Be that as it may, the work of Kepler brought its author into no direct conflict with the authorities.
But the result was quite different when, in 1632, Galileo at last broke silence and gave the world, under cover of the form of dialogue, an elaborate exposition of the Copernican theory.

Galileo, it must be explained, had previously been warned to keep silent on the subject, hence his publication doubly offended the authorities.

To be sure, he could reply that his dialogue introduced a champion of the Ptolemaic system to dispute with the upholder of the opposite view, and that, both views being presented with full array of argument, the reader was left to reach a verdict for himself, the author having nowhere pointedly expressed an opinion.

But such an argument, of course, was specious, for no one who read the dialogue could be in doubt as to the opinion of the author.

Moreover, it was hinted that Simplicio, the character who upheld the Ptolemaic doctrine and who was everywhere worsted in the argument, was intended to represent the pope himself--a suggestion which probably did no good to Galileo's cause.
The character of Galileo's artistic presentation may best be judged from an example, illustrating the vigorous assault of Salviati, the champion of the new theory, and the feeble retorts of his conservative antagonist: "Salviati.