Galileo's Lost Message Read online

  Galileo’s Lost Message

  by

  D. Allen Henry

  © D. Allen Henry 2016

  Smashwords Edition

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. This includes free copies, as the author keeps track of readership through the website. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Dedication

  To Claudia, who tolerates my eccentricities, supports my obsession, and apparently even loves something about me...

  To my daughters Laura and Lisa, who joined me on my endless quests to find myself in all of those places throughout the world, searching for mysteries without any clues…

  And finally, to my students, the more than one thousand of you who travelled with me to the far corners of the earth…

  Thank you all for being a part of my journey, and for teaching me the meaning of life.

  Preface

  I first published this novel under the title The Starry Message in 2012, and although I believe the seeds were there for a good read, it being my first attempt at literary writing, I believe I fell somewhat short. Readers complained about my style of writing, which was at the least hackneyed, and at the most simply dreadful. Still worse, the character development was shortsighted, and worst of all, the plotline was muddled.

  Having in the interim completed six additional novels, each one leading me inexorably along the road to improvement, I eventually came full circle back to The Starry Message. I wondered for the longest time whether this, my first romantic involvement with literature, could be resurrected. One never forgets one’s first love, I suppose, but one can only face down that question by means of revisiting it. And so it is that I have taken up my pen once again, in the perhaps forlorn hope of resurrecting this, my first literary love.

  Galileo is arguably one of the most famous and important scientists in history. This is certainly due in part to his scientific accomplishments, but it is also most assuredly related to his struggles with the Roman Catholic Church during the latter part of his life. His conviction by the Inquisition in 1633 resulted in his detention, most of which he endured at his home in Arcetri, for the remainder of his life. During that span of time his health deteriorated, several members of his family died, and he went blind in late 1637. Despite these hardships he managed to produce perhaps his greatest scientific work, Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences, which was published in 1638. Over the remaining four years of his life he is known to have continued corresponding with friends and colleagues, and on occasion, welcoming them to his villa Il Gioiello. However, he is not known to have published much of scientific significance during his declining years. This book provides one possible answer to the following question; What would a man of towering intellect and an insatiable passion for the pursuit of knowledge such as he possessed, blind and legally forbidden to publish his findings, do to pass the time?

  Though it should go without saying, I am not the first to put pen to paper in an effort to elucidate the life of Galileo. Count me among the myriads nonetheless. Why, you ask, am I engrossed in this endeavor, given the enormous extent of literature on Signore Galilei? I will defend myself by asserting the following thesis: despite the enormous impact of Galileo, far too many people today are not aware of the significance of Galileo to humankind. I have taught thousands of students in universities during my long career in higher education, and believe me when I say, "I know from experience." To those purists who will be offended by my treatment of Galileo in novel form, I can only apologize with the caveat that I hope that this idiosyncratic approach to the subject provides a more facile means of introduction to Galileo than would another in the list of (many - perhaps too many!) dry biographies that fail to maintain the attention of virtually all but those who are already professed Galileo devotees. In truth, I find a great paucity of literature on the personal life of Galileo. In bringing this text to the reader, I hope to provide something of an idea of what everyday life might have been like for inhabitants of Italy in the early seventeenth century. If I accomplish this, then I shall consider it "frosting on the cake". And if, even more unlikely, this tale spurs readers to pursue their own pilgrimages in the footsteps of Galileo, I can only say, “Va bene!”

  Let me now voice my disclaimer in plain English – this book is a work of fiction! Nevertheless, I have endeavored to conform to the historical record in so far as I am able. For those who find fault with my perception of the events described herein, please remember the goals that I have elucidated above, and know that while I am indeed a Galileo devotee, I am in no way a historian.

  Accordingly, the careful scholar will find here and there that I have taken license with respect to the exact details of history and science in order to maintain the reader’s attention without detracting from the storyline. For example, the statue of Leonardo of Pisa in the Camposanto of Pisa did not exist in Galileo’s time, having been sculpted in the nineteenth century. Similarly, it has never been proven that John Milton actually met Isaac Newton. Nonetheless, such a meeting seems to be not only plausible but also desirable as regards the narrative. Historical departures such as these notwithstanding, it is my hope that this novel will produce an enjoyable and informative experience for the reader, and perhaps even an amplified appreciation of Galileo Galilei.

