The Life of Galileo by Brecht in Brief Contents
I
Galileo demonstrates the boy Andrea Sarti, the son of his housekeeper and future student, on simple examples of the Copernican model of the solar system. Galileo says that the time comes for new knowledge, the time for revising all the old truths and the birth of new ones.
The Ptolemaic system regarded the earth as a fixed, reliable support. Now everything is wrong, it turns out that there are no supports – everything is moving.
The boy does not immediately believe in Galileo, as he adheres to the naive picture of the world. Nevertheless, Andrea for the sake of a joke repeats “heresy” in school. This displeased his mother, the housekeeper of Galilee – Mrs. Sarti. She is surprised when she finds out that Galileo really shares these ideas. But she is more interested in the fact that Galileo does not pay the milkman that they have debts.
Galileo argues Andrea that his view is naive. The earth can be mobile, and we can still stay on
Andrea says that the rich young man Ludovico Marsili wants to come to Galilee. Galileo sees that for Ludovic science is only a fashionable hobby. Ludovico says that science offers many curiosities. He saw in Holland some device in which the two lenses: biconcave and biconvex. To Ludovico’s surprise, this device increases the objects. Galileo sends Ludovico, and he thinks about something.
Priuli, curator of the University in Padua, comes. Galileo wants extra charges to pay. But the curator says that the mathematics taught by Galileo is only fun for those who fund it. We must rejoice that which is. Priuli and Galileo argue: the curator says that the Inquisition does not pursue science in Venice, it is possible to freely create, while in Florence and in general throughout Europe they pay
Galileo is working on a telescope. He talks to Andrea. He is already delighted with the discovery of Galileo, but the scientist cautions the boy: this is only a hypothesis, no one can verify yet. Galileo shows the pipe to the boy, and says: “This will bring us five hundred scudies.”
II
Galileo demonstrates to the public his new invention – a telescope. Everyone is delighted. Galileo receives an increase in salary. But he is immersed in his thoughts.
Any scientific discovery has a “double” meaning. For the uninitiated, this is only a telescope, a practical benefit. Ludovic already began to understand that Galileo simply pouted everyone: such pipes are already sold all over Europe. But only Galileo realized that he came up with a completely new application for this pipe. And in his swindle, he just earned money for research. Indeed, practical benefit – but not the one that rejoic the rulers of the city and the military.
III
January 10, 1610 Galileo and his friend Sagrego observe the moon. They see the relief, they see that the moon does not emit light. Galileo says that the Moon for the Earth is the same as the Earth for the Moon. This contradicts the harmonious hierarchical system of the heavenly spheres of Aristotle. “Today mankind records in the annals: the sky is canceled.” Sagredo scared: Giordano Bruno was burned for it.
The curator of Priuli comes, swears that Galileo disgraced him in the history of the trumpet. Galileo says he has won time and money for new research. The end justifies the means – the main motto of Galileo. His discovery of a new celestial mechanics will help to make navigational charts of the starry sky for sailors, and this will greatly help Venice. The curator does not want to listen to anything else.
Galileo and Sagredo are observed by the moons of Jupiter. They are convinced that 4 satellites are moving around Jupiter and conclude that the crystalline sphere to which Jupiter is attached does not exist. All this confirms the hypothesis of Copernicus. Galileo is delighted. He wants to tell people about the new truth. Sagredo warns him: people will not understand. But Galileo believes that the quality of truth is simplicity and understandability.
In the morning comes the daughter of Galileo Virginia. Galileo has already compiled a letter to the Grand Duke of Florence, Cosimo de ‘Medici. He calls the satellites of Jupiter the names of the Medici.
