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Synopsis The Life of Galileo 1

Scene 1. Padua, 1609, Galileos study

ANDREA SARTI, the young son of Galileo

Galileis housekeeper, examines a model of

the solar system as it is understood to exist,

with the Earth at its centre. GALILEO is

prepared to challenge that belief: I have

made discoveries we can no longer withhold

from the world. He demonstrates

Copernicus findings that the earth moves

round the sun and Andrea, finally convinced

by the explanation that it is possible for the

earth to rotate without its inhabitants feeling

upside down, relishes the opportunity to

upset his mother with this latest heretical

discovery.

LUDOVICO, a rich young man from Holland,

wants to understand science. Galileo

agrees to teach him since theres money in

the venture. Ludovico talks of a new invention

on the Dutch markets a telescope .

The CHANCELLOR of the University visits.

Galileo borrows one scudi from him andsends Andrea off to buy lenses from the lens

grinder. The Chancellor cannot approve a rise

in Galileos salary since he gives only two

lectures per week and receives the

universitys protection against the Inquisition.

Galileo has freedom to practice science. The

Chancellor suggests that he would make

money from inventing something. Andrea

returns with the lenses and Galileo warns him

not to disclose any details of their recent

conversations to anyone.

Scene 2. Venice 1609

Galileo presents his new invention, the

telescope, to a crowd of dignitaries, claiming

it is the result of 17 years research. Galileos

daughter, VIRGINIA, brings Ludovico to pay

his compliments to her father: You have

made the cover red. In Holland it was green.

Scene 3. Padua 1610. Galileos study

SAGREDO examines the moon through the

telescope. Galileo explains that the light he

can see is not the moons own, but reflected

from the earth. Sagredo fears his friend will go

the way of Giordano Bruno, the man burned

at the stake for claiming that the moon andthe earth are the same. The Chancellor arrives

having learned that a cargo of telescopes

from Holland has arrived in Venice. The

instrument is worthless and he is offended by

Galileos fraud: I showed you nothing but

kindness and you have made me a laughing-

stock in the city of my birth.

Galileo confides to Sagredo that Jupiters four

satellites move, making it another sun, just as

the Copernicans had claimed. When Sagredo

asks where God fits into this scheme, he is

alarmed to hear Galileo repeat Brunos

sentiment: In us or nowhere.

Galileo plans to move to Florence and be

accepted at Court, to infiltrate and begin to

prove his discoveries. He resolves to give the

Pope and his monks all the evidence they

need to believe him, more evidence than

Synopsis

The Life of Galileoby Bertolt Brecht

in a version by David Hare

Simon Russell Beale (Galileo)

photo by Catherine Ashmore

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Copernicus scribblings. Sagredo warns him

not to provoke the Pope: already his monks

and princes are laying traps. Galileo, I saw

you on your own pyre. I beg you, do not go.

Scene 4. Florence. 1610. Galileos study

The nine-year-old Grand Duke of Florence,

COSIMO DE MEDICI, visits to see Galileos

telescope, which the Court astronomers have

dismissed as rubbish. Andrea forgets his

order to remain silent, and pushes the Duke

to believe that the earth goes around the sun.

Galileo discreetly conceals the Copernican

model and then invites the Duke, a

MATHEMATICIAN and a PHILOSOPHER to

look at the new Medicean stars, thesatellites around Jupiter. They refuse, thinking

it unnecessary to have new planets, and

questioning whether this telescope will even

show them the truth of the heavens. When

the men protest that Galileos argument

conflicts with divine Aristotle, he reminds

them that Aristotle did not have a telescope.

He impresses on them that many citizens, by

virtue of owning a telescope, will be able to

see stars they did not know to exist, leading

them to question the dogma they have been

taught. The philosophers escort the Dukeaway, telling Galileo that his ideas will be

considered by Clavius, the papal astronomer.

Scene 5. Rome, 1616

Galileo sits in a corridor. Two monks openly

mock his ideas but do not address him. An

old CARDINAL passes, branding Galileo an

enemy of humanity and elucidating the fear

of the Church: why would God send his Son

to live on a minor, transient star? But when

CLAVIUS passes, he utters he is right.

Galileos victory is bittersweet: as he departs,

he encounters the CARDINAL INQUISITOR.

Scene 6. Rome, 1616, a ball at Cardinal

Bellarmines

Galileo sends his daughter to dance with

Ludovico as he waits for the cardinals

BELLARMINE and BARBERINI. When theyappear, the former instructs the latter to

humour Galileos ideas, unless they contradict

the Bible. The clerks are permitted to minute

some of the conversation. Refusing to hear

that God may not have imposed the structure

they believe on the universe, the cardinals tell

Galileo that only hours before, the Holy Office

rejected Copernicus teachings. The

questions around Jupiter were not even

considered. Galileo must now abandon his

belief and may only research under the terms

of mathematical hypothesis. After they depart,the Cardinal Inquisitor collects the transcripts

from the clerks and meets Virginia, to whom

he insinuates the importance of supporting

her father: I must tell you, the time will come.

