The Architecture of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: EXPLANATION OF THE VIGNETTES TO FACE THE COMMENCEMENT OF EACH BOOK. Book L Plan of Rome. XL Mount Athos, as proposed to be sculptured by Dinocrates. HL Plan of Athens. IV. Corinthian, Ionic, and Doric Orders. V. A Forum. VL Prothyrum and Roman Shops. VTL Specimen of ancient Fresco Painting. Yin. View of an...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: EXPLANATION OF THE VIGNETTES TO FACE THE COMMENCEMENT OF EACH BOOK. Book L Plan of Rome. XL Mount Athos, as proposed to be sculptured by Dinocrates. HL Plan of Athens. IV. Corinthian, Ionic, and Doric Orders. V. A Forum. VL Prothyrum and Roman Shops. VTL Specimen of ancient Fresco Painting. Yin. View of an Aqueduct. IX. The Earth, and Signs of the Zodiac. X. Catapult from the Trajan Column. ARCHITECTURE MARCUS VITRUVIUS POLLIO. BOOK THE FIRST. INTRODUCTION. Whilst, 0 Csesar, your god-like mind and genius were engaged in acquiring the dominion of the world, your enemies having been all subdued by your unconquerable valour; whilst the citizens were extolling your victories, and the conquered nations were awaiting your nod; whilst the Roman senate and people, freed from alarm, were enjoying the benefit of your opinions and counsel for their governance; I did not presume, at so unfit a period, to trouble you, thus engaged, with my writings on Architecture, lest I should have incurred your displeasure. When, however, I found that your attention, not exclusively devoted to state affairs, was bestowed on the state of the public buildings, so that the republic was not more indebted to you for its extended empire, in the addition of so many provinces, than for your -uumerous public buildings by which its grandeur is afirpLy manifested, I considered it right that no tune should be lost in laying these precepts before you. My reverence for the memory of your virtuous father, to whom I was well known, and from whom, now a participator in council with the gods, the empire descended to you, has been the cause of your good will towards me. Hence, together with M. Aurelius, P. Numisius, and Cn. Cornelius, I have been appointed to, and receive t...