IV
Galileo and Andrea Sarti move to Florence and settle in the Medici Palace. Duke Cosimo is of the same age as Andrea. Andrea shows Cosimo the Copernican model of the solar system, Cosimo prefers the Ptolemaic model. They are fighting, the Ptolemaic model is breaking down. At this moment are Galileo, Mathematician, Philosopher and Formation Cosimo. A mathematician and a philosopher do not want to conduct observations before they discuss whether the phenomena Galileo speaks of are possible in principle. They contradict Aristotle. The mathematician and the philosopher remain at the opinion. Galileo did not reach his goal. His observations are sent for verification to the most important astronomer Vatican – Pater Christopher Clavius.
V
In Florence, the plague, but Galileo continues his studies. Galileo does not want to leave his notes and books, he stays. With him remains and the housekeeper Ms. Sarti.
The quarters are cordoned off. Food and water are served to Galilee on poles. Mrs. Sarti falls ill, she is taken away. Soon she dies. Andrea returns – he jumped off the carriage to stay with Galileo. Galileo sympathizes with the boy, he is even tormented by conscience, because if he had left, then Andrea’s mother would have survived. Galileo continues to work.
VI
1616 year. “Collegium Romanum” – the research institute of the Vatican – confirms the discovery of Galileo.
While waiting for the decision of the Pater Clavius, the monks discuss the terrible consequences, if the Copernican system proves to be proven. One of them says: “And now, in their own way, the Earth is a star, there is nothing but the stars, we will live to see what they say: there is no difference between man and animal, man is also only an animal, except animals! “
Cardinal says that man is the crown of creation, the center of the universe, and therefore the Earth is also the center. Pater Clavius in the meantime confirms Galileo’s correctness. A whisper informs one of the monks.
VII
March 5, 1616 the Inquisition imposes a ban on the teachings of Copernicus.
Cardinals Barberini and Bellarmine try to persuade Galileo to abandon his theory. They hint at the social significance of his discoveries. The Church, the Scriptures all make sense in the lives of people, especially the common people, and Galileo questions the firm picture of the world. The cardinals suggest that Galileo stay within the framework of mathematics and use his observations only for calculations, only as a mathematical hypothesis, a model. Nobody forbids to conduct research, but it is impossible to know until the end. Galileo does not like it.
The Cardinal Inquisitor speaks with Virginia, hinting at her ambiguity about the position of her father.
VIII
The palace of the Florentine ambassador in Rome. Galileo talks with a small monk, thereby, who after a meeting of the Collegium whispered to him the opinion of the papal astronomer.
A small monk speaks of his parents in Campagna. They are working hard, suffering in poverty. And what will happen to such people when it turns out that the meaning they saw in their sufferings is just a game of theologians, and not the truth? A small monk warns Galileo. But Galileo does not want to agree with this. He believes that science will open the eyes of all people. Applied inventions that improve life, simplify work – meaningless, when a simple person is ignorant.
Galileo more and more fills his rhetoric with social meaning: liberation from slavery, oppressors. The little monk clearly sympathizes with Galileo, who leads an almost revolutionary sermon, and eventually gets distracted by his books, asks to clarify something. Galileo ironically exclaims: “An apple from the tree of knowledge!” He already bites into it. ” The monk becomes a disciple.
IX
Galileo for 8 years can not conduct research in the beloved area. He and all his students are engaged in mechanics. But he learns that the learned Cardinal Barberini became Pope Urban VIII. Galileo again returns to astronomy. They write to him from all over Europe, asking about sunspots. He can not deal with them, because this is another “forbidden topic.”
At that moment Ludovico appears. He never married Virginia because of the unreliability of the future father-in-law. He flattered Galileo, said that Galileo had finally returned to the bosom of prudent research. It is he who tells about the new Pope. Just at that moment, Galileo says that she is returning to her studies. And they will lead them in their native language, and not in Latin, so that everyone understands them. Galileo can not understand how science is related to his daughter, but Ludovico is an aristocrat and can not marry the daughter of a heretic. Galileo does not care.
X
During the next decade, the teaching of Galileo is widely spread among the people. Pamphleteers and street singers pick up new ideas. In the carnival night of 1632 in many cities in the design of carnival processions of many guilds used astronomical themes.