He will need you.

Scene 7. Rome, 1616, The home of the

Florentine Ambassador

The LITTLE MONK, a physicist, has decided

to give up astronomy, prompted by his deep

unease at Galileos findings about Jupiter:

unrestricted research is a danger to

humanity and by his fear that humankind

would feel lost to learn that everything they

have hitherto believed about the universe is

actually an error, effectively removing their

comforts of faith. But Galileo disputes that

the Church is not justified in lying to the

people, making them suffer under order,

servitude and poverty and treating them as

Members of the company

photo by Catherine Ashmore

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mindless. He cannot deny the truth. He

throws a pile of manuscripts before the Little

Monk who gathers them up and immediately

begins to read.

Scene 8. Florence, 1624. Galileos house

Virginia prepares for her wedding. Andrea, the

Little Monk and FEDERZONI prepare to

experiment. Galileo, now losing his sight, sits

apart, immersed in a book. He has earned a

great reputation across Europe, he assumes

by virtue of remaining silent. The scientists

begin to investigate floating bodies.

Ludovico appears unexpectedly. While his

fiance fetches her wedding dress, he

announces that the Pope is dying andBarberini is expected to succeed: a scientist

on the Papal throne! This lifts Galileos spirits

enough to decide to return at once despite

the dangers to his studies of the earth-

round-the-sun. He realises that Ludovico will

be concerned by this because his future wife

may not be accepted as godly on account

of her fathers disobedience. SIGNORA SARTI

reminds Galileo that he has no right to

jeopardise his daughters happiness, but he

does not listen. Ludovico fears his reputation

too much, and leaves without saying goodbyeto Virginia. As the men set back to work,

Virginia returns, realises what her father has

done, and collapses to the ground.

Scene 9. An Italian city, 1632. A carnival

Carnival-goers celebrate Galileos fame.

Scene 10. Florence, 1633. The Palace

Galileo waits to present his latest book to the

Grand Duke. Virginia suspects they are being

watched by a gentleman who sits quietly

nearby. VANNI, an industrialist, approaches to

lend his support and that of the world of

commerce to Galileos efforts: they want to

see Italy move forward. But his suggestion

that Galileo would do better to work from

Venice is met with scorn. The Cardinal

Inquisitor passes silently, bowing to Galileo as

he goes. Cosimo de Medici also greets

Galileo but leaves almost immediately without

the book, which arouses Virginias suspicions

further. Her father hurries them out, having

already made arrangements for a coach to

take them away in case of need, but they are

stopped by the Official, who tells Galileo he is

to be sent to the Holy Inquisition.

Scene 11. Rome, 1633, the Vatican

As Barberini, now POPE URBAN VIII, is being

robed, the Inquisitor insists that Galileos

mathematical charts should be destroyed,

warning that if the people start to doubt the

Vatican as they are it wont be long before

they doubt the Gospel. The Pope is sure of

Galileos genius, and asks that they leave the

man alone. But, irritated by the Inquisitorspersistence and by the interminable noise of

shuffling in the corridors, he relents, allowing

the Inquisitor to threaten Galileo by showing

him at the very most the instruments.

Scene 12. Rome, 1633

Galileos pupils and his daughter wait

anxiously for news: they are sure that Galileo

will not recant under pressure, which may

result in his execution. AN OFFICIAL

announces that Galileo is due to recant at

5pm and to signal the moment, bells will berung. Virginia kneels, praying loudly. At three

minutes past five, with no signal sounding,

the pupils rejoice that Galileo has not

recanted. Soon their celebrations are broken

by the bells ringing, and Galileo appears, tired

and frail, to be derided by his friends.

Scene 13. Countryside near Florence, 1637

A surprise gift of two plucked geese is

delivered for Virginia and Galileo, and she

sends them off with their GUARD-MONK to

be roasted. Andrea visits unexpectedly to

take news of Galileos health on his travels to

Amsterdam; Virginia insists on listening to

their conversation. Andrea explains the effect

of Galileos recantation as having stifled the

work of other scientists. Virginia is sent away

and, promising that Andrea is harmless,

persuades the monk to leave them alone as

well. Galileo confides to his old friend that he

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has started writing again and has finished his

Discorsi. Although his writings are usually

locked away each night, he has managed to

secretly make a copy, which he suggests

could be smuggled to Amsterdam if Andrea

wanted. Suddenly excited by this prospect,

Andrea admits his feelings towards Galileo

have now altered: When you recanted, I

should have realised, you had a reason. But

Galileo claims he had no strategy and berates

himself for betraying his profession. Virginia

appears and corrects him: you have been

received into the ranks of the faithful.

Scene 14. The Italian Frontier, 1637.

Andrea appears at the frontier, concealing theDiscorsiunder his coat. The guard searches

him and finds the book, but when told it is in

Latin, shows no interest and sends Andrea on

his way, through the frontier.

synopsis 10076

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