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Quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“Trees which grow in places facing the course of the sun are not of porous fiber but are solid, being drained by the dryness... The trees in sunny neighborhoods, therefore, being solidified by the compact texture of their fiber, and not being porous from moisture, are very useful, so far as durability goes, when they are hewn into timber. The lowland firs, being conveyed from sunny places, are better than those highland firs, which are brought here from shady places.”

Quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Author

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, a renowned Roman architect, engineer, and writer, lived from 81 BC to 15 AD. He is considered one of the founders of Roman architecture and is best known for his work 'De Architectura', which has had a profound impact on the development of architecture throughout history. more

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“In fact, all kinds of men, and not merely architects, can recognize a good piece of work.”

Men Kind Facts Pieces All Kinds Architect

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“It was a wise and useful provision of the ancients to transmit their thoughts to posterity by recording them in treatises, so that they should not be lost, but, being developed in succeeding generations through publications in books, should gradually attain in later times, to the highest refinement of learning.”

Should Book Lost Wise Generations Succeed Highest Posterity Provision Publication Refinement Transmit

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“At Jaffa in Syria and among the Nomads in Arabia, are lakes of enormous size that yield very large masses of asphalt, which are carried off by the inhabitants thereabouts.”

Mass Size Enormous Lakes Yield Syria Arabia Nomad Asphalt

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“Some springs are acid, as at Lyncestus and in Italy in the Velian country, at Teano in Campania, and in many other places. These when used in drinks have the power of breaking up stones in the bladder, which form in the human body.”

Humans Country Body Form Used Drink Spring Stones Human Body Acid Bladder

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“It is no secret that the moon has no light of her own, but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the influence of the sun.”

Light Secret Sun Influence Moon Mirrors Receiving Brightness

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“The difference between "machines" and "engines" is obviously this, that machines need more workmen and greater power to make them take effect, as for instance ballistae and the beams of presses. Engines, on the other hand, accomplish their purpose at the intelligent touch of a single workman...”

Needs Hands Purpose Differences Greater Effects Machines Intelligent Presses Accomplish Instance Engines Beam Workmen Greater Power

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“Geometry is of much assistance in architecture, and in particular it teaches us the use of the rule and compasses, by which especially we acquire readiness in making plans for buildings in their grounds, and rightly apply the square, the level, and the plummet. By means of optics the light in buildings can be drawn from fixed quarters of the sky. Difficult questions involving symmetry are solved by means of geometrical theories and methods.”

“As for philosophy, it makes an architect high-minded and not self-assuming, but rather renders him courteous, just, and honest without avariciousness. This is very important, for no work can be rightly done without honesty and incorruptibility.”

Important Self Done Philosophy Honest Honesty Assuming Architect Courteous

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

“Astronomers have a common ground for discussion with musicians in the harmony of the stars and musical concords in tetrads and triads of the fourth and the fifth, and with geometricians in the subject of vision; and in all other sciences many points, perhaps all, are common so far as the discussion of them is concerned. But the actual undertaking of works which are brought to perfection by the hand and its manipulation is the function of those who have been specially trained to deal with a single art.”

“The construction of temples of the Ionic order to Juno, Diana, Father Bacchus, and the other gods of that kind, will be in keeping with the middle position which they hold; for the building of such will be an appropriate combination of the severity of the Doric and the delicacy of the Corinthian.”

Kind Order Father Middle Position Building Combination Appropriate Temples Construction Delicacy Diana Severity Bacchus Corinthians

Author:Marcus Vitruvius Pollio