And Protestant people are not a whit behind Catholic in following out these teachings. The people of Elbing made themselves merry over a farce in which Kopernik was the main object of ridicule. The people of Nuremberg, a great Protestant centre, caused a medal to be struck, with inscriptions ridiculing the philosopher and his theory.[1]
Then was tried one piece of strategy very common formerly in battles between theologians themselves. It consists in loud shoutings that the doctrine attacked is old, outworn, and already refuted—that various distinguished gentlemen have proved it false—that it is not a living truth, but a detected lie—that, if the world listens to it, that is simply because the world is ignorant. This strategy was brought to bear on Copernicus. It was shown that his doctrine was simply a revival of the Pythagorean notion, which had been thoroughly exploded. Fromundus, in his title-page and throughout his book, delights in referring to the doctrine of the revolution of the planets around the sun, as "that Pythagorean notion." This mode of warfare was imitated by the lesser opponents, and produced, for some time, considerable effect.[2]
But the new truth could neither be laughed down nor forced down. Many minds had received it; only one tongue dared utter it. This new warrior was that strange mortal, Giordano Bruno. He was hunted from land to land, until, at last, he turns on his pursuers with fearful invectives. For this he is imprisoned six years, then burned alive and his ashes scattered to the winds. Still the new truth lived on; it could not be killed. Within ten years after the martyrdom of Bruno,[3] after a world of troubles and persecutions, the
- ↑ For treatment of Copernican ideas by the people, see Catholic World, as above. Fromundus, cited above, heads his sixth chapter as follows, "Scriptura Sacra Oppugnat Copernicanos," and cites from the Psalms the passage speaking of the sun which "oometh forth as a bridegroom from his chamber;" and also from Ecclesiastes, "Terra in Aeternum Stat." "Anti-Aristarchus," p. 29. Some of his titles also show his style in philosophical argument, e. g., "The wind would constantly blow from the east; we should, with great difficulty, hear sounds against such a wind" (chapter xi.); "Buildings, and the earth itself, would fly off with such a rapid motion" (chapter x.). For another of Fromundus's arguments, showing, both from theology and mathematics (with suitably-mixed theology), that the earth must be in the centre of the universe, see Quetelet, "Histoire des Sciences Mathématiques et Physiques," p. 170, Bruxelles, 1864.
- ↑ See title-page of Fromundus's work cited in note at bottom of p. 392; also, Melanchthon, ubi supra.
- ↑ See Bartholmès, "Vie de Jordano Bruno," Paris, 1846, vol. i., pp. 121 and pp. 212, et seq. Also Berti, "Vita di Giordano Bruno," Firenze, 1868, chapter xvi. Also Whewell, i., 294, 295. That Whewell is somewhat hasty in attributing Bruno's punishment entirely to the "Spaccio della Bestia Trionfante" will be evident, in spite of Monteula, to any one who reads the account of the persecution in Bartholmes or Berti; and, even if
treatise is cited by the Catholic World, September, 1870. The correct title is as given above. It will be found in the "Corpus Reformatorum," ed. Bretschneider: Halle, 1846. (For the above passage sec vol. xiii., pp. 216, 217.) Also, Lange, "Geschichte des Materialismus," vol. i., p. 217. Also, Prowe, "Ueber die Abhängigkeit des Copernicus," Thorn, 1865, p. 4. Also, note, pp. 5 and 6, where text is given in full.
