Alberti, Leone Battista
,
Architecture
,
1755
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<
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>CHAP. IV.</
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Of the Inſcriptions and Symbols carved on Sepulchres
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<
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>Let us now proceed to the Inſcriptions
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themſelves, the Uſe whereof was various,
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and almoſt infinite among the Ancients, being
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by them not only uſed in their Sepulchres, but
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alſo in their Temples, and even in their private
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Houſes.
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Symmachus
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tells us, that on the Pe
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diments of their Temples they uſed to cut the
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Name of the God to whom they dedicated,
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and it is the Practice with our Countrymen to
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inſcribe upon their Churches the Name of the
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Saints, and the Year when they were conſe
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crated to them; which I highly approve. </
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>Nor
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is it foreign to our Subject to take Notice, that
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when
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Crates
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the Philoſopher came to
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Cyzicus,
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finding theſe Verſes wrote over the Door of al
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moſt every private Houſe:</
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The mighty
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Hercules,
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the Son of
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Jove,
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The Scourge of Monſters, dwells within theſe Walls.
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<
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>Let nothing ill dare to approach the Place.
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>HE could not help laughing, and adviſed
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them rather to write over their Doors:
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Here
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dwells Poverty;
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thinking that would drive away
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all Sorts of Monſters muſt faſter than
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Hercules
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himſelf, though he were to live again. </
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<
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>Epitaphs
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on Sepulchres are either written, which are pro
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perly Epigrams, or repreſented by Figures and
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Symbols.
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Plato
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would not have an Epitaph
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conſiſt of more than four Lines; and accord
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ingly
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Ovid
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ſays:</
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On the rear'd Column be my Story wrote,
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But brief, that every Paſſenger may read.
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<
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>AND it is certain that Prolixity, though it
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is to be condemned every where, is worſe in
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this Caſe than any other: Or if the Inſcription
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be of any Length, it ought to be extremely
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elegant, and apt to raiſe Compaſſion, and ſo
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pleaſing that you may not regret the Trouble
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of reading it, but be fond of getting it by Heart,
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and repeating it often. </
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<
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>That of
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Omenea
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has
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been much commended.</
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If cruel Fate allow'd the ſad Exchange
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Of Life for Life, how chearfully for thee,
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My beſt-lov'd
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Omenea
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had I died!
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But ſince it muſt not be, theſe weeping Eyes
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The hated Sun and painful Light ſhall fly,
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To ſeek thee in the gloomy Realms below.
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<
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>So this other:</
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Behold, O Citizens, the Buſt and Urn
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Of ancient
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Ennius,
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your old Bard, who ſung
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In lofty Notes your Fathers brave Exploits.
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<
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>Let none with Tears or ſolemn funeral Pomp
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Bewail my Death, for
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Ennius
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ſtill ſurvives,
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Still honour'd lives upon the Tongue of Fame.
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<
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>ON the Tombs of thoſe that were ſlain at
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Thermopylæ,
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was this Inſcription:
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O Paſſenger,
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tell the
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Spartans
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that we lie here, obeying their
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Commands.
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> Nor is there any thing amiſs in
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throwing in a Stroke of Pleaſantry upon ſuch
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an Occaſion.</
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Thy Journey, Traveller, a Moment ſtay
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To view a Wonder ſtrange and ſeldom ſeen:
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A Man and Wife that lie for once at Peace.
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<
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>Thou ask'ſt our Name. </
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<
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>Ne'er ſhalt thou know
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from me.
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<
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>Mind not my ſtutt'ring Husband; come to me:
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His Name is
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Balbus, Bebbra
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mine. </
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<
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>Ah Wife!
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Will nothing ſtop that drunken Tongue of thine!
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<
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>I AM extremely delighted with ſuch Inſcripti
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ons. </
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<
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>The Ancients uſed to gild the Letters
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which they uſed in their Inſcriptions. </
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<
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>The
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Ægyptians
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employed Symbols in the following
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Manner: They carved an Eye, by which they
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underſtood God; a Vulture for Nature; a Bee
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for King; a Circle for Time; an Ox for Peace,
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and the like. </
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<
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>And their Reaſon for expreſſing
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their Senſe by theſe Symbols was, that Words
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were underſtood only by the reſpective Nations
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that talked the Language, and therefore In
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ſcriptions in common Characters muſt in a ſhort
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Time be loſt: As it has actually happened to
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our
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Etrurian
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Characters: For among the Ruins
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of ſeveral Towns, Caſtles and Burial-places, I
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have ſeen Tomb-ſtones dug up with Inſcripti
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ons on them, as is generally believed, in
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Etru
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rian
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Characters, which are like both thoſe of
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the
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Greeks
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and
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Latins;
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but no body can un
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derſtand them: And the ſame, the
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Ægyptians
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ſuppoſed, muſt be the Caſe with all Sorts of </
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