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So he convened a congregation of cardinals； and submitted to them
the examination of the detested book。 The author was summoned to
Rome to appear before the Inquisition； and answer at its judgment…
seat the charges against him as a heretic。 The Tuscan ambassador
expostulated with his Holiness against such a cruel thing；
considering Galileo's age； infirmities； and fame；all to no avail；
he was obliged to obey the summons。 At the age of seventy this
venerated philosopher； infirm； in precarious health； appeared
before the Inquisition of cardinals； not one of whom had any
familiarity with abstruse speculations； or even with mathematics。
Whether out of regard to his age and infirmities； or to his great
fame and illustrious position as the greatest philosopher of his
day； the cardinals treat Galileo with unusual indulgence。 Though a
prisoner of the Inquisition； and completely in its hands； with
power of life and death； it would seem that he is allowed every
personal comfort。 His table is provided by the Tuscan ambassador；
a servant obeys his slightest nod； he sleeps in the luxurious
apartment of the fiscal of that dreaded body； he is even liberated
on the responsibility of a cardinal； he is permitted to lodge in
the palace of the ambassador； he is allowed time to make his
defence： those holy Inquisitors would not unnecessarily harm a hair
of his head。 Nor was it probably their object to inflict bodily
torments： these would call out sympathy and degrade the tribunal。
It was enough to threaten these torments； to which they did not
wish to resort except in case of necessity。 There is no evidence
that Galileo was personally tortured。 He was indeed a martyr； but
not a sufferer except in humiliated pride。 Probably the object of
his enemies was to silence him； to degrade him； to expose his name
to infamy； to arrest the spread of his doctrines； to bow his old
head in shame； to murder his soul； to make him stab himself； and be
his own executioner； by an act which all posterity should regard as
unworthy of his name and cause。
After a fitting time has elapsed；four months of dignified
session；the mind of the Holy Tribunal is made up。 Its judgment
is ready。 On the 22d of June； 1633； the prisoner appears in
penitential dress at the convent of Minerva； and the presiding
cardinal； in his scarlet robes； delivers the sentence of the
Court；that Galileo； as a warning to others； and by way of
salutary penance； be condemned to the formal prison of the Holy
Office； and be ordered to recite once a week the seven Penitential
Psalms for the benefit of his soul；apparently a light sentence；
only to be nominally imprisoned a few days； and to repeat those
Psalms which were the life of blessed saints in mediaeval times。
But this was nothing。 He was required to recant； to abjure the
doctrines he had taught； not in private； but publicly before the
world。 Will he recant？ Will he subscribe himself an imposter？
Will he abjure the doctrines on which his fame rests？ Oh； tell it
not in Gath！ The timid； infirm； life…loving old patriarch of
science falls。 He is not great enough for martyrdom。 He chooses
shame。 In an evil hour this venerable sage falls down upon his
knees before the assembled cardinals； and reads aloud this
recantation： 〃I； Galileo Galilei； aged seventy； on my knees before
you most reverend lords； and having my eye on the Holy gospel；
which I do touch with my lips； thus publish and declare； that I
believe； and always have believed； and always will believe every
article which the Holy Catholic Roman Church holds and teaches。
And as I have written a book in which I have maintained that the
sun is the centre； which doctrine is repugnant to the Holy
Scriptures； I； with sincere heart and unfeigned faith； do abjure
and detest； and curse the said error and heresy； and all other
errors contrary to said Holy Church； whose penance I solemnly swear
to observe faithfully； and all other penances which have been or
shall be laid upon me。〃
It would appear from this confession that he did not declare his
doctrines false； only that they were in opposition to the
Scriptures； and it is also said that as he arose from his knees he
whispered to a friend； 〃It does move； nevertheless。〃 As some
excuse for him； he acted with the certainty that he would be
tortured if he did not recant； and at the worst he had only
affirmed that his scientific theory was in opposition to the
Scriptures。 He had not denied his master； like Peter； he had not
recanted the faith like Cranmer； he had simply yielded for fear of
bodily torments； and therefore was not sincere in the abjuration
which he made to save his life。 Nevertheless； his recantation was
a fall； and in the eyes of the scientific world perhaps greater
than that of Bacon。 Galileo was false to philosophy and himself。
Why did he suffer himself to be conquered by priests he despised？
Why did so bold and witty and proud a man betray his cause？ Why
did he not accept the penalty of intellectual freedom； and die； if
die he must？ What was life to him； diseased； infirm； and old？
What had he more to gain？ Was it not a good time to die and
consummate his protests？ Only one hundred and fifty years before；
one of his countrymen had accepted torture and death rather than
recant his religions opinions。 Why could not Galileo have been as
great in martyrdom as Savonarola？ He was a renowned philosopher
and brilliant as a man of genius；but he was a man of the world；
he loved ease and length of days。 He could ridicule and deride
opponents； he could not suffer pain。 He had a great intellect； but
not a great soul。 There were flaws in his morality； he was
anything but a saint or hero。 He was great in mind； and yet he was
far from being great in character。 We pity him； while we exalt
him。 Nor is the world harsh to him； it forgives him for his
services。 The worst that can be said； is that he was not willing
to suffer and die for his opinions： and how many philosophers are
there who are willing to be martyrs？
Nevertheless； in the eyes of philosophers he has disgraced himself。
Let him then return to Florence； to his own Arceti。 He is a
silenced man。 But he is silenced； not because he believed with
Copernicus； but because he ridiculed his enemies and confronted the
Church； and in the eyes of blinded partisans had attacked divine
authority。 Why did Copernicus escape persecution？ The Church must
have known that there was something in his discoveries； and in
those of Galileo； worthy of attention。 About this time Pascal
wrote： 〃It is vain that you have procured the condemnation of
Galileo。 That will never prove the earth to be at rest。 If
unerring observation proves that it turns round； not all mankind
together can keep it from turning； or themselves from turning with
it。〃
But let that persecution pass。 It is no worse than other
persecutions； either in Catholic or Protestant ranks。 It was