  The interested reader will find further information and photos related to the events chronicled in this book at the author's website: http://dayhahaha.wix.com/dallenhenry.

  D.A.H.

  2016

  Author’s Note Regarding Sectional Perspectives

  The reader will notice that throughout the text I have delineated sections by the use of boldface titles. Each title normally describes the setting location and date for the section that immediately follows. However, when only a date is included, it is implied that the location for that section is identical to that of the previous section. Furthermore, each section begins with a few boldface words immediately after the section setting. The name of the first person included in boldface within the section is intended to be the person whose perspective is taken within that section of the text.

  Figure Credits

  On the cover: Hypothetical photo of Galileo’s desk taken by the author {{PD-DAllenHenry}}

  Photo modified by the author

  On the Title page: Portrait of Galileo Galilei by Justus Sustermans painted in 1636. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London {{PD-Art}}.

  From Chapter 3: Sketch of a cantilever beam from Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences by Galileo Galilei (1638) {{PD-Art}}.

  Timeline

  1543-De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium is published by Nicolaus Copernicus, a graduate of The University of Padova, shortly before his death.

  1545-The Council of Trent is convened to deal with the Protestant Reformation.

  February 15, 1564-Galileo Galilei is born in Pisa, son of Vincenzo and Giulia Galilei.

  1575-Galileo's family moves to Firenze.

  1576-79-Galileo Galilei spends three years within the Abbey of Vallombrosa

  1581-Galileo enrolls at The University of Pisa.

  1585-Galileo leaves The University of Pisa without a diploma.

  1587-While tutoring mathematics in Siena, Galileo enters and wins a competition to calculate the volume of Hell

  1589-Galileo is appointed the professor of mathematics at The University of
Pisa.

  1592-Galileo is appointed the professor of mathematics at The University of Padova.

  1593-Galileo and two friends visit a cave near Verona, wherein they fall asleep. On awakening Galileo is stricken by illness, a malady that will haunt him intermittently for the remainder of his life.

  1600-Giordano Bruno is convicted of heresy by the Inquisition (council headed by Cardinal Roberto Bellarmino) and burned at the stake in the Campo dei Fiori in Roma.

  1604-Galileo discovers the law of falling bodies.

  1605-Galileo tutors Cosimo II.

  1608-The telescope is invented in the Netherlands by Hans Lippershey.

  1609-

  Summer-Johannes Kepler publishes New Astronomy.

  August-Galileo hears of the invention of the telescope and sets to work building his own. He subsequently demonstrates it to the doge.

  Fall-Galileo points his telescope skyward at night, especially at the Moon.

  1610-

  January-Galileo discovers the moons of Jupiter.

  March-Galileo publishes The Starry Messenger.

  September-Galileo moves to Firenze to become Philosopher and Chief Mathematician to Cosimo II, now the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

  December–Galileo discovers the phases of Venus.

  1611–Galileo studies sunspots. He visits Roma and is inducted into the Lincean Academy.

  1613-

  March-Galileo's History and Demonstrations Concerning Sunspots is published.

  December-Galileo writes a private letter to his former student Benedetto Castelli arguing in favor of Copernicus' theory of the solar system.

  1614-Friar Tommaso Caccini charges Galileo with heresy in a sermon at the Church of Santa Maria Novella in Firenze.

  1615-

  February-Friar Niccolò Lorini lodges a formal complaint against Galileo to the Catholic Church, enclosing a copy of Galileo's letter to Castelli.

  March-Friar Caccini gives a deposition to the Inquisition in Roma charging Galileo with heresy.

  December-Galileo travels to Roma to defend himself against the charge of heresy.

  1616-

  February-A committee convened by the Inquisition reports that Copernicus' theory is philosophically absurd and heretical.

  February-Under orders from Pope Paul V Cardinal Roberto Bellarmino formally warns Galileo to acquiesce to the position of the Catholic Church, which he agrees to do.

  March 5-The Congregation of the Index publishes a decree formally condemning all theories that claim that the earth moves.

  June-Galileo returns to Firenze.

