*
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CHAP. IX.
Of the Entablature, the Architrave, Triglyphs, Dentils, Mutules, Cavetto,
and Drip or Crona, as alſo of Flutings and ſome other Ornaments helong
ing to Columns.
and Drip or Crona, as alſo of Flutings and ſome other Ornaments helong
ing to Columns.
Having fixed our Capitals, we upon
them raiſe our Architraves, upon the
Architrave the Freze, Cornice and other Mem
bers of the Covering. In moſt of theſe Mem
bers the Ionians and all others differ very much
from the Dorians; though in ſome Particulars
they agree. For Inſtance, it is a general Rule,
that the Thickneſs of the Bottom of the Ar
chitrave ſhould be never greater than the Solid
of the Top of the Shaft of the Column, nor
ſhould the Breadth of the Top of the ſame
Architrave be greater than the Diameter of the
Bottom of the Shaft. The Cornice is that
Member which lies upon the Freze, and pro
jects over it. In this too they obſerved the
Rule which we have already given, that the
Projecture of all Members that ſtood out from
the Naked of the Wall ought to be equal to
their Height. It was alſo uſual with them to
make their Cornice lean forwards about a
twelfth Part of its Width, knowing that this
Member would ſeem to be falling backwards,
if it were ſet up at right Angles. I here again
entreat thoſe who ſhall hereafter tranſcribe this
Book, and I do it in the moſt earneſt Manner,
that they would write the Numbers which I
ſet down with Letters at Length, and not with
numeral Characters, for the avoiding of more
numerous Errors. The Dorians then never
made the Height of their Architrave leſs than
half the Diameter of the Bottom of their Co
lumn, and this Architrave they divided into
three Faſcias, under the uppermoſt of which
ran ſome ſhort Mouldings, in each whereof
ſtuck ſix Nails, which were fixed in thoſe
Mouldings with their Heads downwards, and
might at firſt be intended to keep the Freze
from retiring backward. The whole Height
of this Architrave they divided into twelve
Parts or Minutes, by which we ſhall meaſure
all the following Members. Four of theſe
Minutes they gave to the lower Faſcia, ſix to
the Middle one which is above it, and the other
two they left for the upper Faſcia; and of the
ſix Minutes given to the middle Faſcia, one
was allowed to the Reglet or Moulding under
the Tænia, and another to the Nails which
ſtuck in that Moulding. The Length of theſe
Reglets was twelves Minutes, and the Spaces
from one Reglet to the other were eighteen.
Over the Architrave for an Ornament they ſet
the Triglyphs, the Front of which, being raiſed
High and Perpendicular, projected over the
Architrave half a Minute. The Breadth of
the Triglyphs muſt be equal to the Thickneſs
of the Architrave, and their Height or Length
half as much more, ſo that this will be eight
teen Minutes. Lengthways in the Face of theſe
Triglyphs we cut three Furrows at equal Diſ
tance from each other, and hollowed at right
Angles, allowing the Breadth of the opening
one Minute. The Corners of theſe Furrows or
Channels muſt be cut away to the Breadth of
half a Minute. The Spaces or Metopes be
tween the Triglyphs, where the Proportions are
elegant, are flat Tables exactly ſquare, and the
Triglyphs themſelves muſt be ſet perpendicu
larly over the Solid of their Columns. The
Face of the Triglyphs project half a Minute out
from the Metopes; but the Perpendicular of
the Metopes muſt fall exactly upon the lower
Faſcia of the Architrave. In theſe Metopes it
is uſual to carve the Skulls of Oxen, Pateras,
Wheels, and the like. Over each of theſe
Triglyphs and Metopes, inſtead of a Cymati
um, muſt run a Fillet of the Breadth of two
Minutes, over theſe a Cima-inverſa of the
Breadth of two Minutes, and above that a Plat
band of the Breadth of three Minutes, which is
adorned with little Eggs, in Imitation, perhaps,
of the ſmall Stones which ſometimes burſt out
between the Joints of a Pavement through the
too great Abundance of Mortar. In theſe we
fix the Mutules of the ſame Breadth as the
Triglyphs, and of the ſame Height as the Plat
band, placed directly over the Heads of the
Triglyphs and projecting twelve Minutes. The
Heads of the Mutules are cut Perpendicular,
