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.