259
conical roof, with which the earliest buildings of a circular
form, yet existing in Greece, are found to have been
covered. The building in this state would resemble an
umbrella; the column, which may be supposed to have
passed through the roof', being represented by the handle
or stick. It is a curious circumstance that the prytaneum
at Athens was termed both «es and wa?; which latter word
signifies an umbrella. If we can imagine a roof of this kind
supported on the sides with props placed in the periphery of
the area, the whole building will present us with the prototype
of that kind of temple called by Vitruvius monopteral; the
covering of which he terms tholus. The sepulchre of
Porsenna mentioned by Pliny' was roofed in a similar
manner: the account he gives of it is in the following
words, * supra id quadratum pyramides stant quinque,
quatuor in angulis, et in medio una, in imo latae pedum
septuagenum, ita fastigiatae, ut in summo orbis aeneus et
petasus* unus omnibus sit impositus.
a....The gates of the wall.
e.... Prothyrum.
b....The aula or great court. f.... Doors of the coenaculum.
c.c.. Portico called aithousa.
g..... The wooden threshold.
h. Coenaculum.
d.d..Thalami under the
i... The stone threshold.
portico.
1 This supposition will explain the manner in which the cable was made to
surround the roof after it had been fastened to the great column.
2 Talves d nal o à Ahaos . Suidas in v. Zuias.
3 XXXVI. 13.
4 The petasus was either a bonnet or umbrella, and was sometimes termed
tholia. Schol. in Theocr. Idyl. XV. 38.