VITRUVIUS.
274
nedted the whole frame!". being 1.— foot broad, and S. —thick. Upon thisthe capriols (0)
were raised in height XII. fet. On the capiols a beam (P) was laid, that united the
framing of the capriols. They had allo lateraria fixed transversely, the boarding upon which
covered all the inferior parts. It had likewise a middle floor, supported upon little beams,
wherein the scorpions and catapultas were placed. And two compact arrectaria (Q) were
erected, being in height feet XXXV.: in thickness a foot and a half : in breadth II. feet,
copioined at their tops with a tranfverse mortised beam (R, and with another (9) tenonted
in the middle between the two shafts, and fastened with iron plates. There was moreover
placed a moveable timber, laid acros within the shafts and the transverse piece, firmly held by
chelonia and ancons. In this timber were two turned axles, from which the ropes (7) lupported -
the ram (UY). Above the top of these, that supported the ram, was placed a plamuch
too small for the thickness of the posts, which Atheneus -
says was ten digits, or seven inches and a half. These
characters F. Z. therefore agree with the explication of
Meibonius, given in the table of characters at the 15th
chapter foregoing.
(75) The marks ::: and :::, in several places of this
and other chapters, appear to be not used as the sign of
any number or measure, but rather as stops or periods of
the discourse. Perrault however has thought differently,
and has invariably translated them as signifying the fraction -
1 of the integer, wherever they have occurred. Thave
endeavoured to keep them in the translation in the same
situation as in the original, which is the reason the name
of the integer is sometimes placed before the number, or
character, instead of being after it.
(8*) The lateraria are explained in the foregoing
chapter.
(9*) Atheneus says this middle floor was placed upon
the circumcluding beams before mentioned, which he
calls epistylia.
(10*) The height of these arrectaria, according to Atheneus, -
was thirty cubits, equal to XXXXV. feet; it may
therefore have been originally written XXXXV. by Vitruvius, -
and the copyists have omitted an X.
But in the breadth of these arrectaria Atheneus is probably -
wrong; for he makes it but three palms, although
he agrees with Vitruvius in the thickness being a foot
and a half: and as it is not likely that that measure of
the timber which is called its breadth should be less than
that which is called its thickness, I am induced to think.
that Atheneus may be, in this place, corrupted. Vitruvius -
does not inform us where these arrectaria were
raised; but Atheneus says it was in the middle of the
testudo.
(11*) « Quo insuper collocata erat alternis materies
«« inter scapos et transversarium trajecta." The words
alternis materies have been rendered by the translators
alternate timbers ; but the preceding word erat, plainly
indicates that they relate to a single object: and this is
confirmed by Atheneus, who mentions it as a lingle
piece of timber; so that the word alternis must here
signify that the said piece was moveable, and could be
placed alternately in different situations, higher or lower;
thus raising or lowering the ram, which was suspended
thereto. Perrault's idea of two ranges of holes, like those
in the frames for embroidery, seems totally inapplicable,
and unauthorized by the text.
This moveable timber is faid to have been placed between
the shafts and transverse piece; which, as Perrault
observes, is not possible, because those two parts join: but
the meaning (in my idea) is, that the said moveable
timber was placed within the space circumcluded by the
shafts and transverse piece; the word inter being sometimes -
used by Vitruvius in that sense, as was before
noticed at the 6th chapter of the 8th book.
(125) et Supra caput eorum qui continebant collocatum
« erat pluteum." These words have also been generally
rendered, * Over the head of those who managed the ram,
ét was placed a pluteum:" but Atheneus says it was
placed above the criodoke, or beam that supported the ram;
and Heron's sketch and words describe it to be upon the
top of the front of the tower. The word eorum therefore
