The Ten Books on Architecture, 4.2.4

Vitruvius  translated by Joseph Gwilt

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4and not, as some have erroneously said, from the circumstance of triglyphs being introduced as windows; which could not be the case, inasmuch as they are placed on external angles, and immediately over columns, in both which situations windows would be absurd, in the highest degree, for the tye at the angles of buildings would be entirely destroyed, if occupied by windows; and therefore the dentils of the Ionic orders might as properly be seen to occupy the places of windows, if the spaces occupied by triglyphs have an origin of such a nature. The intervals, moreover, between dentils, as well as those between triglyphs, are called metopæ. Besides, the Greeks, by the word ὄπαι, signify the beds of the beams, which we call cava columbaria: thus the space between two beams obtained the name of a metopa.

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