‹‹‹ Vitr. 2.9.15 | Table of Contents | Vitr. 2.9.17 ›››
16As soon as the flames, reaching almost to the heavens, began to encompass the tower, every one expected to see its demolition. But as soon as the fire was extinct, the tower appeared still unhurt; and Cæsar, wondering at the cause of it, ordered it to be blockaded out of arrow’s flight, and thus carried the town, which was delivered up to him by its trembling inhabitants. They were then asked where they obtained this sort of wood, which would not burn. They shewed him the trees, which are in great abundance in those parts. Thus, as the fortress was called Larignum, so the wood, whereof the tower was built, is called larigna (larch). It is brought down the Po to Ravenna, for the use of the municipalities of Fano, Pesaro, Ancona, and the other cities in that district. If there were a possibility of transporting it to Rome, it would be very useful in the buildings there; if not generally, at least it would be excellent for the plates under the eaves of those houses in Rome which are insulated, as they would be thus secured from catching fire, since they would neither ignite nor consume, nor burn into charcoal.
16The flames soon kindled the brushwood which lay about that wooden structure and, rising towards heaven, made everybody think that the whole pile had fallen. But when the fire had burned itself out and subsided, and the tower appeared to view entirely uninjured, Caesar in amazement gave orders that they should be surrounded with a palisade, built beyond the range of missiles. So the townspeople were frightened into surrendering, and were then asked where that wood came from which was not harmed by fire. They pointed to trees of the kind under discussion, of which there are very great numbers in that vicinity. And so, as that stronghold was called Larignum, the wood was called larch. It is transported by way of the Po to Ravenna, and is to be had in Fano, Pesaro, Ancona, and the other towns in that neighbourhood. If there were only a ready method of carrying this material to Rome, it would be of the greatest use in buildings; if not for general purposes, yet at least if the boards used in the eaves running round blocks of houses were made of it, the buildings would be free from the danger of fire spreading across to them, because such boards can neither take fire from flames or from burning coals, nor ignite spontaneously.