Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour (1810-61), Premier of Sardinia and the preeminent
force behind Italian unification. Although Garibaldi fought in the name of an
Italian republic, Cavour's statesmanship had made unification possible only on
the basis of the Savoy monarchy, and Garibalidi capitulated to support the monarchy.
Garibaldi later denounced Cavour when, during the unification process, Cavour
ceded Garibaldi's native Nice to France. Behind Viola's references to a black-and-white
history of freedom vs. tyranny, therefore, lies a reality partaking of necessary
compromise with the ideal and highly personal politics, themes prevalent throughout
Nostromo.