PREFACE.

...the Greek words Doron original: "Doron", meaning a gift, but here used as a unit of measurement called palmum original: "palmum", a palm-breadth, translated in this manner; what the Greeks call Doron is properly what we call a Dour. For there is reason to doubt whether it is Vitruvius who says that what the Greeks call Doron is called Dour by the Latins, or if it is the Translator who adds that Doron is so called in French. This is why these sorts of explanations have been placed in the margin, where one also finds the Greek and Latin words that could have been rendered by other French words in the main text.

But we were sometimes forced to leave the Latin and Greek words in the text when they could only have been rendered in French by long circumlocutions, which are inconvenient when a single word is needed: For example, we left Abies original: "Abies", the silver fir instead of putting "a species of Fir tree that has the tips of its cones turned toward the Sky"; Odeum original: "Odeum", a small roofed theater, instead of "a small Theater that was made for hearing Musicians when they competed for a prize"; Pnigeus original: "Pnigeus", literally "the throttler", instead of "that part of the Hydraulic machine which was shaped like a chimney hood" This refers to the air-chamber in a water organ that compressed the air.. We were also obliged to leave words in the text without translating them when it concerns Etymology; for example, when Vitruvius says that the word Columna Column comes from Columen A ridge-pole or supporting timber: one could not have said that Colonne is a word that comes from Poinçon King-post, which is the French word signifying Columen.

Everything in the margin, whether Greek, Latin, or French, is in Italic type, as are the words in the text that relate to those in the margin, whether they are Greek, Latin, or French; as well as the words in the text that we were obliged to leave in Greek or Latin, or which relate to those in the margin, so as to warn and make it understood that they are not French, or that they relate to one another and explain each other: for example, when there is: the Order which is called Taxis original: "Taxis", meaning arrangement or order by the Greeks; the Disposition Arrangement which is what they name Diathesis original: "Diathesis"; Eurythmy original: "Eurythmia", meaning graceful proportion or Proportion; Propriety original: "Bienseance" / "Decor"; and the Distribution, which in Greek is called Oeconomia original: "Oeconomia", meaning management or household arrangement, etc. The Greek words Taxis, Diathesis, and Oeconomia, which had to be left in Greek in the text, were written in Italics to show they are not French; Eurythmy, Proportion, and Propriety are also in Italics because they relate to the words in the margin—namely to Proportion which is the explanation of Eurythmy, and to Symmetria Symmetry and Decor Propriety/Ornament of which Proportion and Propriety are the explanation. But if some words written in Italics, such as Taxis and Diathesis, have no explanation in the margin, it is because the explanation is within the text itself.

It should also be noted that the Greek or Latin words explained in the text are placed with their natural endings, because it would not have been appropriate to say "the Order that the Greeks call Taxe" or "the Disposition which is what they call Diathese": but when we had to leave the Greek or Latin word in the text solely because our language has no other, we put the explanation in the margin and gave the word a French ending, in imitation of what usage has already established for many other Greek words, such as Physics, Rhetoric, and Physiognomy. But we felt we should only do this for words to which common usage has granted this favor, such as, for example, Stylobata, Echinus, Astragalus, Thorus, Tympanum, Acroterium, Denticulus, Mutulus, etc., which Architects ordinarily express as Stylobate A continuous base supporting a row of columns, Echinus The rounded molding forming the cushion of an Ionic or Doric capital, Astragal A small semicircular molding, Torus A large convex molding, usually at the base of a column, Tympanum The triangular space of a pediment, Acroterion A pedestal placed on a pediment to support a statue, Dentil Small block-like ornaments used in a cornice, Mutule A rectangular block under the soffit of the Doric cornice, etc. The others that do not yet have this privilege have been left with their Greek and Latin endings, such as Gnomon The part of a sundial that casts the shadow, Amussium A tool used to level surfaces or determine wind direction, Manuela A handle or lever, Pnigeus, Camillum Possibly a small step or ceremonial vessel,