The size of hell according to Galileo and where it is located. The Jerusalem Dome

Hello ATS!

I thought, why not hit the "backward religious fanatics" with science today? Yes, easy)))

So.

With the publication of Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy", the outlines of hell became quite "tangible" for the masses of believers. The poet described hell as a huge funnel in the ground, covered with a domed roof. Inside, the funnel was divided into nine tiers (9 circles of hell), where the last circle was intended for the most terrible criminals.

According to Dante's descriptions, in the 9th circle, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, and Marcus Junius Brutus with Cassius (the murderers of Gaius Julius Caesar), who are tormented by Lucifer with three mouths, are in eternal torment.



Now the churchmen did not need to strain their imagination to scare the flock with something figurative, because there was a "reliable" source indicating to sinners where and what torments they would have to endure. But still, the holy fathers wanted more specifics than Dante had indicated.

The initiator of the creation of the mathematical structure of hell was the Academy of Fine Arts of the glorious city of Florence. In 1588, Galileo Galilei, who was only 24 years old, was the undisputed authority in the field of mathematics in this city. The young man received an assignment from the Academy to calculate the dimensions of the underworld, and it was necessary to base it on the work of Alighieri. And Galileo enthusiastically set to work.

Certain outlines in this area already existed; the Florentine architect Antonio Manetti had previously tried to describe the structure of hell in mathematical language. Manetti also imagined the underworld as a huge cone-shaped funnel, covered by a dome, which was formed when Lucifer was cast down from heaven.



Galileo's first task was to establish the size of the funnel. It was already known from Dante's poem that Jerusalem was located in the center of the dome covering hell.

The sun was already approaching, invisible to us,
With that horizon, whose midday circle
Lied its summit over Jerusalem;

It was also known that the "gates to hell" were in the labyrinths under the Temple of Apollo near the settlement of Cumae.

Based on the known distance between Jerusalem and Cumae, Galileo was able to establish the diameter of the hellish funnel, it turned out to be approximately 5,500 km (according to estimates of that time, the cities were located at a distance of about 2,700 km from each other).



After analyzing the lines of the Divine Comedy, Galileo came to the conclusion that the radius of the Earth coincides with the diameter of the cone, therefore, at a depth of 5500 km underground is the top of hell, where Satan languishes.

Based on Manetti's calculations and Dante's book, the young mathematician came to the conclusion that the generatrix of the cone of hell makes an angle of 60 degrees with its base.

Galileo's next step was to apply proportional scaling to the data from the Divine Comedy. He compared the sizes of all familiar objects with the parameters of the devil. Thus, it was possible to establish that Satan was 1180 m tall.



Since Alighieri indicated that hell is covered with a dome, Galileo decided to calculate the parameters of this dome as well. How thick should it be so as not to crumble under its own weight?

Galileo based his calculations on the dome of the Florence Cathedral. Its thickness, with a diameter of 45 m, was 4 m. Having made calculations using the "method of simple proportions", similar to the height of Satan, the mathematician came to the conclusion that the thickness of the dome of hell should be 460 kilometers.

But the great Italian was wrong. The proportions were correct for the cathedral, but completely unsuitable for a dome of such a huge size. Galileo realized his mistake while lecturing on the structure of the underworld, he realized that the thickness was too small, and the dome would not withstand its own weight.

Galileo preferred to remain silent about this fact, but later he derived the famous square-cube law, which is still used by many engineers.

Such are the interesting facts. The thread is a compilation from several sources.

Thank you.

originally posted by: RussianTroll
Galileo's first task was to establish the size of the funnel. It was already known from Dante's poem that Jerusalem was located in the center of the dome covering hell.

Dante's inferno is a fun story to read .. but you do understand that it is fiction .. made up ... right? Jerusalem is not the true location of the entrance to Hell. There isn't just one gateway to Hell .. or just one gateway to Heaven either. That's theologically not true. It's just a (fun and interesting) story.

a reply to: FlyersFan
You write as if you have personally been to Hell)))

This is understandable, since the Sabbatians (in the European tradition, the Frankists) have been exuding the Catholic Church from within for centuries.))))

originally posted by: RussianTroll
You write as if you have personally been to Hell)))

No, I haven't visited Russia.

I notice that you didn't address my post. I asked a question. ON TOPIC QUESTION - You do realize Dante's Inferno, while an interesting and fun story to read, isn't true, right? You do realize there is no hell mouth under Jerusalem, right?

a reply to: FlyersFan

But for the Russians everything is simple. Hell is life in the absence of God, Heaven is life in the presence of God. But for the Sabbatians everything is the other way around.

a reply to: RussianTroll

Always bringing in the Jews .. always negative.

You failed to answer my question again. For the third time ....

