Part 1: Galileo's Crime - Student Version

Cast (in order of appearance)

Angelo Saamanca as Galileo Galilei
Goff Ripoli as Giovanni Ciampoli

The action takes place in the office of the Papal Secretary, Giovanni Ciampoli on 23 June, the day after the trial of Galileo in 1632.

[Music underscores the scene following the emotions of the action.]

Galileo

Well, what shall we make of this? Shall we laugh or shall we cry?

Ciampoli

Dannazione! You were told. [He walks away from Galileo.] Seventeen years ago you were forbidden to publish anything that contradicts Church doctrine. 

Galileo

My book is a harmless dialogue, a simple conversation of ideas about the nature of the universe.

Ciampoli

Ah, but your character, the one who speaks the view of the Church, is named Simplicio. You ridicule the Pope. What did you expect?

Galileo

I expected them to be reasonable men.

Ciampoli

[He walks back to Galileo.] They are men of the Church and men of great power, not men of reason.

Galileo

This Holy Inquisition is a farce. It is not about reason or faith, nor the mechanics of the universe.  It is about fear. é la brutta figura! eh? Any true Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems will not be tolerated by the Church.

Ciampoli

The Holy Inquisition has prohibited your book and very nearly sentenced you a heretic. I risk a great deal even receiving you in my office.

Galileo

Indeed. Giovanni, you have been a good friend to me and I have a great favour to ask.

Ciampoli

I warned you that publishing was risky. I did all that I could to protect you. You have barely escaped with your life. What is it you ask of me?

Galileo

I make a plea. Not to my friend Giovanni Ciampoli but to the Papal Secretary, please, not for me, not for god, not for philosophy, but for the people. God alone knows what will become of the copies of Dialogue in print. I assume the Church will find them and burn them. Take this copy and bury it deep in the library. Hide it there that it may be found years hence... that this copy at least remains. A printed record of how a man of science saw things in the year of our lord 1632.  Humanity should remember this about itself.

Ciampoli

There are many books in His Holiness’s collection. You would be surprised to see some of them I think. I can promise nothing. I helped you to get this printed remember. I am certain they will come for me next. I doubt I have many days left in this office. You must go. I believe you are to be placed in the custody of the Florentine Ambassador, Niccolini.

[The signature theme music is played to end the scene.]

Credits

Conceived and Directed by John Paul Fischbach
Script by Robert Reid
Engineered and mixed by Carl Priestly at Itchyacoustic Design
Orchestrations by David James Nielsen

Recorded December 2007