An Abridgment of the Architecture of Vitruvius

Then the thickness of the whole Capital must be so divided that of nine parts which it contains, the Volute has the breadth of three under the Astragal, on the top of the Pillar, which must be directly upon the Eye of the Volute, that which remains above the Astragal, must be allowed for the Abacus, Channel, and the Echine or Egge, whose jetting beyond the Square of the Abacus must be of the same bigness of the Echine or Egge.

The Channel must be hollowed the 12th. part of its breadth.

The Girdle or Cincture, or the lateral part of the Capital, ought to advance out of the Tailhoir Abacus, as much as it is from the Center of the Eye to the height of the Echine.

The thickness of the Axis of the Volutes, which is the thickness of the Volute, seen sideway, and which makes up the extreme parts of that which is called commonly Balisters, ought not to exceed the magnitude of the Eye. See Tab. VIII.

These Proportions of the Ionick Capital, are only for Pillars of 15 Foot, those that are greater require other, and generally the greater Proportions are required for the Pillars that are greater; and for this reason we have said, that the higher the Pillars are, the less Diminution they must have; so when the Pillars are above 15 Foot, we must add a 9th. part to the Diameter of the Pillar for to give the breadth to the Abacus; to which is never added more than an 18th. part to Pillars of 15 Foot.

The Architraves shall be laid upon the Pillars with Jettings equal to the Pedestals, in case they be not all of one size, but in form of Joint-Stools, to the end Symmetry may be observ'd.

The height ought to be different, according to the proportion of the height of the Pillar; for if the Pillar be from 12 to 15 Foot, we must allow the Architrave the height of half a Diameter of the bottom of the Pillar, if it be from 15 to 20, we must divide the height of the Pillar into 15 parts, to the end we may allow one to the Architrave; so if it be from 20 to 25, the height must be divided into 12 parts and an half, that the Architrave may have one; and so proportionably.

The Architrave ought to have at the bottom which lies upon the Capital, the same breadth that the top of the Pillar hath under the Capital.

The Jetting of the Cymatium of the Architrave ought to answer the bottom of the Pillar, the height of the Cymatium ought to be the 7th. part of the whole Architrave.

The rest being divided into 12 parts; three must be allowed to the first Face, four to the second, and five to that above, upon which is the Cymatium.

The Frise ought not to be so high as the Architrave by a 4th. part, unless something be carved there, for then that the Carving may be more graceful, the Frise ought to be bigger than the Architrave by a 4th. part.

Upon the Frise must be made a Cymatium of height the 7th. part of the Frise, with a Jetting equal to its height.

The Dentil which is upon the Cymatium, shall have the height of the Face of the middle of the Architrave, with a Jetting or Projecture equal to its height; the cutting of the Dentils ought to be so made, that the breadth of every Dentil may be the half of its height, and the Cavity of the cut which is between every Dentil may have two parts of three, which maketh the breadth of the Dentil.

The Cymatium which is upon the Dentil, must have the 3d. part of the height of the Dentil.

The Crown with its little Cymatium must have the same height with the Face of the middle of the Architrave.

The great Cymatium ought to have the height of an 8th. part more than the Crown or Drip.

The Jetting or Projecture of the whole Cornice comprehending the Dentil ought to be equal to the space that there is from the Frise, just to the top of the great Cymatium, and generally speaking all the Jettings or Projectures shall have the better grace when they are equal to the height of the Jetting Members. See Table VII.

ART. VIII.

Of the Corinthian Order

THE Pillars of the Corinthian Order have no other Proportions than the Ionick, except in the Capital, whose height make them appear slenderer and higher. The other parts or Members, as the Architrave, Frise, and Cornice, borrow their Proportions Lib. 4.

Chap. 2. from the Dorick and Ionick Order, having nothing particular, for the Corinthian Modillons are imitated by the Mutils of the Dorick Order, and the Dentils are the same with the Ionick; this being so, we have nothing to do but to give the Proportions of the Capital, which are these; The Capital comprizing the Abacus, hath for its height, the breadth of the bottom of the Pillar.

