can appreciate the courage and the genius, the audacity combined with diplomatic penetration, displayed by Lorenzo at this crisis.  He calmly walked into the lion’s den, trusting he could tame the lion and teach it, and all in a few days.  Nor did his expectation fail.  Though Lorenzo was rather ugly than handsome, with a dark skin, heavy brows, powerful jaws, and nose sharp in the bridge and broad at the nostrils, without grace of carriage or melody of voice, he possessed what makes up for personal defects—­the winning charm of eloquence in conversation, a subtle wit, profound knowledge of men, and tact allied to sympathy, which placed him always at the centre of the situation.  Ferdinand received him kindly.  The Neapolitan nobles admired his courage and were fascinated by his social talents.  On March 1st, 1480, he left Naples again, having won over the King by his arguments.  When he reached Florence he was able to declare that he brought home a treaty of peace and alliance signed by the most powerful foe of the republic.  The success of this bold enterprise endeared Lorenzo more than ever to his countrymen.  In the same year they concluded a treaty with Sixtus, who was forced against his will to lay down arms by the capture of Otranto and the extreme peril of Turkish invasion.  After the year 1480 Lorenzo remained sole master in Florence, the arbiter and peacemaker of the rest of Italy.