Letters to the father of Virginia Galilei Letters to the father
Virginia Galilei
Readings
Donatella Ricceri
With the participation of the Cappella Musicale di San Giacomo Maggiore
Introductory note: Robert Cascio
Letters to the father, is the title given by Bruno Basile (Salerno Editrice), the collection of the writings that Sister Maria Celeste (nee Virginia Galilei), Poor Clare Monastery of St. Matthew in Arcetri, inviò al padre tra il 10 maggio del 1623 e il 10 dicembre 1633. E’ una lettura affascinante. E’ la storia di una famiglia, o meglio di una parte di essa, lunga quasi 10 anni raccontata da dietro le grate e le porte chiuse di un monastero. Il padre destinatario delle lettere è Galileo: scienziato, matematico, meccanico, filosofo rivoluzionario, inquisito e processato da una Chiesa che non voleva accettare le implicazioni teologiche ed esistenziali che le teorie copernicane annunciavano. Tanto grande e nota è la figura di Galileo che nelle Lettere l’attenzione (a volte, e impropriamente), è più rivolta a cogliere quegli elementi e quelle particolarità that help to better define its character rather than that of the writer: the sweet, gentle and caring daughter Virginia. Little or nothing of scientific thought of Galileo emerges from these papers rather see him engaged in daily chores and convent, quotas need to be resolved and in family matters. We have a Galilean man portrayed as an ordinary, everyday man, so that is not inappropriate to imagine that suddenly, while he is with the eye attached to the telescope or a microscope (ready to read the infinitely great little ol'infinitamente ), or thinks and writes and talks of Simplicio and Sagredo, the jumps mind one thing to do for the mule or wine, or what were the good biricuocoli that Virginia had done or what you should remember to say to Mr. Rondinelli, a Geppo or dear daughter. The reading of these papers puts us behind the scenes of the scene open and visible (because most known) of Galileo's life, show us what goes on behind the stage, as if we were in the middle of the ropes and rods, the curtains, lamps and mechanisms and on the side of people near the stage manager or director and the characters waiting to enter the bar. One page after another, gradually, you begin to immaginare odori, colori e sapori, a vedere scorci di campagna toscana, a sentire quasi l’umidità delle celle e a percepire e intuire una possibile quotidianità seicentesca. La formula della lettera, quindi del parlare diretto concede a chi legge la possibilità di un immediato immedesimarsi nell’azione col risultato che si ha la sensazione più del romanzo che del documento storico. Suor Maria Celeste informa l’amato padre sugli affari di famiglia, sulle cose di casa e del monastero (come il drammatico tentativo di suicidio di una suora o le questioni relative all’affitto di una cella più confortevole -ma sarebbe bastato dire: meno fredda). Si parla di tutto, dalla salute del fratello e della mula, alle medicine e the wine, from the waist pigeon of the seasons and what they bring with them, the flowers, frost, heat, rainy days, the garden and the lush growth at times (but sparing of fruit) plants, and even then what happens to people around you: friends, the helpers, peasants and lords, and then fever and what to do and be like (the humor was already considered a good remedy ) and what medicines and foods to take to combat it (mixtures of dried figs, nuts, wine and honey and maybe a good chicken broth). A guide always passionate, respectful and affectionate, often done at night, Candlelight at the end of working day. We talk about normal things: health, straw for the mule, sharper wine, sweet cedar, bread, toothache or stomachache and cold, Galileino (the little nephew, son Vincent's brother), to the embarrassment felt an awkward misunderstanding of the buffalo eggs, pills and tablets, aloe skullcaps dipped (to soften the bitter taste), and again in the water of roses. Emerge the stories of people like the boy Geppo, the sister or Sister Luisa Mr. Rondinelli. Their appearances will follow with interest growing in letter after letter.'s Surprise Galileo is learned that sometimes exceeded the taste of drinking, he wrote a play (sent to her daughter, often representing the nuns, and wrote plays in the background moral) good and that it was intended to breeding of pigeons; , which produced wine (sold in part to the convent of San Matteo in Arcetri), who suffered for rheumatic fever, arthritis and hernia. All things that the gigantism of his role as scientist and philosopher have placed far away from the common imagination. So as far from the clamor of the historical process of the Roman Inquisition, (but it is more correct to say, aside) is Virginia, always tender concern for the physical and spiritual health of his father, seems not to want to delve into its complex procedural issues, relying on the one hand, in the sense of thoughtful and kind of trial 'inquisition, on the other total belief in his father's inability to perform acts contrary to the will of the Church.
Although in their essence are listed some biographical notes and a glossary, based on the book by Bruno Basile, useful in listening to lectures.
Characters:
-Sister Arcangela Livia Galilei, Vincenzo and sister Virginia. Monaco S. Matteo in Arcetri.
- Sister Clara (cousin of Virginia, the daughter of Benedetto Landucci and Virginia Galilei, Galileo's sister). Monaco S. Matteo in Arcetri.
- Sister Maria Celeste (1600-1634). He received music education (perhaps by his father). He had undergone several dental extractions, the healing time was unaware of any procedure, he suffered from stomach pain and headaches.
