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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 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