People sing chastushki, in which the church is mocked, the old order, including social ones. Galileo is declared the destroyer of Catholicism, a hero. There is growing tension.
XI
1633 year. Galileo and his daughter are waiting for reception from the Grand Duke. Because of the hard work Galileo loses sight. Virginia warns his father of the intrigues of the Inquisition. Vanni comes in – a major businessman. He says that in Europe there have long been other orders, that all the merchants are on the side of Galileo and against the church. He warns Galileo: the duke is not his friend. Vanni suggests that Galilee hide. But Galileo is against: he likes comfort too much.
Cosimo does not really help Galileo. Galileo tells her daughter that she has already prepared the escape. But just at this moment they are invited to the carriage and taken to Rome.
XII
The pope and the cardinal inquisitor discuss the fate of Galileo. The cardinal demands the most stringent measures. He talks about social tension. Papa is absolutely against, he defends Galileo. However, the Pope does not understand how Galileo’s navigation maps can be used if they are compiled on the basis of heresy. But the cardinal reports that more and more sailors require star maps of Galileo. The pope finally agrees with the cardinal, but orders to intimidate Galileo.
XIII
The trial against Galileo is over. He changed almost beyond recognition during the process. Students retreat from it. Galileo is sick, he sees very badly.
June 22, 1633 Galileo Galilei renounces his doctrine of the rotation of the Earth at the request of the Inquisition. Andrea is indignant at the apostasy of her teacher.
Behind the scenes read a fragment from Galileo’s book “Dicorsi”. In allegorical form, it is said that the price for great discoveries is great: “Is it not clear that a horse, having fallen from a height of three or four cubits, can break its legs, whereas for a dog it is completely harmless, and the cat falls without any damage from a height of eight or ten cubits, a dragonfly – from the top of the tower, and an ant could even from the moon. “
XIV
From 1633 to 1642 Galileo Galilei lives in a country house near Florence, until his death remaining a prisoner of the Inquisition.
Virginia, convinced by the cardinals, considers the fate of Galileo to be happy. She looks after her father, who is almost blind. Galileo sorts out some quotes from the Holy Scriptures that are sent to him from the Church. Virginia records, not noticing the irony in his father’s answers. They are under surveillance.
Andrea comes. He is leaving for Holland. He came only because other scientists asked him to find out how the health of Galileo. But Galileo unobtrusively opens Andrea’s eyes. Galileo saved himself for science. All this time at night he wrote his “Discorsi”. Andrea repents of her attitude towards the teacher. Galileo gives him the scrolls and instructs Andrea, and along with it – all science.
Galileo says that he is unhappy with himself. He betrayed science by alienating knowledge from humanity. Science for the sake of science is empty and even dangerous. The goal does not justify the means, as he previously thought. In the first place – a man, and knowledge, civilization, culture – secondary.
“I believe that the only goal of science is to alleviate a difficult human existence, and if scientists are intimidated by self-seeking masters, they will be satisfied with accumulating knowledge for the sake of knowledge, then science can become a cripple and your new machines will bring only new burdens. you will probably be able to discover everything that can be discovered, but your progress in science will be only a distance from humanity, and the gulf between you and humanity can be so huge that one day your triumphant the cry of the new opening will be greeted by universal cry of horror. “
XV
In 1537, Andrea left Italy. On the border, he is inspected, but inattentive: the border guards are too lazy to review all the books. During the inspection, the boys playing nearby are discussing some local witch. They ask Andrea if it’s possible to fly through the air. They see Andrea’s chest, which border guards have not noticed, and inform them. There are still books, but border guards are missing it. Andrea already shouted to the boys from abroad: “You can not fly on the stick by air, for this you need to at least attach a car to it, but there is no such car yet. Maybe it will never be, because a person is too heavy But, of course, this can not be known, and we do not really know much at all.
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