Vitruvius Quotes
More Vitruvius Quotes
It is no secret that the moon has no light of her own, but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the influence of the sun.
Vitruvius— Chapter II, Sec. 3
Propriety is that perfection of style which comes when a work is authoritatively constructed on approved principles. It arises from prescription, from usage, or from nature.
Vitruvius— Chapter II, Sec. 5
Some people do indeed say that Eratosthenes could not have inferred the true measure of the earth. Whether true or untrue, it cannot affect the truth of what I have written on the fixing of the quarters from which the different winds blow.
Vitruvius— De architectura, Book I, Chapter VI, Section 11 (~15 BC).
If the city is on the sea, we should choose ground close to the harbor as the place where the forum is to be built; but if inland, in the middle of the town.
Vitruvius— Chapter VII "The Sites for Public Buildings" Sec. 1
They drew near, and observing that they were very comfortable standing before the warm fire, they put on logs and, while thus keeping it alive, brought up other people to it, showing them by signs how much comfort they got from it. In that gathering of men, at a time when utterance of sound was purely individual, from daily habits they fixed upon articulate words just as these had happened to come; then, from indicating by name things in common use, the result was that in this chance way they began to talk, and thus originated conversation with one another.
Vitruvius— Chapter I "The Origin of the Dwelling House" Sec. 1
The steps in front must be arranged so that there shall always be an odd number of them; for thus the right foot, with which one mounts the first step, will also be the first to reach the level of the temple itself.
Vitruvius— Chapter IV, Sec. 4
Basilicas should be constructed on a site adjoining the forum and in the warmest possible quarter, so that in winter business men may gather in them without being troubled by the weather.
Vitruvius— Chapter I, Sec. 4
Hence, men that are born in the north are rendered over-timid and weak by fever, but their wealth of blood enables them to stand up against the sword without timidity.
Vitruvius— Chapter I, Sec. 4
It was a wise and useful provision of the ancients to transmit their thoughts to posterity by recording them in treatises, so that they should not be lost, but, being developed in succeeding generations through publications in books, should gradually attain in later times, to the highest refinement of learning.
Vitruvius— De architectura (Translation: The Ten Books On Architecture), Book VII, Introduction, Sec. 1 (~ 15BC)
They make a fine purple colour by treating bilberry in the same way and mixing it with milk.
Vitruvius— Chapter XIV, Sec. 2
Pytheos made a mistake by not observing that the arts are each composed of two things, the actual work and the theory of it. One of these, the doing of the work, is proper to men trained in the individual subject, while the other the theory is common to all scholars.
Vitruvius— Chapter I, Sec. 15
Some have held that there are only four winds: Solanus from the east; Auster from the south; Favonius from due west; Septentrio from the north. But more careful investigators tell us that there are eight.
Vitruvius— Chapter VI, Sec. 4
There are also half bricks. ...As the bricks are always laid so as to break joints, this lends strength and a not unattractive appearance to both sides of such walls.
Vitruvius— Chapter III, Sec. 4
There are two styles of walls "opus reticulatum," now used by everybody and the ancient style called "opus incertum." Of these, the reticulatum looks better, but its construction makes it likely to crack... On the other hand, in the opus incertum, the rubble lying in courses and imbricated , makes a wall which though not beautiful, is stronger.
Vitruvius— Chapter VIII "Methods of Building Walls" Sec. 1
The oak ... has not the efficacy of the fir , nor the cypress that of the elm .
Vitruvius— Chapter IX, Sec. 5
The third order, called Corinthian , is an imitation of the slenderness of a maiden; for the outlines and limbs of maidens, being more slender on account of their tender years, admit of prettier effects in the way of adornment.
Vitruvius— Chapter I, Sec. 8
" nothing suffers annihilation, but at dissolution there is a change, and things fall back to the essential element in which they were before. "
Vitruvius— Introduction, Sec. 1
