The Life of Galileo

by

Bertolt Brecht

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Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) Character Analysis

Cardinal Barberini, who later became Pope Urban VIII, has few speaking lines in Life of Galileo, but he nevertheless has a huge impact on the life of Galileo Galilei and his followers. A mathematician as well as a priest, Barberini first meets Galileo when the Church has decided that Galileo’s research may continue but not his publishing. During that encounter, Barberini shows himself to be a remarkably intelligent man with a subtle understanding of the Church’s responsibilities. He is a shrewd calculator of what must be done for the Church, but he is also a human being and lover of science. When, as Pope, Barberini is pressed by the Inquisition to allow the torture of Galileo, he demurs and likely saves Galileo’s life.

Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) Quotes in The Life of Galileo

The The Life of Galileo quotes below are all either spoken by Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) or refer to Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Progress vs. Tradition Theme Icon
).
Scene 7 Quotes

Welcome to Rome, Galileo my friend. You know its origins? Two little boys, so runs the legend, were given milk and shelter by a she-wolf. Since that time all her children have had to pay for their milk.

Related Characters: Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) (speaker), Galileo Galilei
Page Number: 55
Explanation and Analysis:

He's a terrible man. He cheerfully sets out to convict God of the most elementary errors in astronomy. I suppose God hadn't got far enough in his studies before he wrote the bible; is that it?

Related Characters: Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) (speaker), Galileo Galilei
Page Number: 56
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 12 Quotes

No! No! No! I am not going to have the multiplication table broken. No!

Related Characters: Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) (speaker)
Page Number: 87
Explanation and Analysis:
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Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) Quotes in The Life of Galileo

The The Life of Galileo quotes below are all either spoken by Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) or refer to Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Progress vs. Tradition Theme Icon
).
Scene 7 Quotes

Welcome to Rome, Galileo my friend. You know its origins? Two little boys, so runs the legend, were given milk and shelter by a she-wolf. Since that time all her children have had to pay for their milk.

Related Characters: Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) (speaker), Galileo Galilei
Page Number: 55
Explanation and Analysis:

He's a terrible man. He cheerfully sets out to convict God of the most elementary errors in astronomy. I suppose God hadn't got far enough in his studies before he wrote the bible; is that it?

Related Characters: Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) (speaker), Galileo Galilei
Page Number: 56
Explanation and Analysis:
Scene 12 Quotes

No! No! No! I am not going to have the multiplication table broken. No!

Related Characters: Cardinal Barberini (later Pope Urban VIII) (speaker)
Page Number: 87
Explanation and Analysis: