His great opportunity was lost.
Apian continued to maunder over the Ptolemaic theory and astrology in his lecture-room.

The attack on the Copernican theory he neither supported nor opposed; he was silent; and the cause of his silence should never be forgotten so long as any Church asserts its title to control university instruction.( 49) (49) For Joseph Acosta's statement, see the translation of his History, published by the Hakluyt Society, chap.ii.For Peter Apian, see Madler, Geschichte der Astronomie, Braunschweig, 1873, vol.i, p.141.

For evidences of the special favour of Charles V, see Delambre, Histoire de l'Astronomie au Moyen Age, p.

390; also Bruhns, in the Allgemeine deutsche Biographie.

For an attempted apology for him, see Gunther, Peter and Philipp Apian, Prag, 1822, p.