Galileo's condemnation: The real and complex story

Georgia Journal of Science, 2003 by McMullen, Emerson Thomas

A Betrayed Pope

When Urban became Pope, Prince Cesi came to congratulate him. Urban interrupted him, eagerly asking "Is Galileo coming? When is he coming (40)?" When Galileo did come, Ruban showered him with gifts, including pensions for him and his son, Vincenzio. But now, with Simplicio mouthing the pope's reasoning about God and the universe in the Dialogue, it looked as if Galileo had bitten the hand that fed him. This was not the expected attack from a known enemy; it was a stab in the back from a friend to whom he had shown favor and admiration.

Coming in the middle of the Thirty Years' War and along with many other political difficulties, the timing of The Dialogue was terrible for Urban. He needed his friends to rally around him, but instead he was forced to defend Galileo. So, rather than using the normal bureaucratic machinery of the Inquisition, Urban took the unusual step of convening a special commission to investigate the matter. This was in the summer of 1632. At this same time, the Jesuits issued an official condemnation of atomism within their order (41).

Melchior Inchofer, one of the members of the pope's commission, recommended that the charge of atomism be added to the others. He wrote concerning The Dialogue that "If the author [Galileo] understands the smallest particles as sensible species, he will find some supporters in ancient philosophy, but he will have to affirm many things that are absurd..." and that "Such an opinion is absolutely contrary to faith, for instance in the case of the Eucharist (42)." In the end, the pope headed off the atomism charge and kept this explosive situation contained.

In the middle of all this, the Grand Duke of Tuscany attempted, via his ambassador, to apply political pressure on behalf of Galileo. At a 4 September 1632 meeting, Urban spelled out his views to the Tuscan Ambassador (who was also a friend of Galileo). The ambassador reported that what transpired was "in a very emotional atmosphere." The pope said that he had "used every civility with Mr. Galilei, ... [and] used better manners with Galileo than the latter" had used with him. This remark may refer to Galileo putting his argument about the universe in the mouth of Simplicio.

When the ambassador's interview touched the delicate subject of the Holy Office, he said the pope "exploded into great anger and suddenly he told me that even our Galilei had dared entering where he should not have, into the most serious and dangerous subjects which could not be stirred up at this time." Here the pope must have been referring to the charge that Galileo's atomism undercut the Church's teaching on the Eucharist, since he was not concerned about Copernicanism. Galileo's popularity would insure that researchers would seriously investigate atomism. With his troubles within and without the Church, a threat to the Eucharist was the last thing Urban needed at that time. Finally, several times the pope told the Tuscan Ambassador he had been deceived by Galileo as well as those who had approved the Dialogue (43). This may be Urban's main heartache: Galileo, his friend, had deceived him.