To have the true breadth of the Abacus, we must have a care that its Diagonal be double the height of the Capital, the bending that the sides of the Abacus have inward, is a 9th. part of a side, the bottom of the Capital is equal to the Neck of the Pillar. The thickness of the Abacus is a 7th. part of the whole Capital.

Two of these seven parts must be taken for the height of every Leaf, of which there are two Ranks, each of which has four Leaves.

The Stalks or little Branches are likewise composed of other Leaves, and which grow between the Leaves of the Rank above, ought to have two of these seven parts comprising the Volutes.

These Volutes begin within the Stalks, of which, those that are the greatest extend to the Extreme parts of the Angles of the Abacus; the other are below the Roses.

These Roses which are in the middle of every Face of the Abacus, ought to be as great as the Abacus is thick.

The Ornaments of the Corinthian Order, viz. The Architrave, the Frise, and the Cornice, do not in the least differ from those of the Ionick Order. See Tab. IX.

ART. IX.

Of the Compound Order

VITRUVIUS hath not spoke of the Compound Order, as of an Lib. 4.

Chap. 1. Order distinct from the Corinthian, the Ionick and the Dorick; He only tells us, that sometimes upon the Corinthian Pillar was placed a Capital composed of several parts, which were taken from the Corinthian, the Ionick and Dorick Orders.

But a Consequence may be drawn from thence, that the Order at present called the Compound, might have been in use in the time of Vitruvius, although they then did not make a distinct Order of it; Since that, our Compound Order is not essentially different from the Corinthian, but by its Capital; and so one may say, that this sole difference of the Capital ought to make it a distinct Order from the Corinthian, since according to Vitruvius, the Corinthian Capital alone, made the Corinthian Order.

The parts that our Compound Order borrow from the Corinthian Order, are the Abacus, and the two Ranks of the Leaves of Branch-Ursin, which it has retained, although the Corinthian have quitted them for the Leaves of the Olive.

The other part that it takes from the Ionick, are the Volutes; which it forms in some manner according to the Model of the Volutes of the Corinthian Order, in bending them even as the Abacus; for they are direct upon the Ionick Capital, as well as the Abacus.

The Echine, or Quarter Round, which it has under the Abacus, it borrows rather from the Dorick Order, than from the Ionick; because this Echine is immediately under the Abacus, as it is in the Dorick Order, which is not in the Ionick, which between the Echine and the Abacus, places the Channel which makes the Volute; it may notwithstanding be said, that it imitates the Echine of the Ionick Order, in that it is cut with Oves or Eggs, which is rarely found in the Dorick Capital, but are always in the Ionick.

PART II

Containing the Architecture peculiar to the Ancients

CHAP. I

Of Publick Buildings

ARTICLE I

Of Fortresses

Lib. 1.

Cap. 3. BUildings are either Publick, or Private; Those that are Publick, appertain either to Security, or Religion, or Publick Convenience. The Fortifications of Cities are for Security, the Temples for Religion, the Market-places, Town-Houses, Theatres, Academies are for the Publick Convenience.

The Disposition and Figures of the Ramparts were so ordered, that the Towers advanced out of the Walls to the end, that when the Enemy approached them, the Besieged which were in the Towers, might fall upon their Flank, both on the Right and the Left.

They took likewise great Care to make the Approaches to the Walls difficult, ordering their Ways so, that they came not directly, but to the Left of the Gate. For by this means, the Besiegers were constrained to present to them that were upon the Walls the Right side, which was not covered with a Buckler.

The Figure of a strong place ought neither to be Square, nor composed of Angles that advance too far. But the Ancients made them with many Sinuosities or Corners, for Angles that are too far advanc'd, are more advantageous for the Besiegers, than the Besieged.

The thickness of the Wall was so ordered, that two Armed Men might walk by one another upon the Wall without justling.

They made their Walls strong and durable, with sindged Beams of Olive, which bound them and kept them up.

Although there be nothing that makes the Ramparts so strong as Earth, they had not for all that the Custom of making Terrasses, unless it were in some place where some Eminency was so near the Wall, that the Besiegers might easily enter.

To make the Terrasses strong, and to hinder the Earth from pushing down the two Walls that supported it, they made Buttresses or Counter-forts which went from one Wall to another, to the end, that the Earth being divided into many parts, might not have that weight to push the Walls.