Galileo's Lost Message

by D. Allen Henry

  Next he carefully took in his surroundings in the dim light. As his eyes adjusted, he realized that he was trapped in an old stone cellar of some sort, and he was alone within. It was cluttered incongruously with what appeared to be ancient cannon balls, suggesting that it had at one time been used as an armory. He had no doubt that his captors were nearby, but at least he was alone to ponder his escape.

  “Think, Woodbridge, think!” he pondered to himself. “What would Galileo do?” Precious time slipped by as he contemplated what to do. Noticing several lengthy boards lying on the floor, he suddenly felt the pull of Galileo’s spirit yet again. Disjointed passages danced within his mind, the poem calling to him,

  The tilt shall be found in the way…

  …When naught obstruct right line the stars…

  “Yes, that’s it! It’s the perfect opportunity for the inclined plane experiment!” he thought to himself. He immediately set to work building two long inclined planes, placing a row of cannon balls at the apex of each, each row of balls held in place by an extractable wedge.

  Next, he arranged the two ramps so that they were tilted steeply directly above the entrance to the dungeon. He then painstakingly positioned himself within the rafters above in such a way as to be able to release each wedge at his discretion, thereby hopefully allowing the balls to commence rolling at his command down each inclined plane. He now had at his touch more than twenty projectiles, a sufficient number to do serious damage to any intruder that might enter into the room.

  Now, as he prepared to enact his Galilean scheme, the poem danced within his head

  So pray these lines reveal the way-

  The quill alight with fear and haste.

  Thus reassured, he commenced making sufficient noise to hopefully attract his captors, and, as expected, after several moments, the door opened, an inquisitive head poking itself into the room. The intruder, unable to locate Paul’s immediate whereabouts, entered the room in order to ascertain his captive’s location, at which point Paul released one of the two rows of cannon balls down its respective plane, the balls performing their intended task with such force as to knock the goon from his feet, from whence he struggled hardly a moment, collapsing immediately thereafter into oblivion.

  The resulting commotion, thereby attracting the second goon, allowed Paul to repeat his ploy, with similar success, except that the second goon was not quite defeated, thus requiring Paul to leap from his perch and afford his prey a healthy kick in the head.

  Observing that his quarry was defeated, Paul brushed his hands together in victory, his immediate mission accomplished. He then peered stealthily from the door, and, seeing that there was no one else about, he made his way hastily for the nearest accessible exit. Once out on the street, he realized that he had been transported from Roma to downtown Firenze, where he had been held in the cellar beneath the Brunelleschi Hotel, mere steps from the Brunelleschi Dome.

  That Same Night

  Antonietta spent the entire trip to Zurich forcibly blindfolded, her hands bound by the cuffs about them. For the first few minutes of the lengthy drive she had sobbed intermittently in grief, but eventually she began to recover sufficiently to focus on what she might do to overcome her captors. Of course, there were three of them – far too many for her to actually affect an escape. But she felt compelled to at least try something.

  Asking herself, “What would the professore do?” she set to work searching her mind for possible solutions. As nothing came to mind, eventually she queried, “So what happens after we get to Zurich, Bruno?”

  “Then you will recover the document for us, of course, Contessa.”

  “And then you will release Paulo, right?”

  “Yes. Yes, of course, we will honor our agreement, I promise you.”

  Seeing from the tenor of his response that he was not to be trusted, she therefore spent the entire remainder of the twelve hour drive sleeplessly focused on how she might escape her captors on arrival in Zurich.

  The following morning the BMW pulled up to the bank in Zurich, Bruno instructing her to follow him inside. Once there, they were invited to follow the bank clerk to the vault where the private boxes were held. Arriving in an ante-chamber, Antonietta was instructed to provide her credentials in order to enter the vault. This she did, and she was then informed that she might enter, at which point Bruno attempted to follow her within. A security guard summarily halted him, indicating that only she was allowed to enter the vault. Bruno shrugged his acquiescence, realizing that it made no difference, as there was only one way out.

  Antonietta entered the vault, searching her way down three pristine box-lined aisles for the number of her security box. As she turned the appointed corner within the vault, she was shocked to come face-to-face with Inspector Bustamente, who signaled her silence via a single finger placed to his lips.

  “Are you alright?” he whispered.

  “Yes, I mean, no…Inspector, they have Paulo!” she responded with apparent exhaustion. Then, realizing something wasn’t quite right, she queried thoughtlessly, “Wait, how did you get here? How did you know I’d be here?”

  “Your professore, your friend,” and at this pronouncement he rolled his eyes absurdly, adding, “He escaped his captors, Contessa.” A smile now spreading across his face, he continued, uttering, “Slick fellow, I might add – one worthy of your attentions, Contessa.” Then, realizing he was wasting precious time, he added, “Now, here is what you need to do. Open the box, remove the document, and give it to Count Floridiana’s goons.”

  “What! I can’t do that!” she responded with horror. “Get me out of here!”

  “Listen, the document is a fake. Your professor buddy made a fake.”

  “No, that was the first one! Sandro already has that one, and he figured it out. This one is the real one, Inspector!”

