  But what is most interesting is that Patrizi did not employ these texts in the way that fanatical Hermeticists like Bruno did, who saw therein a justification for the practice of spiritual and demonic magic and a basis for undermining the authority of the Christian church as a “triumphant beast”, perverting the “true” religion of the ancient Egyptians. Instead, Patrizi found in those works themes which he felt would be echoed by “later” Greek authors such as Plato and his followers, adding additional support to their appeal. Yet it is clearly no coincidence that Patrizi's own difficulties with the Church over the Nova … Philosophia would occur while Bruno was languishing in prison in Rome prior to his execution in February 1600 and that Galileo Galilei and other innovative cosmologists would face similar confrontations with the Congregation of the Index and the Inquisition.