The sidereal messenger of Galileo Galilei : $b and a part of the preface to Kepler's Dioptrics containing the original account of Galileo's astronomical discoveriesGalilei, Galileo
History
The sidereal messenger of Galileo Galilei : $b and a part of the preface to Kepler's Dioptrics containing the original account of Galileo's astronomical discoveries
Galilei, Galileo
Astronomy -- Early works to 1800; Jupiter (Planet) -- Satellites
But this invention of human shrewdness, so particularly noble and
admirable, has gone out of date ages ago, inasmuch as primeval heroes
are in possession of those bright abodes, and keep them by a sort of
right; into whose company the affection of Augustus in vain attempted
to introduce Julius Cæsar; for when he wished that the name of the
Julian constellation should be given to a star, which appeared in
his time, one of those which the Greeks and the Latins alike name,
from their hair-like tails, comets, it vanished in a short time and
mocked his too eager hope. But we are able to read the heavens for
your highness, most Serene Prince, far more truly and more happily,
for scarcely have the immortal graces of your mind begun to shine
on earth, when bright stars present themselves in the heavens, like
tongues to tell and celebrate your most surpassing virtues to all
time. Behold therefore, four stars reserved for your famous name, and
those not belonging to the common and less conspicuous multitude of
fixed stars, but in the bright ranks of the planets—four stars which,
moving differently from each other, round the planet Jupiter, the
most glorious of all the planets, as if they were his own children,
accomplish the courses of their orbits with marvellous velocity,
while all the while with one accord they complete all together mighty
revolutions every ten years round the centre of the universe, that is,
round the Sun.
But the Maker of the Stars himself seemed to direct me by clear reasons
to assign these new planets to the famous name of your highness in
preference to all others. For just as these stars, like children worthy
of their sire, never leave the side of Jupiter by any appreciable
distance, so who does not know that clemency, kindness of heart,
gentleness of manners, splendour of royal blood, nobleness in public
functions, wide extent of influence and power over others, all of which
have fixed their common abode and seat in your highness,—who, I say,
does not know that all these qualities, according to the providence of
God, from whom all good things do come, emanate from the benign star
of Jupiter? Jupiter, Jupiter, I maintain, at the instant of the birth
of your highness having at length emerged from the turbid mists of the
horizon, and being in possession of the middle quarter of the heavens,
and illuminating the eastern angle, from his own royal house, from
that exalted throne, looked out upon your most happy birth, and poured
forth into a most pure atmosphere all the brightness of his majesty,
in order that your tender body and your mind—though that was already
adorned by God with still more splendid graces—might imbibe with your
first breath the whole of that influence and power. But why should I
use only plausible arguments when I can almost absolutely demonstrate
my conclusion? It was the will of Almighty God that I should be judged
by your most serene parents not unworthy to be employed in teaching
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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