The City of the Sun A Poetical Dialogue Between a Grandmaster of the Knights Hospitallers and a Genoese Sea-Captain, His Guest

<p>First published in 1602, this is a philosophical work by the Italian Dominican philosopher Tommaso Campanella. The book is presented as a dialogue between 'a Grandmaster of the Knights Hospitaller and a Genoese Sea-Captain'. Inspired by Plato's Republic and the description of Atlantis in Timaeus, it describes a theocratic society where goods, women and children are held in common. It also resembles the City of Adocentyn in the Picatrix, an Arabic grimoire of astrological magic.</p> <p>Italian Renaissance writer, theologian, philosopher and poet. Baptized Giovanni Domenico Campanella, he entered the Dominican order at the young age of fifteen. His first book, Philosophia sensibus demonstrata (Philosophy Demonstrated by the Senses), was published in 1592. Due to his unorthodox views, he was confined to a convent till 1597. In 1599, he was imprisoned and given a life sentence on a conspiracy charge. During the 27 years in jail, Campanella penned his most significant writings. These include The Monarchy in Spain (1600), Political Aforisms (1601), Metaphysica (1609- 1623), Theologia (1613- 1624), Apology for Galileo (1616), and The City of the Sun (1623). Pope Urban VIII's intervention led to his release from prison in 1626 and Campanella later served as one of the Pope's advisors. He then moved to France and lived there till his death in 1639. His last piece, a poem, was written on the birth of the future Louis XIV.</p>