The Heroic Enthusiasts | Page 9

the Pope; but Bruno
declined these overtures, and soon after left Paris for Germany, where
he arrived on foot, his only burden being a few books.
He visited Marburg and Wurtemburg, remaining in the latter place two
years, earning his bread by teaching.
Prague and Frankfort were next visited; ever the same courage and
boldness characterised his teaching, and ever the same scanty welcome
was accorded to it, although in every city and university crowds of the
intelligent listened to his lectures; but the Church never lost sight of
Bruno, he was always under surveillance, and few dared to show
themselves openly his friends. Absorbed in his studies and intent upon
his work, writing with feverish haste, he observed nothing of the
invisible net which his enemies kept spread about him, and while his
slanderers were busy in doing him injury he was occupied in teaching
the mnemonic art, and explaining his system of philosophy to the
young Lutherans who attended his lectures; in settling the basis of a
new and rational religion, and in writing Latin verses; using ever
greater diligence with his work, almost as if he felt that the time was
drawing near in which he would be no longer at liberty to work and
teach.
It was during the early part of the pontificate of Gregory XIV. that
Bruno received letters from Mocenigo in Venice, urging him to return
to Italy, and to go and stay with him in Venice, and instruct him in the
secrets of science. Bruno was beginning to tire of this perpetually
wandering life, and after several letters from Mocenigo, full of fine
professions of friendship and protection, Bruno, longing to see his
country again, turned his face towards Venice.
In those days men of superior intellect were often considered to be
magicians or sorcerers; Mocenigo, after enticing Bruno to Venice,
insisted upon his teaching him "the secret of memory and other things
that he knew."

The philosopher with untiring patience tried to instil into this dull head
the principles of logic, the elements of mathematics, and the rudiments
of the mnemonic art; but the pupil hated study, and had no faculty of
thought; yet he insisted that Bruno should make science clearly known
to him! But this was probably only to initiate a quarrel with Bruno,
whom he intended afterwards to betray, and deliver into the hands of
the Church.
The Holy Office would have laid hands on Bruno immediately on his
arrival in Italy, but being assured by Mocenigo that he could not escape,
they left him a certain liberty, so that he might more surely compromise
himself, while his enemies were busy collecting evidence against him.
When at last his eyes became opened to what was going on about him,
and he could no longer ignore the peril of his position, it was too late;
Bruno could not get away, and was told by Mocenigo that if he stayed
not by his own will and pleasure, he would be compelled to remain
where he was. Bruno, however, made his preparations for departure,
and sent his things on to Frankfort, intending to leave the next day
himself; but in the morning, while he was still in bed, Mocenigo
entered the chamber, pretending that he wished to speak with him; then
calling his servant Bartolo and five or six gondoliers, who waited
without, they forced Bruno to rise, and conducted him to a garret, and
locked him in. There he passed the first day of that imprisonment
which was to last for eight years. The next day he went over the lagoon
in a gondola, in the company of his jailors, who took him to the prison
of the Holy Office, and left him there. Levi devotes many pages to the
accusations brought against Giordano Bruno by the Inquisitors, and the
depositions and denunciations made against him by his enemies. The
Court was opened without delay, and most of the provinces of Italy
were represented by their delegates in the early part of the trial; Bruno
himself, being interrogated, gave an account in detail of his life, of his
wanderings, of his occupations and works: serene and dignified before
this terrible tribunal, he expounded his doctrine, its principles, and
logical consequences. He spoke of the universe, of the infinite worlds
in infinite space, of the divinity in all things, of the unity of all things,
the dependence and
inter-dependence of all things, and of the
existence of God in all. After nine months' imprisonment in Venice,

towards the end of January 1593, Bruno, in chains, was conveyed from
the Bridge of Sighs through the lagoons to Ancona, where he remained
incarcerated until the prison of the Roman Inquisition received him. If
we look upon "Gli Eroici Furori" as a prophetical poem, we see that