Galileo Galilei and the Roman Curia / From Authentic Sources

by Karl von Gebler

“Was taking his course with modest sail set.”[336]

This instructor was Niccolini, who strongly advised Galileo “to be always ready to obey and to submit to whatever was ordered, for this was the only way to allay the irritation of one who was so incensed, and who treated this affair as a personal one.”[337] It is clear that by this personal persecutor no other than Urban VIII. can be intended.

The same cheerful confidence is expressed in a letter of Galileo’s of 25th February to Geri Bocchineri. One passage in it deserves special attention. It is as follows:—

“We” (Niccolini and Galileo) “hear at last that the many and serious accusations are reduced to one, and that the rest have been allowed to drop. Of this one I shall have no difficulty in getting rid when the grounds of my defence have been heard, which are meanwhile being gradually brought, in the best way that circumstances allow, to the knowledge of some of the higher officials, for these are not at liberty to listen freely to intercession, and still less to open their lips in reply. So that in the end a favourable issue may be hoped for.”[338]

A despatch of Niccolini’s to Cioli of two days later explains the nature of this chief accusation:—

“Although I am unable to say precisely what stage Galileo’s affair has reached, or what may happen next, as far as I can learn the main difficulty consists in this—that these gentlemen maintain that in 1616 he was ordered neither to discuss the question nor to converse about it. He says, on the contrary, that those were not the terms of the injunction, which were that that doctrine was not to be held nor defended. He considers that he has the means of justifying himself, because it does not at all appear from his book that he does hold or defend the doctrine, nor that he regards it as a settled question, as he merely adduces the reasons hinc hinde. The other points appear to be of less importance and easier to get over.”[339]

It is in the highest degree significant that Galileo—as is evident from Niccolini’s report above—from the first decidedly denies ever having received an injunction not to discuss the Copernican theory in any way; all that he knows is that it is not to be held nor defended; that is, all that he knows fully agrees with the note of 25th February, 1616; and with the decree of the Congregation of 5th March, 1616. Accordingly he does not consider that he has gone beyond the orders of the authorities, and thinks that he can prove it even from the book itself.

On 27th February the Tuscan ambassador had a long audience of the Pope, officially announced Galileo’s arrival at Rome, and expressed the hope that as he had shown his readiness to submit to the papal judgment and the enlightened opinion of the Congregation, the Pope would now be convinced of his devout reverence for spiritual things, especially in reference to the matter in hand. The Pope found it convenient not to take any notice of this indirect question, and replied that he had shown Galileo a special and unusual favour in allowing him to stay at Niccolini’s house instead of in the buildings of the Holy Office; and he had only done so because he was a distinguished official of the Grand Duke’s, and it was out of respect for his Highness that he had granted this exceptional favour to his subject. In order to enhance its value, Urban also told the ambassador that even a noble of the house of Gonzaga, a relative of Ferdinand’s, had not only been placed in a litter and brought under escort to Rome by command of the Holy Office, but had been taken at once to the Castle and kept there for a long time, until the trial was ended. Niccolini hastened to acknowledge the greatness of the favour, expressed his warmest thanks for it, and ventured to plead that in consideration of Galileo’s age and infirm health the Pope would order that the trial should come on soon, so that he might return home as soon as possible. Urban replied that the proceedings of the Holy Office were generally rather tedious, and he really did not know whether so speedy a termination could be looked for, as they were still engaged with the preliminaries of the trial. Urban had by this time become warm, and went off into complaints of Ciampoli and the rest of his evil counsellors; he also remarked that although Galileo had expressly stated in his “Dialogues” that he would only discuss the question of the double motion of the earth hypothetically, he had, in adducing the arguments for it, spoken of it as settled, and as if he agreed with it. In conclusion the Pope said: Moreover, Galileo had acted contrary to the injunction given him in 1616 by Cardinal Bellarmine in the name of the Holy Congregation. Niccolini mentioned in defence of Galileo all that he had told him about this accusation, but the Pope adhered obstinately to his opinion. The ambassador came away from this audience with the scant consolation that, at all events, Urban’s personal embitterment against Galileo was a little appeased.[340] We may remark here that what the Pope said about the proceeding of 26th February, 1616, is just as inaccurate as Riccardi’s communication to Niccolini was at that time.[341]

Both Niccolini and the Grand Duke were unwearied in their good offices for Galileo. The former urgently commended his case to Cardinal Antonio Barberini, senr., who said he was exceedingly well disposed to Galileo, and regarded him as a very eminent man; but added that it was a dangerous question, which might easily introduce some fantastic religious doctrines into the world, and especially at Florence, where men’s wits were so subtle and over curious.[342] The Grand Duke, at Galileo’s request, sent letters of introduction to the Cardinals Scaglia and Bentivoglio (the well-known statesman and historian), who, as Niccolini had learnt, were members of the Congregation.[343] Ferdinand also thanked the Pope, in an official letter through Cioli to Niccolini, for the favour of allowing Galileo to stay at the embassy, ending with a request that the business might be concluded as soon as possible.[344]

When Niccolini delivered this message to Urban on 13th March, he told him that it would be absolutely necessary to summon Galileo to the Holy Office as soon as the trial came on, because it was the usage and it could not be departed from. Niccolini again urged Galileo’s health, his age, and willingness to submit to any penalties; but Urban replied, “It would not do to act otherwise. May God forgive Galileo for having intruded into these matters concerning new doctrines and Holy Scripture, when it is best to keep to universally recognised opinions. May God help Ciampoli, also, about these new notions, as he seemed to have a leaning towards them, and to be inclined to the modern philosophy.” The Pope then expressed his regret at having to “subject Galileo, who had been his friend, with whom he had often held confidential intercourse, and eaten at the same table, to these annoyances; but it was in the interests of religion and faith.” Niccolini remarked, that when Galileo was heard he would be able, without difficulty, to give satisfactory explanations of everything; to which Urban replied: “He would be heard when the time came; but there was one argument which had never been answered, namely, that God was omnipotent, and therefore everything was possible to Him; but if so, why should we impose any necessity upon Him?” This was, as we know, the argument brought forward by Urban in his intimate conversation with Galileo in 1624, and which at the end of the “Dialogues” he had put into the mouth of Simplicius as originating “with a very exalted and learned personage.” Niccolini prudently replied that he did not understand these matters, but he had heard it said of Galileo that he did not hold the doctrine of the earth’s double motion as true, but said that it could not be denied that as God could have created the world in a thousand ways, He could have created it in this way. Urban replied with some irritation: “It is not for man to impose necessity upon God.” Niccolini, who saw that the Pope was getting angry, tried to pacify him by saying that Galileo was here on purpose to obey and to recant everything which could be injurious to religion. He then adroitly turned the subject, and returned to the request that his Holiness would have compassion on Galileo, and allow him to remain at the embassy. Urban merely replied that he would have special apartments assigned to Galileo, the best and most comfortable in the Holy Office. With this Niccolini had to be content.