The Ten Books on Architecture, 10.8.2

Vitruvius  Parallel editions

‹‹‹ Vitr. 10.8.1 | Table of Contents | Vitr. 10.8.3 ›››

Gwilt translation

2Within the box, where the water is deposited, there is a species of inverted funnel, under which two collars, about three inches high, answer the purpose of keeping it level, and preserving the assigned distance between the lips of the wind-chest and the bottom of the box. On the neck a chest, framed together, sustains the head of the instrument, which in Greek is called κανῶν μουσικὸς (canon musicus); upon which, lengthwise, are channels, four in number, if the instrument be tetrachordal, six if hexachordal, and eight if octochordal.

Morgan translation

2Inside the altar, which holds the water, is a regulator shaped like an inverted funnel, under which there are cubes, each about three digits high, keeping a free space below between the lips of the regulator and the bottom of the altar. Tightly fixed on the neck of the regulator is the windchest, which supports the principal part of the contrivance, called in Greek the κανων μουσικὁς. Running longitudinally, there are four channels in it if it is a tetrachord; six, if it is a hexachord; eight, if it is an octachord.