Medici The Magnificent Recap 'Obstacles and Opportunities'

Season 2 Episode 3

Clarice arrived in Florence, and her marriage to Lorenzo was consummated, happily. Bianca eloped with Guglielmo, forcing alliances to shift in the Medici and Pazzi camps. Simonetta and Giuliano are now closer to becoming lovers. Obstacles and Opportunities was chock full of Lorenzo's scheming, but they all touched on these three pairings, three couple stories, one brought together by love, one by lust, one by duty.

Clarice came from an old, noble family, but the Rome that was her home was vastly different from the bustling Florence built by Medici influence. In Florence, art and architecture flourished, and the language of love was spoken through poetry. Lorenzo was well versed in the art of courtly love; Clarice had a much better wedding night than Lorenzo's grandmother Contessina, whose marriage was arranged between her debt-ridden father and Cosimo's ambitious father. That Lorenzo made an effort to give his bride pleasure even as they both did their duty was a kindness, but it was also disturbing how easily Lorenzo promised his mistress that they would see each other soon. Lucrezia introduced herself to Clarice on the wedding banquet, and later, Clarice found a book of poems Lorenzo wrote for Lucrezia. 

Whilst her brother settled on what was not at all an unpleasant married life, Bianca railed against her arranged marriage to Bastiano Soderini. By the time Lorenzo's men found Bianca and Guglielmo, they had already slept together, which was a huge deal in those days. Lorenzo met with Jacopo de Pazzi and tried to blackmail him into agreeing to the marriage between Bianca and Guglielmo. Jacopo agreed, but he later decreed that Guglielmo was no longer a Pazzi.

Jacopo's decision to disown his nephew Guglielmo affected his hold over the council. Lorenzo had renegotiated with the Duke of Milan and needed council approval for the new treaty. Jacopo naturally opposed Lorenzo. When it came time to vote, however, Francesco voted in line with Lorenzo, not because he agreed to a cessation of hostilities with the Medici, but out of loyalty to his brother Guglielmo. Along with the votes of Bastiano Soderini's father (which Lorenzo also negotiated successfully) and that of Marco Vespucci (Lorenzo sent Sandro to paint a commission for Vespucci at Lorenzo's expense), and the Gonfaloniere, Lorenzo's treaty prevailed.

Historically, Simonetta Vespucci was reputed to be the greatest beauty of her age. Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz has the kind of classic beauty one could stare at for hours, she was entirely convincing as the muse of the great Botticelli, but it was Bradley James's easy charm that made their scenes together sparkle with chemistry. Simonetta was already married to a wealthy man who was not without power, so this flirtation could not end well.

Lorenzo spoke of wanting to give power to the people of Florence, a radical change the Pazzi could not accept. Yet it was a Pazzi who later gave him a victory. Lorenzo broke his agreement with the Soderinis because of his love for his sister. Francesco broke with his uncle because of his love for his brother.

   

Strays

♕ Pazzi cousin Francesco Salviati was appointed Archbishop of Pisa over Lorenzo's old tutor whom he nominated. Father Carlo rode to Florence to let Lorenzo know, but not before sending men to close Pisa to Salviati in Lorenzo's name. Lorenzo told Jacopo that he would allow Salviati to enter Pisa; in exchange, Jacopo was to accept the marriage between Bianca and Guglielmo. Jacopo considered Lorenzo's move weak, for Lorenzo chose his sister's happiness over forcing Jacopo's hand into accepting the new treaty with Milan that Lorenzo also advanced.

♕ When he first learned of the elopement, Jacopo sent Francesco to Lorenzo with a proposal --- withdraw the treaty with Milan, else Jacopo would expose that Bianca and Guglielmo ran away together. Lorenzo read Francesco correctly; he asked for time to save their siblings' reputation and the treaty with Milan. Francesco was noncommittal, but he later backed Lorenzo at council.

♕ Jacopo to Lorenzo: 'You're too softhearted to be a worthy opponent.'

♕ The cruelty shown here by Galeazzo Sforza matches his historical reputation.

♕ A new pope has been elected, the former Cardinal Della Rovere, who helped arrange Lorenzo's marriage.

♕ Lorenzo's stated goal was to make Florence into a true republic.

♕ Shall we read Ovid?