In 1616, Galileo had an interview with Pope Paul V., who received the
great astronomer very graciously, and walked up and down with him in
conversation for three-quarters of an hour. Galileo complained to
his Holiness of the attempts made by his enemies to embarrass him
with the authorities of the Church, but the Pope bade him be
comforted. His Holiness had himself no doubts of Galileo's
orthodoxy, and he assured him that the Congregation of the Index
should give Galileo no further trouble so long as Paul V. was in the
chair of St. Peter.
On the death of Paul V. in 1623, Maffeo Barberini was elected Pope,
as Urban VIII. This new Pope, while a cardinal, had been an intimate
friend of Galileo's, and had indeed written Latin verses in praise of
the great astronomer and his discoveries. It was therefore not
unnatural for Galileo to think that the time had arrived when, with
the use of due circumspection, he might continue his studies and his
writings, without fear of incurring the displeasure of the Church.
Indeed, in 1624, one of Galileo's friends writing from Rome, urges
Galileo to visit the city again, and added that--
"Under the auspices of this most excellent, learned, and benignant
Pontiff, science must flourish.
Pages:
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101