Ardsgaine
New Member
I finally finished Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel. My interest in it waned somewhat once I got past the trial, and with all the holiday stuff going on it was easy to get distracted from it. I picked it up tonight, though, and waded through the final chapters.
I have to say, I was a little disappointed with the way it ended;
. Haha! No, actually, I knew that.
What I didn't know and didn't expect was that his daughter died before he did, shortly after he was allowed to return to his home in Arcetri. That was pretty sad, because she had been such a comfort to him during his trial and subsequent confinement in Siena. She was so worried about him, I think she worked herself too hard in order to take her mind off of his troubles. She tended to the other women of the convent, but neglected her own health. All that and the conditions of the convent where she lived were so abominable, it just finally caught up with her. Her passing so grieved him that he fell ill for four months afterwards.
He lived for another eight years after her death. When he died, Pope Urban VIII would not allow him to be buried in the main basillica of the Franciscan church of Santa Croce as Galileo had wished, nor would he allow any sort of public funeral in his honor. He was buried in a small room off the chapel.
Finally, in 1737, an ornate mausoleum was erected near the entrance to the church across from the mausoleum of Michelangelo. When Galileo's remains were disinterred to be moved to the new location, they found two coffins. One held the remains of an old man, the other held those of a much younger woman: his daughter, Suor Maria Celeste. She had been placed beside him by his disciple and intellectual heir, Vincenzio Viviani, who knew how close the two had been in life. She was moved with Galileo to the mausoleum built in his honor, and still lies there with him.
All in all, a good read. It's interesting from a number of perspectives: as an important piece of the history of science, as a picture of life in 17th Century Italy, and for its insight into the loving relationship that existed between Galileo and his daughter.
I have to say, I was a little disappointed with the way it ended;
he dies
What I didn't know and didn't expect was that his daughter died before he did, shortly after he was allowed to return to his home in Arcetri. That was pretty sad, because she had been such a comfort to him during his trial and subsequent confinement in Siena. She was so worried about him, I think she worked herself too hard in order to take her mind off of his troubles. She tended to the other women of the convent, but neglected her own health. All that and the conditions of the convent where she lived were so abominable, it just finally caught up with her. Her passing so grieved him that he fell ill for four months afterwards.
He lived for another eight years after her death. When he died, Pope Urban VIII would not allow him to be buried in the main basillica of the Franciscan church of Santa Croce as Galileo had wished, nor would he allow any sort of public funeral in his honor. He was buried in a small room off the chapel.
Finally, in 1737, an ornate mausoleum was erected near the entrance to the church across from the mausoleum of Michelangelo. When Galileo's remains were disinterred to be moved to the new location, they found two coffins. One held the remains of an old man, the other held those of a much younger woman: his daughter, Suor Maria Celeste. She had been placed beside him by his disciple and intellectual heir, Vincenzio Viviani, who knew how close the two had been in life. She was moved with Galileo to the mausoleum built in his honor, and still lies there with him.
All in all, a good read. It's interesting from a number of perspectives: as an important piece of the history of science, as a picture of life in 17th Century Italy, and for its insight into the loving relationship that existed between Galileo and his daughter.