  “Trust me on this, Contessa, I have seen the real one, just a few hours ago. Your professore made two fakes, and the second one is really quite an excellent copy. Of course, he kept the original. He called me last night, told me the situation, and I caught a flight here, just barely in time to beat your buddy Bruno to the bank. So give them the document in the security box, but make sure you do it before you get into the car. We’ll get you out of there, but we’re going to let them get away.”

  “Get away? Why?”

  “Just trust me, Contessa. We’ve been after your former husband for quite some time, and today is the day we just might get him! If this plan works, he will never be a problem for you again.”

  “But he’s not even here with them, Inspector!”

  “Exactly, and that’s why we have to do it this way. Just do as I say, and trust me, it will all turn out just fine. Now get the document, or Bruno is going to get suspicious that you’re taking too long.”

  Still confused, she responded, “Alright…” and as soon as she had the document, she retreated from the vault. As expected, Bruno was awaiting her in the antechamber.

  “Got it?” he asked brusquely.

  “Si,” she replied, at which they headed for the car outside. Once they made it out onto the street, she handed the document to Bruno, exclaiming, “You were lying, weren’t you. You’re going to kill him, right?”

  Bruno turned to face her, responding matter-of-factly, “Of course,” and as he said this, she kicked him as hard as she could in the groin. He doubled over in pain, and she ran back into the bank. From nearby a voice on the street commanded, “Halt! This is the police!”

  At this Bruno lurched into the waiting BMW, and the three goons sped away.

  Three days later - Roma

  Paul and Antonietta arrived at the Lincean Academy at the appointed hour, whereupon they were greeted by a group of perhaps seventy-five men and women. Paul recognized several of those present, surging forward to shake hands with old friends and colleagues. Here and there he stopped to chat for a moment, never forgetting to introduce the Contessa Floridiana to old friends.

  Ev
entually, the introductions completed, the entire group retired to an adjacent room arranged with a table on one side, and chairs placed in rows facing the table. Paul and Antonietta were invited to sit at the head table, along with a woman whom Paul knew slightly. Her name was Gina Pizzato, and, having been a faculty member at Politecnico Milano for her entire career, she was the most famous historical architect in Italia. She was in fact the President of the Lincean Academy.

  Eventually, everyone having found a seat, the crowd grew silent. Professora Pizzato arose ceremoniously and announced, “Linceans, it is a pleasure to introduce the world’s most famous aficionado on our own Galileo Galilei – Professore Paul Woodbridge,” at which the room erupted in applause.

  Professora Pizzato raised her hands and spread them horizontally, pressing downwards several times, signaling the applause to cease, and said, “I was about to say that Professore Woodbridge needs no introduction to this group, but I see that you beat me to it!” At this the room erupted a second time, but this time with simultaneous laughter and applause by the entire group.

  After the crowd grew silent yet again, she continued, “And we are especially honored to have with us tonight the Contessa Antonietta Floridiana da Vinci, the discoverer of the long lost Galileo document!” At this, the room erupted in deafening applause, the members rising to give Antonietta a standing ovation.

  Professora Pizzato now commenced for yet a third time, announcing, “Linceans, I ask you to think back in time, way back in time. Think back to the year 1611, when on an auspicious occasion, a banquet was held in this very room. On that night, indeed the most important night in the history of the Lincean Academy, our most famous member, Galileo Galilei demonstrated his telescope and was inducted into the Academy by Federico Cesi, the second Marquis of Monticelli, and the founding father of the Academy.

  “Ladies, and gentlemen, colleagues, tonight is undoubtedly the second most important night in the history of the Linceans, exceeded only by that night long ago. On this night, I ask you to induct Professore Paul Woodbridge and Contessa Antonietta Floridiana into the Lincean Academy by acclamation!” At this the room immediately erupted into yet a third standing ovation.

  Eventually, the pandemonium dying down once again, all eyes turned on the pair seated quietly at the head table. Paul realized with obvious embarrassment that everyone in the room was staring expectantly at him. He in turn glanced toward Antonietta, who was staring back at him, eyes glistening. She rewarded him with the slightest nod, and, understanding her signal, he arose to speak.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he commenced somewhat haltingly, “I am speechless. I don’t know what to say…” thereby inducing a twitter of laughter from the audience. Continuing, he sought for the right words, “I, well, I…” he said, and then suddenly gathering himself, he glanced towards Antonietta and spoke directly to her, “If you are sure, why then so am I.” As she accorded him just the slightest nod of assent, he turned to face the audience, then continued with, “I accept your generous offer wholeheartedly. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!” He turned back to Antonietta and queried simply, “Contessa?”

  Antonietta summarily pushed her chair back, stood halfway, and abruptly announced, “Anch’io! Mille grazie, anch’io!” At this pronouncement, offered appropriately in their native language, the crowd erupted yet again. Every member was slapping his or her neighbor on the back, the natural contagion of pure exhilaration swelling to proportions such as are seen only rarely in such formal settings.

  Finally, after several minutes of unabated excitement, Professora Pizzato hushed the crowd a final time, saying, “Contessa Floridiana, we entreat you…please…tell us your story!”

