S the origin and invention of the several orders of columns are above described, it 
leems to me not improper to speak also of the origin of their ornaments, and of the principles 
from which they were derived. 
IN the upper part of all edifices, timbers, called by various names, are disposed, 
Fig. XXVIII. 
which, as in names, so in uses, differ. The trabs (e) are those laid over the 
columns, parastatae, and antae, in the contignations and floors. If the span of the roof is 
great, under the culmen (m), in the top of the fastigium, are disposed columens (a), from 
whence columns derive their name, transtrae (b), and capreols (d); but if the span is small. 
columens and canthers (c), projecting to the extremities of the eaves. Above the canthers 
are the templats (f); and over them, but under the tyles, are the assers (g), projecting so 
far as to fhelter the walls. Thus each, according to its use, has its proper place and order. 
(o*) By the word ornaments is to be understood entabla¬ 
tures, Vitruvius expressing them by that appellation. 
(1*) I have adhered to the Latin names of the timbers, 
in order to preserve a similarity between the reading of the text 
and of the translation, and to give the reader a better oppor¬ 
tunity of making his own judgment of the timbers meant by 
those names, mentioning my own opinion thereon in the notes. 
The trabes, or beams, are undoubtedly the plates, or 
raising plâtes, as our workmen call them; being the timbers 
that are laid upon the summit of the walls, columns, &c. 
receiving the pressure of the roof, and distributing it equably 
over the supports. From this timber, the architrave, or 
epistylium, is derived, e e Fig. XXVIII. 
The column, or columen, I conceive to be that upright 
piece (a a), by us called king-post, which is situated perpen- 
dicularly under the ridge of the roof, descending from thence to 
the tigna h, or cross beam, below. Some have taken it for 
the horizontal piece in the ridge, called the ridge piece, 
(m m) and which, Vitruvius, in this place, as well as in 
the first chapter of the fifth book, calls culmen. 
The name of columns, being derived therefrom, is a cir¬ 
cumstance that favours the supposition of its being a per¬ 
pendicular piece; and the king-post, which is a principal 
and necessary part of a large roof, and the mention of 
which is to be expected, in a description of the timbers of a 
B 0 0 k : 1. 
CHAPTER II. 
Of the Ornaments of Columns. 
are used in large roofs only, not in small. Also in the de¬ 
scription of the Basilica of Fano (Chap. I. Book V.) Vi¬ 
truvius mentions transtrae supporting the culmen, where it 
is evident no such horizontal beams can be used, on account 
of the vault of the cieling rising into the angle of the roof; 
and where those who have supposed the transtrae to be the 
horizontal beams have reprepresented no such beams; and 
consequently no transtrae, although Vitruvius expressly 
mentions them. From these circumstances, I judge the tran¬ 
strae to be the principal rafters (b b) ; for those rafters, and 
the braces, or capreols (d) as well as the king-post (a) are (as 
Vitruvius says) used only in large roofs, not in small; and are 
necessary, not only on account of the magnitude of the 
roof, but on account of the projecture of the small rafters 
beyond the ends of the tignae (in the same manner as the 
mutules project beyond the triglyphs;) and which could not 
happen without the assistance of such principal rafters to sup¬ 
port them. I do not suppose these transtrae, or principal raf¬ 
ters, to have been used at every tigna, but at proper distances. 
The capreols are universally allowed to be the struts, or 
braces (d d.) 
The canthers are evidently the common rafters (c c); 
for Vitruvius says, the declination of the mutules are in 
imitation of the inclined position of the canthers. I have 
purposely avoided drawing the canthers so broad in pro- 
portion as the mutules are generally répresented. 
The templats are the cross pieces (f f) serving to suppore 
roof, is no where else mentioned. 
the assers in the spaces between the canthers. 
The transtrae I was about to accept, as others have done, 
The assers seem to be small pieces ranged very close, in 
for the horizontal beams, h h that lay cross the building, 
order to support the tiles; for Vitruvius says, they laid 
holding together the opposite walls, when I observed that 
between the templats and the tiles; and the dentils are in 
those cross beams are mentioned in the next paragraph by 
the general name of tighae: and it is said that the transtrae imitation thereof.