VITRUVIUS. 
248 
CHAPTER XII. 
Of the Machine of Ctesibius. 
Fig. LXXXVII. T remains now to describe the machine of Ctesibius, which raises water very 
high. This is made of brass : at the bottom a pair of buckets (A) are placed, at a little 
distance, having pipes (B) like the shape of a fork annexed, meeting in a basin (C) in 
the middle. At the upper holes of the pipes, within the basin, are made valves, hinged with 
a very exact joint; which, stopping the holes, prevent the efflux of the water that will be 
pressed into the basin by the air. Upon the basin a cover (D), like an inverted funnel, is fitted, 
which is adjoined and fastened to the basin by a collar, rivetted through, that the pressure 
of the water may not force it off; and on the top of it a pipe (E), called the tuba, is affixed 
perpendicularly. The buckets (A) have valves placed below the lower mouths of the pipes, 
and fixed over holes that are in their bottoms; then pistons (F), turned very smooth, and 
anointed with oil, being inclosed in the buckets, are worked with bars and levers from above: 
the repeated motion of these, up and down, pressing the air that is therein contained with the 
water, the holes being fhut by the valves, forces and extrudes the water through the mouths 
of the pipes (B) into the basin (C); from whence rising to the cover (D), the air presses it up- 
wards through the pipe (E); and thus from the low situation of the reservoir raises it to 
supply the public fountains. 
Nor is this the only one that has been invented by Ctesibius: there are many others, and 
of various kinds, which, by the means of fluids compressed by the force of the air, represent 
lome natural actions; such as the Merulae, that, when put in motion, utter voices; and the 
Engibatae, that move images, seeming to drink; and other acts, entertaining to the senses of 
(1*) The hydraulic devices, called Merulae and Engi¬ 
batæe, are now unknown. The former is, from the name, 
conjectured to be an imitation of the shape and voice of 
à blackbird. The latter is by Barbaro supposed to come 
from the Greek word engion, near: but Baldus thinks it 
ihould be written angibata, coming from the Greek word 
angeion, a vose; which explication Perrault has adopted. 
translating the passage thus —et the little figures that are 
« made to move in glass vases, by means of the water 
* which the vases have received." 
Perrault here applies the word bibentia to engibata, not 
to sigilla; supposing, as he says, it is not meant that the 
images drink, but that it is the engibatae or vases that 
receive the water. I however cannot be of his opinion, 
but agree in my translation with Galiani.