Ten Books on Architecture

rities: I did not think it should be passed over, but that at the very first opportunity I should publish these things to you.

The city acted tranquilly while affairs were peaceful; but the restless virtue of the Prince could not be contained idle at home, but rather, turned to the studies of peace, it adorned the city with the magnificence of buildings, and rejoiced that he left it marble, having received it brick. Thus, each person contended to satisfy the will of the Prince as excellently and as quickly as possible. Whence Vitruvius finally performs the work long since begun and promised to the father of Augustus for the son.

"Therefore, because I was known to your parent regarding this, as a student of his virtue. But when the council of celestials had dedicated him in the seats of immortality and transferred the Empire of the parent into your power, that same study of mine, remaining in his memory, conferred favor upon you."

If sons ought to be heirs of the friendship of their fathers as they are of their property, Vitruvius deems it just that Augustus not hold ungrateful his study toward himself, which he had bestowed upon his father long before; he says he not only had a propense will of mind toward Caesar, but was also bound by benefits and adorned with dignities by Augustus; whence it happens that a more honest and just cause for dedication has arisen. He therefore says:

"Therefore, when I was present with M. Aurelius, and Publius Minidius, and Gn. Cornelius for the preparation of ballistae and scorpions, and the repair of other artillery, I received advantages with them; and when you bestowed these upon me first, you preserved the recognition through the commendation of your sister."

That Vitruvius served in the military or followed the army is also discerned from that place where he speaks in the fourth chapter of the eighth book concerning the properties of certain places and fountains, when he says: "C. Julius, son of Masinissa, whose were the possessions of the whole town and fields, served in the military with father Caesar. He used my hospitality, thus the daily living, and the rest." He was in charge of the war equipment and the repair of artillery; how much this was to be valued is easily discerned from the tenth book: and in that place, I defer explaining what ballistae and scorpions are, lest the order of science be anticipated. In some codices, it is read P. Numidicus or Numidius; in others, L. Mussidius. I remember that I read on a certain coin that L. Mussidius was in charge of minting money. Who this person is matters little to know now.

"Since, therefore, I was bound by that benefit so that I would not have fear of poverty at the end of my life, I began to write these things to you; because I noticed that you had built many things, and are building now, and for the remaining time, concerning both public and private buildings, for the greatness of deeds; so that they might be handed down to the memory of posterity, I wrote down finished prescriptions, and by attending to them, you might be able to have known what kind of works have been done and what kind will be in the future; for in these volumes, I have opened all the reasons of the discipline."

Octavia, the sister of Augustus, had commended Vitruvius to her brother Augustus; by that commendation, Augustus recognized the study of Vitruvius toward his father, and for that reason bestowed advantages and honors upon him, and bound him with benefits; whence, since he did not fear the poverty of old age, having found such an occasion, he wrote about Architecture, and brought back dispersed and diffuse precepts as if they were limbs into one body; and he dedicated it to a prince devoted to building; whence, as I have said, he shows both gratitude and marvelous judgment.

"I wrote down finished prescriptions, so that by attending to them, you might be able to have known what kind of works have been done and what kind will be in the future."

I wish that those building in our times observed this, and long before provided in their minds what kind of works they would be and what effects they would have. If indeed this would be a mark of a pre-practiced art; nor would they approach any matters rashly. But those who deny that it can be provided in the mind what will be the result of a work certainly do not know what art, what use, and what diligence can accomplish. But we turn to the remaining προλεγόμενα prolegomena/preliminaries. Since they are contained in the words of Vitruvius, we shall approach them having implored the help of God, the Best and Greatest.

"Architecture is a science adorned with many disciplines and various eruditions, by whose judgment all works performed by other arts are approved." The name of Architecture is derived from the leadership which that knowledge holds among all the arts: to which such a name has been imposed. For Plato says that the Architect presides over those who use arts; whence he is neither a blacksmith, nor a cobbler, nor a builder, nor any artisan separately; but the head, president, judge, and director of the arts and all artisans. Indeed, he could not claim the name of Architect for himself until he had been imbued with much and various learning and doctrine; had discerned the secrets of many arts; and had weighed the subtle reasons of diverse kinds of knowledge. Since, therefore, he presides, he does nothing else than teach, demonstrate, distribute, describe, instruct, and judge, by which duties the dignity of Architecture shines forth most, closest to wisdom among the arts, as if it were a certain chief and distinguished hero. For it alone inquires into the reasons of the artifacts; it alone investigates abstruse and hidden things; it alone is a participant in more certain sciences, namely Arithmetic and Geometry; without which every art is base and without dignity. He says, therefore: "Architecture is a science." And by the name of science, he understands knowledge and a certain comprehension of many precepts tending toward a certain end. Science, therefore, holds the place of genus in this definition; wherefore the reason of Architecture is still common. Since, therefore, a definition ought to provide that it explain the power and nature of the thing about which it is treated, certain differences are added, which declare the matter more clearly and define it more certainly, and separate it from other things. They are of this kind: "Adorned with many disciplines and various eruditions." For by these conditions, Architecture is separated from those kinds of knowledge which, proceeding separately from the senses, are compared by a certain experience; and are performed by use and the handling of hands through sight; but even so, the definition of Architecture is more diffuse than it should be; for so are the Orator, and the Physician, and many others.