Palladio, Andrea: The four books of Andrea Palladio's architecture (Band 3): Wherein the ways, bridges, piazzas, basilicas, and xisti are treated of (London, 1738)

THIRD BOOK.

H

:lnrl r.ipi,litv .-,„
tobemostcon,
built, either,
EPS0****
the city, as NIT(Q
lot m an angle, ^
| for a ong ,
'I particularly be mei,

erveto chuse it st,
here it may bc uak
i, in which the mo
-y that is, of rock c;
ie places to lay fan.
■ which, gulpfci
i or bed os the riper,
rurally moved by the
by undermined, wou'd
of the river is gravel
ftcr, when I come to

onnV is direct; fece
by the W«r;
disunited from the
lid windings, all tbe
to go direCTy ssown,
the arches; whereby
nlv, it falls in time
n the middle os the
Able, and where the
But as bridges art
mer of both the o*
odcrn.

asterwards built ; when, aster having killed Geryon, he vicloriously led his herd through
Italy. It was called the holy bridge, and was Jitu.itas i:i that part oj the v. . , wss ;. &]
terwards the Pons Suhlicius was built by Ancus Marth-s the King, which was like*
wife all of timber, and its beams were joined together with so much art, that one could take
them away, and replace them according as necetfity (hould require, there being neil
nails nor any iron whatsoever in it. How it was conttructcd is not known ; but by what
writers lav of it, it was made upon great pieces of timber, which supported others, from
which it took the name os Subiicius; because such timbers in the Vojs&W* tongue were called
Subticts.
This was the bridge that was defended by Horatius Cocles, with so much ad-
vantage to his native country, and glory to himself. T\\\- bri near ''-'..'.\ where
there are it ill vejiigia to be secn in the middle of the river, becaufe it was asterwards made
of stone by/Em ilius Lepidus the pra:tor, and reitorcd by the Emperor Tiberius, and by
Antoninus Pius.
Wooden bridges os this kind ought to be made in such a manner, that they maybe very
strong, and so tied together by large strong timbers, that there may not be any danger os their
breaking, either thro' the great multitude of people, and os animals, or by the weight of
the carriages and of the artillery that ihall pals over them, nor liable to be ruined by the
inundations and the ssoods in rivers. Those that are made at the gates of the cities, how-
ever, which we call draw-bridges, because they may be railed and la I.ill according to the
will of those within, are usually paved, or covered with bars or plates of iron, that they
may not be spoiled or broken by the wheels of carriages, and by the icct oj cattle.
The timbers, as well those which are fixed in the water, as those that form the length
and breadth of the bridge, ought to be long and thick, according as the depth, the breadth,
and the velocity of the river (hall require.
But because the particulars are infinite, one cannot give a certain and determinate rule
sor them. Wherefore I mall give some designs, and mall mention their mcalurcs, srom
which every one may easily be able, according as occalion (hall osfer, of exercismg the
acuteness of his understanding, to take his measures and sorm a work that is worthy os
praile.

CHAP. VI.

O/A-Bridge direBcd by Ji

Cesar over the Rhine.

to he had r-

:'.

JULIUS CESAR having sas he says in the sourth book os Ms Commentaries) cesolved to
pass the Rhine, that the Roman powci mtglw »M« be telt in Germany, and judging that
it was not a very safe thing, nor worthy either of him, or os the Romans, to p.
barks, ordered a bridge, an admirable work, and most difficult by rcason or' the breadth,
height, and rapidity of the river. But how this bridge was built, (although he describes it)
is, nevertheless, not known, as the sorce of some of the words by him died in the de-
scription of it, is not understood > so has it been varioussy let down in designs, according to
diverse inventions. As I have alio thought a little upon it, I would therefore not omit
this opportunity os setting down the manner os it, which 1 imagined in my youth, when
first I read the said Commentaries, because it agrees pretty much (in my opinion) with
Cesar's words, and because it succeeds admirably well, as the cffecT; has been secn in a
bridge 1 have directed just without Vicenza, over the Bachiglione.
It is not my intention to consute the opinions of others, as they are all very learned men,
and worthy of the utmost praise. For having lest it IB their writings as they underilood it,
and by means of their induslry and satigue, they have greatly sacilitated the tmderilanding
of it to us. But besore we come to the designs, I (hall give the words of C/esar, which
are these.

,ose which are a*
bit that is the «*
:!,.* they may J*£
eadthatH'*"
, where »-

Rationem igitur pontis banc inslhuit. Tigna hlna sep;i<ifed,>!i,!> patkthm ah into fro-
acuta, dimensa ad altitudinem fiuminis, interval/o pedum auorum inter se jungeb&t. Httc cunt
machinationihm demijsa in ssutnai defixeraf, //;.',,//.- ad ;•■■', i / mdo diretta ad ptr-
pendiculum, sed prona, ac jastigiata, ut jhundum naturoM fiuminis prceumberent; his item con-
traria duo ad cundem modum juncia tnteruasso pedum quadragenum ab inseriare partt .