M. Vitruvii, viri suae professionis peritissimi, De architectura libri decem, ad Augustum Caesarem accuratiss. conscripti: & nunc primum in Germania qua potuit diligentia excusi, atque hinc inde schema tibus non iniucundis exornati

TO THE READER.

WE have taken care to collect the meanings of certain characters from those things which M. Vitruvius has in the tenth book, and from the monuments of the ancient Greek authors (whom he himself cites), as much as was permitted, and to set them down here separately for your use. I would wish that you take this diligence of ours in good part: for we certainly would have provided something greater, if it had been given.

Regarding the aforementioned whole, whether it be a cubit, a foot, a finger, an inch, or an aperture, I would have you know:

S. signifies a half.
-:- signifies a fourth part, not of the aforementioned whole, but a half [of the half].
-.- signifies an eighth part, not of the aforementioned whole, but a half [of the fourth].
u. signifies a duella, which is the third part of the aforementioned whole.
9. signifies a sicilicum, which is the fourth part of the aforementioned whole.
z. signifies a drachma, which is the eighth part of the aforementioned whole.
F. signifies the twelfth part of the aforementioned whole.
r. signifies the sixteenth part of the aforementioned whole.

HOWEVER, because some of the aforementioned characters and others also are found described and corrupted in different ways in various copies, I do not think that certain faith should be placed in any of them until you happen upon a most corrected example. Indeed, the dots which are found in the same tenth book in either a circular circular symbol of dots or quadrangular shape square symbol of dots seem to have been made not for the sake of any certain meaning, but only for the sake of distinguishing clauses. Unless perhaps someone might contend that they signify the minute parts of each whole: if they had been preserved for us incorrupt as they were handed down.