incident of history.

During the middle ages, when so many of the Italian cities existed as
independent republics, there was a great deal of rivalry between Genoa
and Venice, the most important of them. Both were wealthy commercial
cities; both strove for the supremacy of the sea, upon which much of
their prosperity depended, and each strove to gain the advantage over
the other. This led to many wars between them, when sometimes one would
gain the upper hand, and sometimes the other. At length, in the year
1379, the Genoese defeated the Venetians in the battle of Pola, and
then took Chiozza, which commanded, as one might say, the entrance to
Venice. The Venetians, alarmed beyond measure, sent an embassy to the
Genoese commander, Pietro Doria, agreeing to any terms whatever,
imploring only that he would spare the city. They also sent the chief
of the prisoners they had taken in the war in order to appease the
fierce anger of the general. "Take back your captives, ye gentlemen of
Venice," was the too confident reply of the haughty Doria; "we will
release them and their companions. On God's faith, ye shall have no
peace till we put a curb into the mouths of those wild horses of St.
Mark's. Place but the reins once in our hands, and we shall know how to
bridle them for the future."

Armed with the courage and energy which despair alone can give, the
Venetians rallied for the defence of their city. Women and children
joined in the preparations. All private feuds, jealousies and
animosities were forgotten in the common danger. All were animated by
the one feeling of implacable hatred of the Genoese. Pisani, an old
commander, who had been unjustly imprisoned through the envy of his
fellow-citizens, was released and put in command of the fleet. On
coming out of his cell, he was surrounded by those who had injured him,