The Ten Books on Architecture, 10.10.3

Vitruvius  Parallel editions

‹‹‹ Vitr. 10.10.2 | Table of Contents | Vitr. 10.10.4 ›››

Gwilt translation

3The space wherein the arrow is placed in the middle of the post, the fourth part of a hole. The four angle pieces which appear on the sides and front, are strengthened with iron hoops fastened with copper or iron nails. The length of the channel which is called στρὶξ in Greek, is nineteen holes. That of the slips (regulæ) which lie on the right and left of the channel, and which some persons call buckle, is also nineteen holes, their height and width half a hole. Two other slips are fixed for attaching the windlass, three holes long and half a hole wide. The thickness of a slip is called camillum, or according to others the dove-tailed box, and is of the dimension of one hole, its height half a hole. The length of the windlass is eight holes and an eighth. The roller nine holes wide.

Morgan translation

3The opening in the middle post, where the arrow is laid, is equal to one fourth of the hole. The four surrounding corners should have iron plates nailed to their sides and faces, or should be studded with bronze pins and nails. The pipe, called συριγξ in Greek, has a length of nineteen holes. The strips, which some term cheeks, nailed at the right and left of the pipe, have a length of nineteen holes and a height and thickness of one hole. Two other strips, enclosing the windlass, are nailed on to these, three holes long and half a hole in breadth. The cheek nailed on to them, named the “bench,” or by some the “box,” and made fast by means of dove-tailed tenons, is one hole thick and seven twelfths of a hole in height. The length of the windlass is equal to . . . holes, the thickness of the windlass to three quarters of a hole.