Discourses on Fortifications

of the batteries or other shelters, perhaps would not be able to uncover everything that was necessary, the whole flank would remain as useless.

Others have made this low one, but with the front parts open at the top, giving it part of the recoil space under a vault that forms the middle plaza, and to this they have given it under the highest plaza. And this way likewise displeases me, both for the expense that would go into making many corridors, vaults, and parapets, and for the smoke that would greatly impede the first and second plazas. As, with the embankment having been acquired by the enemies, those would all be uncovered, and consequently whenever the enemy struck at those structures that were inside and in the surroundings of them, he would remove the defenders from each of them. Others then also have covered those low plazas entirely with a vault, and in them, to provide for the smoke, have made vents. I would not know how to deny that this way is to be kept, since with little expense they add defenses; for even if, due to their lowness, one could sometimes prevent them from doing their duty, they would nevertheless cause very great trouble. And I would truly use them, but I would seek to arrange the vents in such a way that the smoke not only would not impede the inside, for not finding the exit promptly as would happen by holding that other way, but that by exiting it would not impede the sight to the second plazas, nor would trouble reach the higher flanks. And to have this intention, I would make the mouths of the vents quite wide, and by traversing the width of the walls with masonry pipes, the smoke would be conducted into a part that would not trouble the defenders.

Others are of the opinion that in the bastions and in buildings of similar intention, besides their superior plaza, another plaza should be made for each flank, the plane of which should be inferior to the street for sallying, and that they should have part of their recoil underneath. This does not satisfy me, because when the embankment was gained by the enemies, the defenders who found themselves in such plazas, both for their lowness and because there would be nothing in their surroundings but walls, would not be able to do their duty. And especially because, to cover themselves, they would be forced to make the parapets high, and of wall as well, so that they could make holes in them to use the artillery and similar instruments.

Of the parapets for the face. Chapter V.

Decorative initial H Many have in observance the making of high parapets, perhaps for no other reason than because they find that the ancients used this way. But because the ancients were necessitated to do so, because their walls were so narrow and not fortified with an earth-fill on the inside, such that walking upon them they were uncovered by those outside, it does not follow now that the earth-fills are made wide, that one needs to keep that rule. For the defenders, because of the convenience that comes from the width of the earth-fill, can walk around the walls without being seen and without touching the parapets as at first. Add to this that, the plane of the earth-fill being higher than the outside part of the fortress, any small height of parapet will help so much that the defenders will be able to walk safely a short distance away. But one must take care that it is not too elevated, because the height would not allow those inside to use their artillery in every place, except by making benches of earth or timber, or they would be forced to make some gun ports, which, besides the fact that their openings weaken the parapets, also make the walls low in that part. But what matters more is that, since the site of such gun ports is very determined, the enemies could not only notice from which part they could be offended by artillery or other fire, and consequently guard themselves, but furthermore, have a good occasion to enfilade those defenses with less difficulty. I conclude, therefore, for the aforementioned reasons, that the parapets, according to my opinion, should not be made high; but one should also take care, so that they do not come to be too low, that the wheels and every other thing for the artillery carriages are made higher than ordinary.

Of the defenses. Chapter VI.

Decorative initial S They used to form the faces of the bastions from the line of the beginning of the opposite flank, because it was believed they were guarded in such a way that no person could approach them. But because by giving two-thirds of the length of the flanks to the shoulders, as is ordinarily done, it seemed that the defenses came from so far inward that one could not inflict offense on the enemies who had entered the battery made in the bastion, A, however small it might be, it was introduced that the aforementioned faces should be formed from the line of the fourth or third part, or half of the curtain that is between the bastions. And from this, it was believed that many effects would follow, because the enemies were forced to make a deeper battery, giving with this way greater convenience to the opposite flank to be able to more easily drive off those outside, if they had entered the battery, even if they had made it greater than the one that was said of in the bastion, namely the one marked A, and as is seen in the following plan.