An Enduring Interest in Water
One of the topics of abiding interest to those working at the Medici court -- and to the grand dukes themselves -- was the nature of water. How did it move from one place to another? What caused a river to flow in one direction and not another? What would happen if water were subjected to pressure? In part, practical issues surrounding the dredging of the port of Livorno fueled these concerns (and brought Galileo and Giovanni de' Medici into conflict over the merits of Giovanni's proposed method for dredging the harbor). Castelli’s own work "on the measurement of running waters" is seen as fundamental in establishing modern hydrodynamics.
Raccolta d'autori che trattano del moto dell'acque.
2 vols. Florence: Nella Stamperia di S.A.R. per gli Tartini e Franchi, 1723.
Containing works by numerous Tuscan scholars, as well as the opinions of ancient authorities.
Benedetto Castelli.
Della misura dell'acque correnti.
Bologna: HH del Dozza, 1660.
First published in 1628.