Full text: Vitruvius: The architecture of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, in ten books

sions. Among them was a fortress called Larignum, 
whose inhabitants, trusting to their fortifications, refused 
to obey the mandate. Cæsar ordered his forces to the 
spot immediately. In front of the gate of this fortress 
stood a tower built of this species of timber, of consider¬ 
able height, and constructed after the manner of a funeral 
pile, with beams alternately crossing each other at their 
extremities, so that the besieged might, from its top, an¬ 
noy the besiegers with darts and stones. It appearing 
that the persons on the tower had no other arms than 
darts, which, from their weight, could not be hurled any 
great distance from the walls, orders were given to con¬ 
vey bundles of fire-wood and torches to the tower, which 
were quickly executed by the soldiers. As soon as the 
flames, reaching almost to the heavens, began to en¬ 
compass the tower, every one expected to see its demoli¬ 
tion. But as soon as the fire was extinct, the tower ap¬ 
peared still unhurt ; and Cæsar, wondering at the cause 
of it, ordered it to be blockaded out of arrow's flight, 
and thus carried the town, which was delivered up to him 
by its trembling inhabitants. They were then asked 
where they obtained this sort of wood, which would not 
burn. They shewed him the trees, which are in great 
abundance in those parts. Thus, as the fortress was 
called Larignum, so the wood, whereof the tower was 
built, is called larigna (larch). It is brought down the 
Po to Ravenna, for the use of the municipalities of Fano, 
Pesaro, Ancona, and the other cities in that district. If 
there were a possibility of transporting it to Rome, it would 
be very useful in the buildings there ; if not generally, at 
least it would be excellent for the plates under the eaves of 
those houses in Rome which are insulated, as they would be
	        
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