DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5178#0037
28 ON A MS. HIST. OF CANDIA, BY ONORIO BELLI.
NOTE.
TT will be seen by the quotations from Maffei (p. 9) that Belli's work contained
plans of seven theatres and two amphitheatres. Of these, six out of the
seven plans of theatres are fortunately preserved to us. The other theatre, of
which the plan is lost, is that of Cydonia, which is the more to be regretted as
the theatre was demolished shortly afterwards to furnish materials for a fort-
ress. The two plans of amphitheatres were those of Gortyna and Hierapytna;
the other amphitheatres, the remains of which were not sufficiently entire to
allow of his taking plans, were those of Chersonesus and Cisamus. Two sets
of these plans are preserved in the Ambrosiana : one set is more carelessly
drawn than the other; the columns especially are either disproportionately large
or small. These are probably the drawings sent over by Belli to his uncle, and
of which he says in his second letter: "The drawings which I now send you
have been executed in a great hurry, and both ink and paper have ruined me;
but those in my book are drawn with care. I send them you, however, merely
to give you an idea of these monuments."
The three smaller theatres, of Hierapytna, Gortyna, and Chersonesus, are
built on a plain, the others on the slopes of hills. The scalse are conjectural ;
they not being shown at all by Belli, who has indeed sufficiently confused his
plan by endeavouring to represent the seats of the theatre and the substructive
walls on the same plan. I have in every case given a fae-simile of one half of
the cavea of the original plan as my authority; the only alteration in the other
parts being the enlarging or diminishing the size of the columns, etc., in accord-
ance with Belli's own instructions.
Belli is accused by Maffei of restoring the plans "according to the custom
of those times," that is in the manner practised by Palladio, who restored all
such parts for which he considered he had any authority, and which were
wanted in order to complete the plan. The appearance of the plans will not
warrant our wholly acquitting him of this charge, lawful though it might be
regarded; yet, on the other hand, the plans themselves, by their variety of
detail, bear evidence of considerable faithfulness. More especially is this
NOTE.
TT will be seen by the quotations from Maffei (p. 9) that Belli's work contained
plans of seven theatres and two amphitheatres. Of these, six out of the
seven plans of theatres are fortunately preserved to us. The other theatre, of
which the plan is lost, is that of Cydonia, which is the more to be regretted as
the theatre was demolished shortly afterwards to furnish materials for a fort-
ress. The two plans of amphitheatres were those of Gortyna and Hierapytna;
the other amphitheatres, the remains of which were not sufficiently entire to
allow of his taking plans, were those of Chersonesus and Cisamus. Two sets
of these plans are preserved in the Ambrosiana : one set is more carelessly
drawn than the other; the columns especially are either disproportionately large
or small. These are probably the drawings sent over by Belli to his uncle, and
of which he says in his second letter: "The drawings which I now send you
have been executed in a great hurry, and both ink and paper have ruined me;
but those in my book are drawn with care. I send them you, however, merely
to give you an idea of these monuments."
The three smaller theatres, of Hierapytna, Gortyna, and Chersonesus, are
built on a plain, the others on the slopes of hills. The scalse are conjectural ;
they not being shown at all by Belli, who has indeed sufficiently confused his
plan by endeavouring to represent the seats of the theatre and the substructive
walls on the same plan. I have in every case given a fae-simile of one half of
the cavea of the original plan as my authority; the only alteration in the other
parts being the enlarging or diminishing the size of the columns, etc., in accord-
ance with Belli's own instructions.
Belli is accused by Maffei of restoring the plans "according to the custom
of those times," that is in the manner practised by Palladio, who restored all
such parts for which he considered he had any authority, and which were
wanted in order to complete the plan. The appearance of the plans will not
warrant our wholly acquitting him of this charge, lawful though it might be
regarded; yet, on the other hand, the plans themselves, by their variety of
detail, bear evidence of considerable faithfulness. More especially is this