Architettura con il suo commento et figure Vetruvio in volgar lingua raportato

Reason of Geometry and Method are found. But he has need to have known many histories, because often many ornaments in the works the Architects design, for which ornaments, because they have made them for the Percontanti questioners/inquisitive ones, they must render the reason. As if someone places marble statues of draped women, which are called Caryatids, for columns, and places consoles and cornices above them for the questioners, he must thus render the reason for it. And other things to be operated; and if they cannot, only their manufactures. Know by Arithmetic, as also to manifest the reasons of SYMMETRIES, that is, this word is Greek, and although as Pliny says it is not in use among the Latins, nevertheless it means the proportionable commesuration distinct with numbers in diverse quantities and particles, which all taken together retake and reform all its integral quantity, which that commesuration we call arm-lengths, and also feet, and fingers or ounces, which in them being shared are distinguished ordinarily, as we will say on the page, because these things can in themselves produce some difficult question due to the equality and inequality, and especially when they are consumed with broken and integral numbers, and by ounces, and parts of ounces, and the greater the quantity of integrals and fractions, the greater the fatigue. Just as from these rules of Arithmetic you will be able to have. But the difficulties that sometimes occur in these and in the reasons of Geometry are easily had with the METHODS, that is, with the short ways or natural reasons, as would be by the way of algebra, which you can have from Euclid, and also from Friar Luca dal Borgo san Sepolchro; also Methods we will manifest on page, letter.

Caryatids on page 8.

C But he has need to have known many histories. Above on page 5, letter G, it is narrated how much history it brings to know. At present, Vitruvius says the cause, and with brevity allegedly narrates the history, from where the columns with capitals nicknamed CARYATIDS have proceeded, which with great consideration were made for example to other peoples, and to make the magnanimity of those Greeks flourish, just as it would also be to recall similar cases that have occurred to our age through many stratagems, that is, astuteness, and various dukes, and captains of armed armies in Italy; similarly, one has to know how to render the reason for it. C As if someone places marble statues of draped women called Caryatids for columns, etc. It is to be known that the ancients, after their nobility, made their houses of wood with various carved ornaments, understanding that those wooden columns or indeed trees, as nature had produced them placed upright, due to the heavy weight that these continuously sustained, broke at their heads below or above, and for such openings they placed some ornaments, as on page 9, letter K, we will say. Because from these imitated, and in the columns of marble as in those of wood, at the heads, they likewise placed circles or rings of iron or of copper. But some of the Architects, understanding the nature of the material of wood of mentioned toughness or vein, and easy to split while standing (as they still stand of some strong, hard stones and marbles), then to avoid such a vice due to the cross-grain, they placed a trunk of wood, which, adapted in the work, is called a Mutilo corbel, which in some place is called a Calastrello, though by some others, like us, it is called a MENSOLA console. And of these, they also used them under the heads of the beams for the concord of the thickness of the wall, because some estimate that it is an ornament of the beam, as the lainomi Possibly a garbled reference to "telamoni" (atlases). CORNICES, of these we will explain in the 3rd book on page 85, Letter D, and in other places where Vitruvius has called them Crowns. In these Consoles, they were accustomed in the middle to write or to sculpt some memorable and brief things, as would be the name of these CARYATIDS, and of the Persians, which can be seen in the following figure on page 8. But these were as they are similarly confirmed to continue to protrude outside of the humble houses and pointed buildings. Just as at present there still stand the Porticos of the very old City of Mutina, that is, Modena, and of many other Cities and lands that are throughout Italy, these stand joined with the heads of these beams pegged or indeed separate each by itself, but the heads of the beams are placed crosswise and the Consoles align to the axis or what we say spindle placed at the center of the vertical column, that is, square or of more corners, which are approved if they are well placed with the Plumb line, that is, line to the lead, and Libella level, that is, the perfect plane, which some Architects, to the Doric mode, who to the Ionic, who to the Corinthian, who to the Attic, and who to the Tuscan, for more added ornament have placed above the Capitals these Consoles. No less below the column, even though it was sometimes some sub-structures, some pieces of corbelled logs are placed, so that it would have more flat the fastening with the wall below in the foundation, and also so that from the humidity of the earth the column would not easily corrupt. Similarly, above the small brick walls where the water of the roofs drips, they placed them. But once these placements of columns were made then in the low part: above these Consoles placed on the plane, they placed the beams, and they girded these dwellings tightly with diligence as much as the walls could stand. Under places or of planks or of masonry, the walls dividing for the deep foundations and for the lightness of the wood and of the walls, made of plaster or of reeds with mortar or of latticework plastered also with mortar, the beams did not yield to the bending. C To the questioners, thus he renders the reason. PERCONTANTI, that is, asked or interrogated, because pcotari, that is, which is as common as the asking, some others want pcotari to be said from allo, that is, the one who is curious, who particularly asks of every thing. And therefore, to the questioners, that is, to the desirous. Nevertheless, to me it seems a true origin that is said by the grammarians that pcotari is to test and ask, but not very curiously; pcutari is to ask with diligence, because that is drawn from ctito ptica with which the sailors measured the passage or the height of the water. And this pcutari they want to be derived from ctitis, this pcuta ire, and this is true reason.