* * * * *
The next morning he went out in order to see the Church of St. Peter
and the Vatican, which had become the residence of the Popes after
their return from Avignon. Since he did not know his way about the
town, he happened to come into the Forum. There were several bodies
of troops collected for review, and on a great black stallion sat an
old man, armed from top to toe in steel. The troops passed in review
before him, and he seemed to be the commander.
"He looks like a Rabbi," said a citizen, "and he must be quite five
and sixty now."
"He seems to me to resemble the prophet Muhammed. And he began as a
tradesman."
"Yes, and he has bought the papal chair."
"Well, let it go! But his summoning Charles VIII with the French to
Naples was a betrayal of his country. Now he goes against Venice,
and leads the troops himself."
"And expects help from the Turks."
"They ought not to play with the Turks, who are already in Hungary
and mean to get to Vienna."
"We have forgotten the Crusades, and tolerance is a fine quality."
"Yes, the last thing they did was to undertake a crusade against the
Christian Albigenses, while they tried to conciliate the Muhammedans
in Sicily."
"The world is a madhouse."
This, then, was Pope Julius II, who had overcome the monster
Alexander VI, and now led his army against Venice, His kingdom was
quite obviously of this world, and Luther lost all desire for an
audience with him.
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