  Antonietta blushed with embarrassment, but nonetheless took the podium as requested. She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts, then commenced with, “I’m sorry, I lost my speech on the way,” thus prompting still further laughter. “Let me just say this to all of you. It has been a long road to this point. We still do not have all of the answers, but we do know quite a lot already, thanks to Paulo’s, I mean, Professore Woodbridge’s brilliant efforts. Here is what we know thus far. First, the document is genuine. Second, it contains some amazing discoveries by our most famous Lincean Galileo Galilei. Third, we are very close to solving the riddle completely. Fourth, we will shortly make the document available to everyone, I mean, to all of humankind. And finally, I assure you, we do indeed have the document!” At this the crowd applauded exuberantly.

  Antonietta sat down, and Professora Pizzato motioned to Paul, saying, “Professore Woodbridge, please, a few words from you?”

  At this Paul arose, moved to the podium, and said, “Well, I believe that Contessa Floridiana covered just about everything.” He paused for a moment, struggling to think of what to say, and then he continued, “But let me add just one thing. Galileo was and is Italia’s greatest scientist of all time. This we in this room already know. We here tonight are also aware just how much he suffered. With the disclosure of this new document, I am confident that he will be elevated to his rightful place, not just as Italia’s greatest scientist of all time, but as Italia’s greatest person of all time!” At this, the crowd erupted one last time in applause, but this time it was for a man who had been dead for nearly four centuries.

  The Following Day - Florence

  Paul and Antonietta stopped briefly to watch the procession from their location in front of Galileo's tomb. As is usually the case, there was quite a crowd moving through the Santa Croce. Directly across from them, in front of Michelangelo’s tomb, there was a tour group led by a diminutive elderly Italian gentleman who made his presence known by carrying an umbrella with a small Italian flag attached to it, naturally pointed skyward. Paul could hear him say as he pointed to the tomb in front of him, "Ladies and Gentlemen, before you is the tomb of Italy's greatest man - Michelangelo. And next to it is the tomb of Dante Alighieri, although he is not in it." He paused for effect, and then, almost as an afterthought, he said, "Oh, and in case you are interested, that tomb behind us is the tomb of Galileo." The crowd turned to peer in the direction he pointed, but no one seemed interested, instead turning back in reverence to the tombs before them.

  "It never ceases to amaze me," Paul said, turning to gaze at the tomb of Galileo. There was no one else in front of it but Antonietta and himself.

  Perplexed, she responded, "What never ceases to amaze you, Professore?"

  Paul responded distantly, "I don't know. I can see the reasons for the adoration of Michelangelo. And there is no question that Dante deserves great respect. But how in heaven's name does Galileo get left out of that group? I see it over and over again, and it never ceases to amaze me. Galileo is one of the three or four most important scientists in history! His impact on the modern world is, well, frankly - incalculable."

  "I should think that the reason would be obvious," Antonietta responded laconically.

  "Oh?" he responded with arched brow, "How so, Contessa?"

  "The great majority of people pretend to understand art, but when it comes to science, it is not possible to pretend."

  "I suppose you are right. Our Galileo may never receive his just reward, but in my mind at least, he is up there - way up there."

  "Mine, too, Professore, thanks in no small part to you." She studied the magnificent tomb of Galileo momentarily, and then turned back to Paulo, querying, “Just exactly why did you bring me here today?”

  “I wanted to say goodbye to you here, at the tomb of the man who became my, no our, obsession, the man who changed my life, the man who led me to you, and the man who saved both of our lives.”

  “How so?”

  “I wanted you to know, when I was imprisoned in the dungeon, with little hope remaining, I recalled all of the things that Galileo taught us, and as strange as it may sound, his own words provided the solution to our demise.”

  Changing the subject, she asked, "Do you suppose that we shall ever know?"

&
nbsp; "Know what, Antonietta?"

  "The truth - did Milton pass along Galileo's law to Newton?"

  "I doubt that we will ever be certain of the answer to that, Contessa. I doubt it very much. We appear to have solved the entire puzzle except for the eighth stanza, and that is quite possibly the most important one of all. In reading back over the poem for the thousandth time I discovered a colon that I had been overlooking. The eighth stanza reads as follows:

  Passed by the See not long ago

  Heir poet to Verona bard,

  Doth harbor one within the heart:

  When naught obstruct right line the stars.

  The colon at the end of the third line makes it clear that the message that Galileo gave to Milton was the last line of the stanza: When naught obstruct right line the stars. So that was the message. But we shall never know if Milton passed it on to Newton, or, for that matter, if Milton ever even met Newton. Such are the vagaries of history. As Napoleon once put it, 'History is a set of lies agreed upon'."

  However, I believe that if you pull Newton's Book Principia from the shelf and read the first page of his chapter entitled 'Axioms or Laws of Motion', you will find the following, and he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and read aloud:

  Law I

  Every body continues in its state of rest, or in uniform motion of a right line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed upon it.

  "It has long been known that Galileo stated the selfsame statement for bodies in an earthbound setting, but the notion that it might apply at all points in the universe is attributed to Newton. Now you and I know that Galileo also stated it for the stars, ergo as a universal law, as confirmed by the line