Preface

The star of Jupiter is surrounded by fourfold splendors, not so much satellites as "Little Kings" original: "Regulorum." This refers to the four "Medicean Stars" discovered by Galileo—the moons Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.; it is encircled crosswise by a
belt

belt, rarely a single one, more often a double one, and even more rarely a triple one These "belts" are the atmospheric cloud bands of Jupiter.. Finally, Saturn closes the ranks of the planets; like a Geryon Geryon was a giant in Greek mythology with three bodies; early telescopes were not powerful enough to resolve Saturn's rings, making the planet appear as three separate parts., it showed itself in a form awesome to behold, a monster and marvel of a three-bodied star.

And so, although this new apparatus of the World and the unheard-of fertility of playful Nature drew the eyes of all Astronomers to itself, it can hardly be said how much the causes of such unusual effects tortured the intellect of everyone. And just as rumors of unusual things prick the ears of all in a wonderful way, so too did they anxiously stimulate the curiosity not only of Mathematicians and Philosophers In this era, "Philosophers" referred to natural scientists., but even of Princes. Among these may be rightly numbered the most August Emperor Ferdinand III Holy Roman Emperor (r. 1637–1657) and a significant patron of the arts and sciences., a most munificent Patron. Out of his own laudable instinct for curiosity, while he was urging me to complete the secret mysteries of the "Underground World" original: "Mundi subterranei," referring to Kircher’s famous geological work Mundus Subterraneus. which I had already begun long ago, he likewise ordered that the reasons and causes of these celestial portents—which the sagacity of this age has brought to light—be explained at the same time.

Thinking it a sin not to comply with his command, I have composed this new little Work—extorted not so much by my own spontaneous effort as by the "armed" entreaty A polite way of saying the Emperor made a request he could not refuse. of such a great Prince and others. Indeed, so that it might [enter] more pleasantly and delightfully into the [minds] of readers—