The Various and Ingenious Machines

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gence to employ my time fruitfully, without sparing any fatigue of my body and spirit. Having thus learned from long practice, first in war, and then from the most frequent reading I have done night and day of the most famous writers of this miraculous science, I have known clearly that without any doubt, the unique foundation and the secure base of all other liberal and mechanical arts consists in the true understanding of the honored Mathematics. Around these is found inserted the perfection of all instruments and of all new and old machines: things that bring the greatest comfort and benefit, both in time of war and in peace, to every kingdom and province of any great Monarch of the world, for their conservation and defense. Therefore, moved by the inviolable law of Nature (which, according to the mind of Plato, wills that man not be born to be profitable to himself alone, but also to all others) and at the same time induced by the ardent desire that I have always had to benefit the world, I have wished to bring to light this rich Treasure of the machines and instruments aforesaid. These, to the best of my power, I have had engraved on copper as living figures, with their operations and admirable effects, considering the infinite utility and singular benefit that they will be able to bring generally to every Prince, to every valorous Warrior, and in sum to every sort of person, whatever their quality and condition may be. Thus, I now make a gift of them to all noble spirits who, enticed by the candor of virtue, delight in this most excellent art of Mathematics, as will be able to be seen by anyone who takes pleasure in reading the present Volume that I present to them, in which one can discern all those stupendous things that nature, art, or human ingenuity can or knows how to do before the eyes of the living.