Oration “Modestius” of Enea Silvio Piccolomini (6 June1456, Naples). Edited and translated by Michael von Cotta-Schönberg. 8th version. (Orations of Enea Silvio Piccolomini / Pope Pius II; 27)

Published as part of project Edition and Translation of the Orations of Enea Silvio Piccolomini / Pope Pius IIIn the years after the Peace of Lodi and the Italian League (1454-1455), aiming at a general peace in Italy, the condottiero Jacopo Piccinino attempted to conquer the City State of Siena and to make himself its lord, like Francesco Sforza had done in Milan. In this enterprise he had the support of King Alfonso V of Naples. Aided by the pope, Calixtus III, Siena struggled to counter the military manoeuvres of Piccinino, but in the end it had to sue for peace. The Bishop of Siena, Enea Silvio Piccolomini, otherwise an imperial senior diplomat, agreed to undertake a peace mission to Alfonso, and after some months of negotiation a peace settlement was concluded. At the solemn celebration of the peace, Piccolomini gave a short speech of thanks to the king, the “Modestius”