  1620-The Congregation of the Index publishes the "corrections" to Copernicus' book.

  1621-

  February-Grand Duke Cosimo II dies prematurely; he is replaced by his ten year old son Ferdinando II.

  September-Cardinal Bellarmino dies.

  1623-

  July-Pope Gregory XV dies.

  August-Cardinal Maffeo Barberini is elected Pope Urban VIII.

  October-Galileo's The Assayer is published.

  1624-Galileo visits his old patron Maffeo Barberini, now installed as Pope in Roma, where he receives a warm and extended welcome.

  1625-An anonymous complaint is filed with the Inquisition that Galileo's views in The Assayer are heretical. After an extended review, Galileo is exonerated.

  1632-

  February-After eight years, Galileo's book Dialogues on the Two Chief World Systems, Ptolemaic and Copernican is published in Firenze.

  September-Pope Urban VII summons Galileo to Roma to stand trial before the Inquisition.

  1633-

  February-Galileo arrives in Roma.

  Spring-The trial drags on for several weeks, finally concluding.

  June 22-Galileo is convicted of "vehement suspicion of heresy". He is forced to recite formal abjuration and penances at the convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. His book Dialogues is prohibited from distribution, and he is imprisoned.

  June 23-Galileo's sentence is commuted to house arrest at the Villa Medici.

  June 30-Galileo is allowed to move to house arrest in Siena. Galileo begins working on a book on mechanics.

  December 1-Galileo's sentence is commuted to house arrest at his villa in Arcetri.

  1635-Galileo's prohibited book Dialogues on the Two Chief World Systems is published in Strasbourg.

  1636-Galileo's Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina is published in Strasbourg.

  December 1637-Galileo permanently loses his sight.

  1638-Galileo's revolutionary book on mechanics entitled Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences is published in Leiden.

  1642-

  January 8-Galileo dies at Arcetri.

  January 9-Galileo is buried in an unmarked grave under the Bell Tower in the Santa Croce Basilica in Firenze.

  1687-Isaac Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (Principia) is published.

  1729-James Bradley proves that the earth moves using aberration of starlight.

  1737-Galileo's body is exhumed and moved to the left front of the Santa Croce, opposite the tomb of Michelangelo. During the move someone removes three fingers from Galileo's right hand.

  1835-The Catholic Church discontinues prohibition of Copernicus' De Revolutionobus and Galileo's Dialogue.

  1942-The Catholic Church commences the formal process of rehabilitating Galileo.

  January 7, 1990-The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public after the collapse of the Civic Tower of Pavia

  1979-92-Pope John Paul II commences a second rehabilitation process, finally formally admitting that "The Roman Catholic Church acknowledges that errors were made in the trial of Galileo..."

  1998-Archimedes’ Palimpsest is sold at auction by Christie’s

  December 15, 2001-After constructive stabilization of the Leaning Tower, it is reopened to the public

  Main Characters

  Historical Characters

  Cesar Cremonini was the most highly acclaimed philosopher of his time. He was born in Cento, and began his career at The University of Ferrara. In 1591 he became the chair of natural philosophy at The University of Padova, where he spent the remainder of his life.

  Federico Cesi was a scientist and founder of the Lincean Academy. He was born in Roma in 1585.

  Galileo di Vincenzo Buonaiuti de Galilei was the foremost Renaissance scientist in the world. He was born in Pisa in 1564.

  Giordano Bruno was born in Nola in 1548. He was a Dominican friar who espoused heretical views regarding the nature of the universe that eventually led to his incarceration by the Holy See in 1592.

  Maffeo Barberini was a Catholic cleric who was for many years Galileo's patron. In 1623 he was elected Pope Urban VIII. He was born in 1568 in Firenze.

  Michelangelo Galilei was the younger brother of Galileo. He was born in 1575. He followed in the footsteps of his father Vincenzo, becoming a professional musician.

  Roberto Francesco Romolo Bellarmino was a cardinal in the Catholic Church during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century. He was born in Montepulciano in 1542.

  Vincenzo Galilei was the father of Galileo Galilei. He was one of the foremost musicians of his time. He was born in Santa Maria a Monte in 1520.