salviati: Greetings, Sagredo, Simplicio, my good friends. I can hardly believe that it was only yesterday that we resolved to meet and talk about this book. How the time drags when I am not in pleasant company such as yours.

simplicio: Greetings to you, most courteous Salviati, and well met, well met I say. My mind is already racing in anticipation. I have not forgotten, and could not forget, our wonderful discussions with Professor Galileo in Tuscany, and I am convinced that on this occasion too you have found something worth the labour of a Dialogue (Galilei, 1632).

sagredo: For my part I am also delighted to see you both again. In the company of two such philosophers as yourselves I never fail to find inspiration and illumination. Now, would you care to tell me the nature of the subject, Salviati?

salviati: Certainly, certainly, shall I come to the point: I feel that a change is happening, just as it was when we met with Professor Galileo.

simplicio: Change! Ha!

sagredo: Now, now, Simplicio … Let's hear this out. The book is about a change, is it? But I don't understand even the title.