Galileo Galilei and the Roman Curia / From Authentic Sources

by Karl von Gebler

It is noteworthy that it was expressly decreed that Galileo was to be enjoined, “nor yet to discuss the contrary opinion,” the Ptolemaic. They obviously accredited the clever dialectician with the skill, under pretext of defending the old system, of demonstrating exactly the contrary. It therefore seemed most prudent to impose absolute silence on him on this delicate subject.

Two days after the course of the proceedings had been secretly determined on, the Pope gave audience to Niccolini, who once more came to beg for a speedy termination of the trial. Urban VIII. said that it had already been terminated, and that within the next few days Galileo would be summoned before the Holy Office to hear his sentence. The ambassador, who was terrified at this unexpected intelligence, hastened to implore his Holiness, out of respect for his Highness the Grand Duke, to mollify the severity which the Holy Congregation might perhaps have thought it necessary to exercise; and added obligingly that the great complaisance shown to the Grand Duke in the matter of Galileo was fully appreciated, and that the Grand Duke was only awaiting the end of the business to express his gratitude in person. The Pope replied, with equal suavity, that his Highness need not take this trouble, as he had readily granted every amelioration to Galileo out of affection for him; but as to his cause, they could do no less than prohibit that opinion, because it was erroneous and contrary to Holy Scripture, dictated ex ore Dei; as to his person, he would, according to usage, be imprisoned for a time, because he had transgressed the mandate issued to him in 1616. “However,” added Urban, “after the publication of the sentence we will see you again, and we will consult together so that he may suffer as little distress as possible, since it cannot be let pass without some demonstration against his person.” In reply to Niccolini’s renewed urgent entreaties that his Holiness would extend his accustomed mercy to the pitiable old man of seventy, the Pope said that “he would at any rate be sent for a time to some monastery, as for instance, St. Croce; for he really did not know precisely what the Holy Congregation might decree (?!), but it was unanimous and nemine discrepante in intending to impose a penance on Galileo.”

The very same day the ambassador sent a detailed despatch about this audience to Cioli,[389] and remarked at the end that he had simply informed Galileo of the approaching end of the trial, and of the prohibition of his book, but had said nothing about the personal punishment, in order not to trouble him too much at once; the Pope had also enjoined this, that Galileo might not distress himself yet, and “because perhaps in the course of the proceedings things might take a better turn.”

Galileo’s trial now proceeded strictly according to the programme settled by the Congregation of the Holy Office under the papal presidency. On the evening of Monday, 20th June, Galileo received a summons from the Holy Office to appear the next day.[390] In this final hearing the accused was to be questioned, under threat of torture, about his intention, that is, as to his real conviction concerning the two systems. On the morning of the 21st Galileo appeared before his judges. After he had taken the usual oath, and had answered in the negative the query whether he had any statement to make, the examiner began as follows:—

Interrogated whether he holds or has held, and how long ago, that the sun is the centre of the world and that the earth is not the centre of the world, and moves, and also with a diurnal motion;

He answered: “A long time ago, i.e., before the decision of the Holy Congregation of the Index, and before the injunction was intimated to me, I was indifferent, and regarded both opinions, namely, that of Ptolemy and that of Copernicus, as open to discussion, inasmuch as either one or the other might be true in nature; but after the said decision, assured of the wisdom of the authorities, I ceased to have any doubt; and I held, as I still hold, as most true and indisputable, the opinion of Ptolemy, that is to say, the stability of the earth and the motion of the sun.”

Being told that from the manner and connection in which the said opinion is discussed in the book printed by him subsequently to the time mentioned—nay, from the very fact of his having written and printed the said book, he is presumed to have held this opinion after the time specified; and being called upon to state the truth as to whether he holds or has held the same;

He answered: “As regards the writing of the published dialogue, my motive in so doing was not because I held the Copernican doctrine to be true, but simply thinking to confer a common benefit, I have set forth the proofs from nature and astronomy which may be adduced on either side; my object being to make it clear that neither the one set of arguments nor the other has the force of conclusive demonstration in favour of this opinion or of that; and that therefore, in order to proceed with certainty we must have recourse to the decisions of higher teaching, as may be clearly seen from a large number of passages in the dialogue in question. I affirm, therefore, on my conscience, that I do not now hold the condemned opinion, and have not held it since the decision of the authorities.”

Being told that from the book itself and from the arguments adduced on the affirmative side,—namely, that the earth moves and that the sun is immovable,—it is presumed, as aforesaid, that he holds the opinion of Copernicus, or at least that he held it at that time; and that therefore, unless he make up his mind to confess the truth, recourse will be had against him to the appropriate remedies of the law;