ON TOPIC QUESTION - You do realize Dante's Inferno, while an interesting and fun story to read, isn't true, right? You do realize there is no hell mouth under Jerusalem, right?

a reply to: FlyersFan

Are you sure you're a Catholic?

a reply to: RussianTroll

www.britannica.com...

The Divine Comedy was begun during Dante’s years of exile from his home city of Florence, and the work expresses the crisis that this rupture caused in the poet’s life. The work also presents suggestions for the resolution of Italy’s factionalism and an allegory on the fall of humankind and the hope of redemption.

literariness.org...#:~:text=Most%20scholars%20believe%20that%20Dante%20began

Most scholars believe that Dante began composing the Comedy in 1306 or 1307, a few years after his exile from Florence. Since the subject matter of the poem is the journey of a lost pilgrim, who must trek through the three realms of the afterlife on a journey back to his true home, it could be argued that the state of the pilgrim Dante parallels that of the exiled poet. The journey is of course also an allegory of the soul’s journey to God.

But I think this is the best...
digitaldante.columbia.edu...

It has all 3 parts of the story Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, each with Commento Baroliniano, Text & Translations, Gallery, Video, and even an Audio.

I think everybody should try and read this fun and fictitious story.

a reply to: RussianTroll

You failed to answer my question again. For the fourth time ....

ON TOPIC QUESTION - You do realize Dante's Inferno, while an interesting and fun story to read, isn't true, right? You do realize there is no hell mouth under Jerusalem, right?

Dante’s inferno is an initiatory text. It outlines a very exacting ritual that originated in Italy I believe could be wrong been a while from when I read the book. by secret societies of the time and they even uncovered the alleged ritual Chambers. With a running river built in, hollow statues of demons on which priests would sit to shout and scare initiates who were fed hallucinogenics and made to run the gauntlet of hell. They had blood rains brought by ritual slaughter the whole 9 yards.

Check out the book Underworld Gnosis if you’re interested.


So a ritual chamber that is analogous to hell is in fact in Jerusalem. But no literal hell pit.
a reply to: RussianTroll

originally posted by: Kurokage
I think everybody should try and read this fun and fictitious story.

Fictitious being the key word.

I agree ... great reading. Fun. Entertaining. Thought provoking.

Fictitious. Not to be taken as literal truth.

a reply to: FlyersFan

Nobody owes you anything.

a reply to: FlyersFan

You are a very strange Catholic. You deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, you do not believe the research commissioned by the Catholic Church. Tell me honestly that you are a Sabbatian.

a reply to: RussianTroll

But for the Russians everything is simple. Hell is life

That sounds about right!!

a reply to: Athetos

It is quite possible, I have not read this book. But I know that mysticism has always prevailed in Catholicism.

a reply to: RussianTroll

All religions are born out of mysticism to a large degree with Russian Orthodoxy being no different, but you seem to be taking your thread off topic as usual.

I thought this would be an intelligent coversation about Dante, but instead it's your usual attacks on the female membership with a touch of Catholic hate and anti-Semitism.

Such a shame, as I find the Divine Comedy a very thought provoking read and enjoy Dantes' attempt at trying to show 'sinners' what he thought Hell would look like...

originally posted by: RussianTroll
a reply to: FlyersFan

But for the Russians everything is simple. Hell is life in the absence of God, Heaven is life in the presence of God. But for the Sabbatians everything is the other way around.

Well you got hell right! Heaven is life in the presence of the one true God.

It is the absence of God that gives Satan the great Deceiver his chance to influence the individual in this world. That is why we HAVE to invite God?Jesus/Holy Spirit into our hearts to be able to free ourselves from the affect of the deceiver.

originally posted by: Kurokage
a reply to: RussianTroll

All religions are born out of mysticism to a large degree with Russian Orthodoxy being no different, but you seem to be taking your thread off topic as usual.

I thought this would be an intelligent coversation about Dante, but instead it's your usual attacks on the female membership with a touch of Catholic hate and anti-Semitism.

Such a shame, as I find the Divine Comedy a very thought provoking read and enjoy Dantes' attempt at trying to show sinners what he thought Hell would look like...

Im not so sure I follow that logic. Satanism isn't mystical as a religion it is about doing whatever makes you happy like murder and rape, drinking blood like cannibals. That sure doesn't fit my understanding of Mystical.

YES religions that teach love probably did start as mystical things. But some of us believe in a one true God even if others ridicule us.

a reply to: Justoneman

Im not so sure I follow that logic. Satanism isn't mystical as a religion it is about doing whatever makes you happy like murder and rape, drinking blood like cannibals.

You have a weird understanding of 'Satanism', very pop culture and tabloid driven. Satanism began as an imaginary religion Christians invented to demonize their religious 'pagan' opponents.

a reply to: Justoneman

The New Testament on Satanism. Christ to the Jews:

"You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks from his own source, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
John 8:44 - John 8:44: