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〃Enigma；〃 Altissimam planetam tergeminam observavi。 He could not
then perceive the rings； the planet seemed through his telescope to
have the form of three concentric O's。 Soon after； in examining
Venus； he saw her in the form of a crescent： Cynthiae figuras
aemulatur mater amorum； 〃Venus rivals the phases of the moon。〃
At last he discovers the spots upon the sun's disk； and that they
all revolve with the sun； and therefore that the sun has a
revolution in about twenty…eight days； and may be moving on in a
larger circle； with all its attendant planets； around some distant
centre。
Galileo has now attained the highest object of his ambition。 He is
at the head； confessedly； of all the scientific men of Europe。 He
has an ample revenue； he is independent； and has perfect leisure。
Even the Pope is gracious to him when he makes a visit to Rome；
while cardinals； princes； and ambassadors rival one another in
bestowing upon him attention and honors。
But there is no height of fortune from which a man may not fall；
and it is usually the proud； the ostentatious； and the contemptuous
who do fall； since they create envy； and are apt to make social
mistakes。 Galileo continued to exasperate his enemies by his
arrogance and sarcasms。 〃They refused to be dragged at his
chariot…wheels。〃 〃The Aristotelian professors；〃 says Brewster；
〃the temporizing Jesuits； the political churchmen； and that timid
but respectable body who at all times dread innovation； whether it
be in legislation or science； entered into an alliance against the
philosophical tyrant who threatened them with the penalties of
knowledge。〃 The church dignitaries were especially hostile； since
they thought the tendency of Galileo's investigations was to
undermine the Bible。 Flanked by the logic of the schools and the
popular interpretation of Scripture； and backed by the civil power；
they were eager for war。 Galileo wrote a letter to his friend the
Abbe Castelli； the object of which was 〃to prove that the
Scriptures were not intended to teach science and philosophy；〃 but
to point out the way of salvation。 He was indiscreet enough to
write a longer letter of seventy pages； quoting the Fathers in
support of his views； and attempting to show that Nature and
Scripture could not speak a different language。 It was this
reasoning which irritated the dignitaries of the Church more than
his discoveries； since it is plain that the literal language of
Scripture upholds the doctrine that the sun revolves around the
earth。 He was wrong or foolish in trying to harmonize revelation
and science。 He should have advanced his truths of science and
left them to take care of themselves。 He should not have meddled
with the dogmas of his enemies： not that he was wrong in doing so；
but it was not politic or wise； and he was not called upon to
harmonize Scripture with science。
So his enemies busily employed themselves in collecting evidence
against him。 They laid their complaints before the Inquisition of
Rome； and on the occasion of paying a visit to that city； he was
summoned before that tribunal which has been the shame and the
reproach of the Catholic Church。 It was a tribunal utterly
incompetent to sit upon his case； since it was ignorant of science。
In 1615 it was decreed that Galileo should renounce his obnoxious
doctrines； and pledge himself neither to defend nor publish them in
future。 And Galileo accordingly； in dread of prison； appeared
before Cardinal Bellarmine and declared that he would renounce the
doctrines he had defended。 This cardinal was not an ignorant man。
He was the greatest theologian of the Catholic Church； but his
bitterness and rancor in reference to the new doctrines were as
marked as his scholastic learning。 The Pope； supposing that
Galileo would adhere to his promise； was gracious and kind。
But the philosopher could not resist the temptation of ridiculing
the advocates of the old system。 He called them 〃paper
philosophers。〃 In private he made a mockery of his persecutors。
One Saisi undertook to prove from Suidas that the Babylonians used
to cook eggs by whirling them swiftly on a sling； to which he
replied： 〃If Saisi insists on the authority of Suidas； that the
Babylonians cooked eggs by whirling them on a sling； I will believe
it。 But I must add that we have eggs and slings； and strong men to
whirl them； yet they will not become cooked； nay； if they were hot
at first； they more quickly became cool； and as there is nothing
wanting to us but to be Babylonians； it follows that being
Babylonians is the true cause why the eggs became hard。〃 Such was
his prevailing mockery and ridicule。 〃Your Eminence；〃 writes one
of his friends to the Cardinal D'Este； 〃would be delighted if you
could hear him hold forth in the midst of fifteen or twenty； all
violently attacking him； sometimes in one house； and sometimes in
another； but he is armed after such a fashion that he laughs them
all to scorn。〃
Galileo； after his admonition from the Inquisition； and his promise
to hold his tongue； did keep comparatively quiet for a while；
amusing himself with mechanics； and striving to find out a new way
of discovering longitude at sea。 But the want of better telescopes
baffled his efforts； and even to…day it is said 〃that no telescope
has yet been made which is capable of observing at sea the eclipses
of Jupiter's satellites； by which on shore this method of finding
longitude has many advantages。〃
On the accession of a new Pope （1623）； Urban VIII。； who had been
his friend as Cardinal Barberini； Galileo； after eight years of
silence； thought that he might now venture to publish his great
work on the Ptolemaic and Copernican systems； especially as the
papal censor also had been his friend。 But the publication of the
book was delayed nearly two years； so great were the obstacles to
be surmounted； and so prejudiced and hostile was the Church to the
new views。 At last it appeared in Florence in 1632； with a
dedication to the Grand Duke；not the Cosimo who had rewarded him；
but his son Ferdinand； who was a mere youth。 It was an unfortunate
thing for Galileo to do。 He had pledged his word not to advocate
the Copernican theory； which was already sufficiently established
in the opinions of philosophers。 The form of the book was even
offensive； in the shape of dialogues； where some of the chief
speakers were his enemies。 One of them he ridiculed under the name
of Simplicio。 This was supposed to mean the Pope himself；so they
made the Pope believe； and he was furious。 Old Cardinal Bellarmine
roared like a lion。 The whole Church； as represented by its
dignitaries； seemed to be against him。 The Pope seized the old
weapons of the Clements and the Gregories to hurl upon the daring
innovator； but delayed to hurl them； since he dealt with a giant；
covered not only by the shield of the Medici； but that of Minerva。
So he convened a congregation of