THE 
ARCHITECTURE 
M. YIT RUPIUS POLLIO 
BOOK THE FIRST. 
PROEM. 
VVn hedenin n en ene e ean e ie 
enpie of the carth, and thou hadt vich invincbevelour, fibdued allthy enenies;: th- 
ditsens gloied in thy tiunph and victoy; all ations sobjedted, atended thy command. 
and the peopleand ente of Rome, deliered fiom fear, wvere gorerned by chy soperigt 
widom and judgmnent. I pesumed not then, when thou wert o much engsged, to 
pubich tis tetse of Achitecture, which I hare wich great fudy compoledi, fening to 
incur thy dipestite, by the unstnes of the time. But nou, seing the atentie, not 
ony to publie affirs, and the general securty of the stare, but allo o the convenience of 
puble edisces, for by the, Rome, the feat of the cempire, has been adomed wih 
puble buiding, as wellas enriched with prorinces) L judged it righit to delay no longer 
prelening to the these thijng; the rather, becaule, being knovn to chy facher, andadmiting 
his virtues, when the celesial council of the Gods, had raikd hin to theit innortd 
leats, and tanfred to thy command, the enpire of chy father, the vencraion richt 
recined for bis memory, procured me thy favour;, vhecore vich Ml. Aurelius, P. Numidius. 
and C. Cornelus, I was apointed to the care and repanation of the balidtas, Corpions, 
and other military engines, and wich them receive the revad. This thou didt frdt 
confer on me, in conlequence of thy fister's commendation. Being therefore so greatly 
indebted to thy beneficence, and to the end of my life freed from the fear of want; L began 
to write for the this treatise, having oberved how much thou hast built, and art now 
bulding; and foreseeing the care thou wilt have in future of public and private edifices, that 
the memory of thy great atchievements may descend to posterity. I have written these 
precepts with precision, that by their help, thou mayest judge of the works already done, or 
that lhall be done hereafter; for in these books I have revealed all the principles of the art. 
(19 wlich of he Roman emperors i vas, whom Virwvius here adtelle, sa pom not Erdled. Se the Remakes on 
the Life of Vitruvius, prefixed.