with a Cymaiſe over them. Over the Mutules
runs a ſmall Cima of three Quarters of a Mi
nute. In the Plat-fond of the Entablature be
tween the Mutules we carve a Roſe or a Flower
them raiſe our Architraves, upon the
Architrave the Freze, Cornice and other Mem
bers of the Covering. In moſt of theſe Mem
bers the Ionians and all others differ very much
from the Dorians; though in ſome Particulars
they agree. For Inſtance, it is a general Rule,
that the Thickneſs of the Bottom of the Ar
chitrave ſhould be never greater than the Solid
of the Top of the Shaft of the Column, nor
ſhould the Breadth of the Top of the ſame
Architrave be greater than the Diameter of the
Bottom of the Shaft. The Cornice is that
Member which lies upon the Freze, and pro
jects over it. In this too they obſerved the
Rule which we have already given, that the
Projecture of all Members that ſtood out from
the Naked of the Wall ought to be equal to
their Height. It was alſo uſual with them to
make their Cornice lean forwards about a
twelfth Part of its Width, knowing that this
Member would ſeem to be falling backwards,
if it were ſet up at right Angles. I here again
entreat thoſe who ſhall hereafter tranſcribe this
Book, and I do it in the moſt earneſt Manner,
that they would write the Numbers which I
ſet down with Letters at Length, and not with
numeral Characters, for the avoiding of more
numerous Errors. The Dorians then never
made the Height of their Architrave leſs than
half the Diameter of the Bottom of their Co
lumn, and this Architrave they divided into
three Faſcias, under the uppermoſt of which
ran ſome ſhort Mouldings, in each whereof
ſtuck ſix Nails, which were fixed in thoſe
Mouldings with their Heads downwards, and
might at firſt be intended to keep the Freze
from retiring backward. The whole Height
of this Architrave they divided into twelve
Parts or Minutes, by which we ſhall meaſure
all the following Members. Four of theſe
Minutes they gave to the lower Faſcia, ſix to
the Middle one which is above it, and the other
two they left for the upper Faſcia; and of the
ſix Minutes given to the middle Faſcia, one
was allowed to the Reglet or Moulding under
the Tænia, and another to the Nails which
ſtuck in that Moulding. The Length of theſe
Reglets was twelves Minutes, and the Spaces
from one Reglet to the other were eighteen.
Over the Architrave for an Ornament they ſet
the Triglyphs, the Front of which, being raiſed
High and Perpendicular, projected over the
Architrave half a Minute. The Breadth of
the Triglyphs muſt be equal to the Thickneſs
of the Architrave, and their Height or Length
half as much more, ſo that this will be eight
teen Minutes. Lengthways in the Face of theſe
Triglyphs we cut three Furrows at equal Diſ
tance from each other, and hollowed at right
Angles, allowing the Breadth of the opening
one Minute. The Corners of theſe Furrows or
Channels muſt be cut away to the Breadth of
half a Minute. The Spaces or Metopes be
tween the Triglyphs, where the Proportions are
elegant, are flat Tables exactly ſquare, and the
Triglyphs themſelves muſt be ſet perpendicu
larly over the Solid of their Columns. The
Face of the Triglyphs project half a Minute out
from the Metopes; but the Perpendicular of
the Metopes muſt fall exactly upon the lower
Faſcia of the Architrave. In theſe Metopes it
is uſual to carve the Skulls of Oxen, Pateras,
Wheels, and the like. Over each of theſe
Triglyphs and Metopes, inſtead of a Cymati
um, muſt run a Fillet of the Breadth of two
Minutes, over theſe a Cima-inverſa of the
Breadth of two Minutes, and above that a Plat
band of the Breadth of three Minutes, which is
adorned with little Eggs, in Imitation, perhaps,
of the ſmall Stones which ſometimes burſt out
between the Joints of a Pavement through the
too great Abundance of Mortar. In theſe we
fix the Mutules of the ſame Breadth as the
Triglyphs, and of the ſame Height as the Plat
band, placed directly over the Heads of the
Triglyphs and projecting twelve Minutes. The
Heads of the Mutules are cut Perpendicular,
with a Cymaiſe over them. Over the Mutules
runs a ſmall Cima of three Quarters of a Mi
nute. In the Plat-fond of the Entablature be
tween the Mutules we carve a Roſe or a Flower