ANNIBALE FANTOLI GALILEO FOR COPERNICANISM AND FOR THE CHURCH Whether in reaching such a decision it is advisable to consider, ponder, and examine what he [Copernicus] writes is something that I have done my best to show in an essay of mine. I hope the blessed God has granted me this, for I have no other aim but the honor of the Holy Church and do not direct my small labors to any other goal. (Galileo to Dini, 23 March 1615) Translation by George V. Coyne, S.J. Third Edition, Revised and Enlarged STUDI GALILEIANI VOL. 6
CONTENTS PRESENTATION XI PREFACE TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION XV PREFACE TO THE THIRD ENGLISH EDITION XVIII EDITORIAL NOTE XX INTRODUCTION: FROM THE TRADITIONAL WORLDVIEW TO THE THEORY OF COPERNICUS 1. From Aristotelian Cosmology to the System of Ptolemy 1 2. The Encounter with Christianity and the Medieval Synthesis 12 3. The "Copernican Revolution" and the Reaction of the Theologians 1.9 4. The Reaction of the Astronomers. The System of Tycho Brahe 28 5. The World of Copernicus Expanded to the Infinite. Giordano Bruno 34
VI CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: GALILEO ENTERS ON STAGE. FROM HIS BIRTH TO HIS YEARS IN PADUA 1. Family Milieu and Early Education 37 2. "Conversion" to Euclid and Archimedes 40 3. Mathematics Teacher at Pisa. The Sources of his Teaching 45 4. The Pisan De Motu and Galileo's First Orientation Towards Copernicus 48 5. The Beginning of his Teaching Career at Padua 54 6. The First Idea of a Possible "Proof" of Copernicanism 58 7. The Nova of 1604 and a New Attempt at a "Proof" of Copernicanism 65 8. Private Teaching and Activities in Technical Matters 72 9. Friends and Family Affairs 74 CHAPTER 2: THE TELESCOPIC DISCOVERIES. THE BEGINNING AND GROWTH OF THE CONTROVERSIES 1. The Making of the Telescope and the First Astronomical Discoveries 81 2. The Sidereus Nuncius and the Plan to Return to Florence 84
CONTENTS VII 3. The Reactions to the Sidereus Nuncius and the Return to Florence 89 4. The Beginning of the Controversies about Scripture. Galileo's Trip to Rome 98 5. The Dispute about Floating Bodies. The "League" against Galileo is Born 110 6. The Sunspots and the Beginning of the Controversy with Scheiner 113 CHAPTER 3: EPILOGUE TO THE SCRIPTURAL CONTROVERSY. THE DE REVOLUTIONIBUS IS LISTED ON THE INDEX 1. The Theologians Begin to Intervene in the Copernican Controversy 125 2. The Letter to Castelli. The Reaction of the Dominicans in Florence 129 3. Foscarini and Bellarmine on the Copernican Question 138 4. Galileo's Response. The Letter to Christina of Lorraine 146 5. The Dominican, Caccini, Accuses Galileo before the Holy Office 168 6. Galileo Goes to Rome to Defend Copernicanism 171 7. The Intervention of the Holy Office. The De Revolutionibus is Placed on the Index 175 8. Rumors of an Abjuration by Galileo. Bellarmine's Testimony for Galileo. Some Final Remarks 187
VIII CONTENTS CHAPTER 4: THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT COMETS AND THE ASSAYER. MAFFEO BARBERINI IS ELECTED POPE 1. The Three Comets of 1618 and the Disputatio Astronomica of Grassi 199 2. The Response of Galileo. The Discourse on the Comets 204 3. Grassi's Response. The Libra Astronomica 208 4. The Assayer is Born. Maffeo Barberini is Elected Pope 212 5. A New Response of Grassi. The Ratio Ponderum Librae et Simbellae 224 CHAPTER 5: THE RESUMPTION OF THE COPERNICAN PROGRAM. THE DIALOGUE IS PUBLISHED 1. A New Trip of Galileo to Rome and Conversations with Urban VIII 227 2. The Letter to Ingoli 231 3. The Assayer denounced by a "Pious Person" to the Holy Office 235 4. A Return to the Discourse on the Ebb and Flow of the Sea 236 5. The Rosa Ursina of Scheiner and the Completion of the Dialogue 238
CONTENTS IX 6. Galileo in Rome. The Events Surrounding the Permission to Print the Dialogue 243 7. The Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems 252 CHAPTER 6: THE STORM BREAKS LOOSE. THE TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF GALILEO 1. The Dialogue Arrives in Rome. The Reactions against it Begin 271 2. Urban VIII Becomes Aware of the Contents of the Dialogue. The First Dispositions are Taken against the Book 275 3. The Charges against the Dialogue are Specified 280 4. The Discovery of the Injunction of Segizzi to Galileo and the Answer of the Commission Appointed to Examine the Dialogue 285 5. Galileo is Summoned to Rome by the Holy Office 287 6. Beginning of the Trial and Galileo's Defense 303 7. The Extra-Judicial Attempt by the Commissary Maculano 310 8. The Condemnation and Abjuration of Galileo 322 9. Some final Considerations on the Condemnation of Galileo 334
X CONTENTS CHAPTER 7: THE "GALILEO AFFAIR" FROM THE TRIAL'S END UNTIL TODAY 1. Galileo Returns to Florence. The Two New Sciences are Published in Holland 345 2. Galileo's Last Years and his Death. The Plan for a Mausoleum in his Honor is Put Aside 348 3. The Mausoleum is Finally Built. The Holy Office Allows a Conditional Reprinting of the Dialogue 351 4. The Prohibition of Books on Copernicanism is omitted from the New Edition of the Index of Forbidden Books. The Settele Case 355 5. The Galilean Dispute in the XIX Century and the "Opening" of the Vatican Archives to Scholars 359 6. The Galileo of Pio Paschini and Vatican Council II 363 7. John Paul II and the Frank Recognition of the Errors of the Past 366 NOTES 375 BIBLIOGRAPHY 577 INDEX OF NAMES 603