DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26532#0028
vi INTRODUCTION.
in his Ten Books; and whoever is unread in them
will hardly be deemed worthy to rank with its qua-
lified Professors.
Though Vitruvius is named by Roman Authors/
little more is known of him than what has been col-
lected from scattered passages in his own work. The
molt probable opinion, suggested by much disquisi-
tion concerning the place of his birth, is, that he was
born at, or near, Formiae f in new Latium. From
sepulchral inscriptions, sound there and in the vici-
nity, it is evident that a family of the name was
settled in that distriCt; and there is no degree of pre-
sumption, from any hint he has left us, that he was
born elsewhere. The gratitude he, in the preface to
his sixth book, expresses for the indulgence of his
parents to him in a liberal education, together with
the information he displays through the whole of his
treatise, /news that he was well instruCted in all that
could accomplish him for his profession ; and, at the
same time, speaks him descended from persons of
some ability. It further appears, from his own ac-
count of himsels, that he made some campaigns un-
der Julius Ctesarg and v/as known to him as an Ar-
chitect. Upon the death of Julius, he passed to the
service of his great nephew and successor Augustus, at
the recommendation of that Emperor’s silter OCtavia
Major s was by him intruded with a shareh in the
c The elder Pliny, Frontinus, &c.
s Now Mola di Gaeta.
£ Vitruv, B. VIII. cap. 4. Pref. to B. I.
h conjointly with M. Aurelius, P. Numidius, and Cn. Cornelius. See Pref.
toB, I,
management
in his Ten Books; and whoever is unread in them
will hardly be deemed worthy to rank with its qua-
lified Professors.
Though Vitruvius is named by Roman Authors/
little more is known of him than what has been col-
lected from scattered passages in his own work. The
molt probable opinion, suggested by much disquisi-
tion concerning the place of his birth, is, that he was
born at, or near, Formiae f in new Latium. From
sepulchral inscriptions, sound there and in the vici-
nity, it is evident that a family of the name was
settled in that distriCt; and there is no degree of pre-
sumption, from any hint he has left us, that he was
born elsewhere. The gratitude he, in the preface to
his sixth book, expresses for the indulgence of his
parents to him in a liberal education, together with
the information he displays through the whole of his
treatise, /news that he was well instruCted in all that
could accomplish him for his profession ; and, at the
same time, speaks him descended from persons of
some ability. It further appears, from his own ac-
count of himsels, that he made some campaigns un-
der Julius Ctesarg and v/as known to him as an Ar-
chitect. Upon the death of Julius, he passed to the
service of his great nephew and successor Augustus, at
the recommendation of that Emperor’s silter OCtavia
Major s was by him intruded with a shareh in the
c The elder Pliny, Frontinus, &c.
s Now Mola di Gaeta.
£ Vitruv, B. VIII. cap. 4. Pref. to B. I.
h conjointly with M. Aurelius, P. Numidius, and Cn. Cornelius. See Pref.
toB, I,
management