DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4423#0122
THE CURVES OF THE HORIZONTAL LINES.
87
four sides of the Temple, and all the variations occur in the thickness of the small marble Steps
placed underneath the three principal Steps. Comparing the platform, Fig. 2, on the south
side of the Parthenon, with the platform, Fig. 3, on the north side, we see two distinct designs,
and to unite them together at the south-west angle, it was requisite to introduce the Piraic
stone moulding, A, Fig. 2, underneath the lowest small Step, B, of the north-west angular
design, and if the Upper Step had been set out level this moulding, A, would have been only
0-796 feet high, while the small Step, B, above it was 0'95 feet high; and the Greeks preferred
adding 0-154 feet to the moulding, A, to make it equal in height to the Step, B, above it = 0'95
feet, and to effect this it was requisite either to throw the Upper Step slightly out of the level
or to make the Piraic stone Cornice, C, run down from east to west, and the Greek Architects
preferred throwing the difference into the Upper Step, so that the levels are slightly sacrificed
to the proportions.
We find the same thing in the arrangement of the Columns on the return side of the
Parthenon, for if the intercolumniations had been equal in the Porticoes, and on the return
sides, the length of the Upper Steps on the return sides would have been 229-53 feet, instead
of 228-017 feet, but to preserve the general proportions, the intercolumniations were slightly
changed.
Mr. Penrose's measurement of the curvature of the horizontal hues in the Temple of
Theseus, gives a slight difference in the levels of the Upper Step on the four sides varying
between O'O and '045, thus—
The Upper Step at the east end is level....... O'OOO
on the north flank.....variation 0'029
on the south flank..... „ 0'037
at the west end...... „ °'045
but I incline to the belief that the very slight variations observed in the levels of this Temple,
have been caused by earthquakes, one of which occurred while I was in Athens, and that the
lines were originally set out level. The variation of the levels in the Upper Step of the
Parthenon appears to be exceptional, whatever reason we may assign for it, but I think wr
may dismiss the idea of its being an optical correction, and in every case the extreme point
of each horizontal line in the design must be given in position before commencing the
calculation of the curvature that exists in nearly all the horizontal lines of Greek Architecture.
??
j?
we
s
87
four sides of the Temple, and all the variations occur in the thickness of the small marble Steps
placed underneath the three principal Steps. Comparing the platform, Fig. 2, on the south
side of the Parthenon, with the platform, Fig. 3, on the north side, we see two distinct designs,
and to unite them together at the south-west angle, it was requisite to introduce the Piraic
stone moulding, A, Fig. 2, underneath the lowest small Step, B, of the north-west angular
design, and if the Upper Step had been set out level this moulding, A, would have been only
0-796 feet high, while the small Step, B, above it was 0'95 feet high; and the Greeks preferred
adding 0-154 feet to the moulding, A, to make it equal in height to the Step, B, above it = 0'95
feet, and to effect this it was requisite either to throw the Upper Step slightly out of the level
or to make the Piraic stone Cornice, C, run down from east to west, and the Greek Architects
preferred throwing the difference into the Upper Step, so that the levels are slightly sacrificed
to the proportions.
We find the same thing in the arrangement of the Columns on the return side of the
Parthenon, for if the intercolumniations had been equal in the Porticoes, and on the return
sides, the length of the Upper Steps on the return sides would have been 229-53 feet, instead
of 228-017 feet, but to preserve the general proportions, the intercolumniations were slightly
changed.
Mr. Penrose's measurement of the curvature of the horizontal hues in the Temple of
Theseus, gives a slight difference in the levels of the Upper Step on the four sides varying
between O'O and '045, thus—
The Upper Step at the east end is level....... O'OOO
on the north flank.....variation 0'029
on the south flank..... „ 0'037
at the west end...... „ °'045
but I incline to the belief that the very slight variations observed in the levels of this Temple,
have been caused by earthquakes, one of which occurred while I was in Athens, and that the
lines were originally set out level. The variation of the levels in the Upper Step of the
Parthenon appears to be exceptional, whatever reason we may assign for it, but I think wr
may dismiss the idea of its being an optical correction, and in every case the extreme point
of each horizontal line in the design must be given in position before commencing the
calculation of the curvature that exists in nearly all the horizontal lines of Greek Architecture.
??
j?
we
s