Galileo-built telescopes and microscopes, in March 1628 he ill 'seriously; garden e vigna erano le uniche distrazioni (per via dei suoi reumatismi non avrebbe dovuto restare all’ umido e all’ aperto); era meccanico esperto, fu tra i primi a studiare l applicazione del pendolo all’orologio. Dal 23 aprile del 1633 fu costretto a letto dai suoi reumatismi.
-Galileino : nipote di Galileo, figlio di Vincenzo.
-Michelangelo Galilei (morto 3 gennaio 1631) aveva sette figli. Tra queste Anna Maria, che morì a soli 9 anni 1625-1634 e Melchide, la figlia maggiore , morta giovane nel 1634, anno in cui morì anche la moglie, Anna Chiara Bandinelli (ndr.:1634 morte anche diVirginia).
-Ronconi Giovanni : medico della famiglia Galilei. Tentò di sottrarre G. al processo del Sant’Uffizio.
- Rondinelli Francesco : (1589/1634) . Scrisse Relazione del contagio stato in Firenze l’anno 1630 e 1633 . A lui Galileo concesse, durante la propria assenza, l’uso del Gioiello (nome che fu dato al villino, vicino al monastero, che Galileo, per star più vicino alla figlia, prese in affitto).
Giuseppe detto Geppo : garzone di Galileo.
Glossario:
Steel: medicated (through filing of steel left in the infusion).
Acciarpate: cobbled together.
Accieggie: woodcock.
of Canopy Water: at that time famous healing mineral water. Pistoia
water means water considered miraculous fever, spread by Sister Ursula Fontebuoni (1559-1639), abbess of the Monastery of St. Mercurial in Pistoia. It was "well water of the said monastery, having been rumored to have this holy water from San Benedetto"
Agate: A variety of chalcedony valued, hard stone used for beads.
Aloe (Aloe) homonym juice plant (the most valuable came from Arabia, the aloe socotrina), consumed in crystals and purgative properties eupeptic
Ampolla .. scorpions: oil infused with the ashes of scorpions was considered medicinal.
water cinnamon rind Cynnamomum ceylanucum, it was believed, in tea, medicinal products.
Arnione: kidney
hawk, bird of prey Falconiformes, used for hunting as "falcon manor."
berlingozzi: donuts.
Biricuocoli: sweet paste of flour and honey.
soccer: socks.
catarrh in the kidneys: in those days, it was believed that the kidney disease should be down to of phlegm.
Cantucci: biscuit flour, clear of the egg, sugar and almonds, sliced.
Calicioni: pasta with sugar and almonds.
Carboncella: symptom (vesicles) and Case (typhus) of the plague.
Cauterii: burns treatment
Cedrati: cedars.
Strain: piggy
Cerusico: surgeon.
Collars: seventeenth-century fashion. High collars and starched or curled (lettuce).
Coltrone: quilt.
conditioning: packaged.
Quince: jam quince.
Craze: coins of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Ethics: tuberculous
flowers of rosemary: rosemary flowers (which were placed in preserves, Galileo was delicious.) From the 'old custom of making some edible flowers.
Miccini do: to take into account.
Fortress: sour, sour (of wine).
Furore: it was thought that madness was due to an excess of melancholy mood.
breaded: provision of fixtures.
Tainted: ill
walker: pastry.
Girelletto: compressed.
Giulio currency: silver pug.
Gragnola: hail.
Grit: high collar, ruff (the English).
Guastada: jug.
Lattovaro: elettuario a medicated against the plague.
Lucchesino: the rough wool cloth, Fabbica in Lucca.
Lugliola: July.
Mal bad: the plague.
Mangiative: food.
Melangolo: oranges (bitter).
Melarancio oranges.
one half: jug.
morselletti: diced candied fruit.
Mostaccioli: cakes of flour mixed with honey, cooked grape must, raisins, almonds and figs.
Mossimele: a syropus acetosus de Mello, considered diuretic and febrifuge.
Musco: musk (perfume)
Oppilo: intestinal obstruction.
Oriolo: clock (mechanical).
Ortolani of Passeriformes birds: a step summer hunted.
Oxilacchara: confection of sugar and vinegar with herbal extracts against tristiam melancholicam et epilepsiam.
Pavilions: bed canopies to protect from moisture
Pannaiuola: laundress.
Parry and shoot: attach and remove the wallpaper.
Pasta real cake flour, sugar and eggs (similar to a sponge).
Pescetti of marzipan pastries with almonds, white of egg and sugar.
Plate: silver shields (1 plate was equivalent to Tuscan L. 7).
touchstone: the variety of black schistose jasper, used to recognize the purity of gold.
Pills skullcaps: laxative pills.
Pinocchio: a sweet paste made of egg whites assembled, pine nuts and sugar.
Rhubarb: rhizome of the plant's medical use, used for diseases of the stomach and intestine.
Mange: scabies.
sarge; worsted.
Scapone: dall'impuntatura remove the unruly mule.
disconcert: to enter crisis (illness, at times, was considered confusion of moods ).
Serviziale: enema.
wimple: see. Canvas wimple
Still: squeeze.
rose sauce, a fragrant astringent.
wimple Canvas: a canvas for the band that nuns wear under (or around) the throat.
Fowler: hunter of birds.
Eggs buffalo: it is called as a certain quality of dairy product in use even today.
Verdea: type of white wine.
Saffron: at that time was considered medicinal (eupeptic).
Zibaldone: donut with raisins, candied fruit.