Chapter XI. Of the Private Houses of the Greeks

THE Greeks held a different manner of building from the Latins; because, vitruvius says, omitting the loggia’s and atrio’s, they made the entrance of the house little and narrow; and on one part placed the stables for horses, and on the other the porter’s rooms, From this first passage one enter'd the court; which had on three sides portico’s, and on the part fronting the south they made two Anti, i. e. pilasters, which supported the beams of the more inward ceilings; because some space being left on the one side, and the other, there were very large places appointed for the mothers of families, wherein they dwell with their men and women servants. And even with the said Anti were some rooms, which we may call antichamber, chamber, and back room, as they are one behind the other. Round the portico’s were places for eating, sleeping, and for other like necessary things to the family, To this edifice they annexed another, of much greater size, and ornament, with more ample courts; in which they either made four porticos of an equal height, or one that was greater, viz. that which fronted the south, and the court which had this higher portico was Called Rhodiaco; perhaps because the invention came from the Rhodians. These courts had magnificent loggia’s forwards, with particular gates of their own, wherein the men only dwelt. Near this fabrick, on the right and left, they made other houses, which had particular gates of their own, and all the conveniences necessary to make them habitable; and in these strangers were lodged: for it was the custom among these people, when a stranger came, to conduct him the first day to eat with them, and then to assign him a lodging in the said houses, and send him thither all the necessaries of life; whereby the strangers were in every respect as free, as if they had been in their own house.

Let it suffice to have said thus much concerning the houses of the Greeks, and of city houses.

Of the parts of the houses of the Greeks.

A, passage. O, place leading from the lesser into the Plate B, fables. greater court. C, places for the porters. P, the three portico's, having small co E, entrance to the rooms. Q, Lriclini, Ciziceni, and Cancelarie, or F, places where the women did their work, the places to be painted.

antichamber. 8, library, H, middling chamber. T, square halls, where they used to eat. 1, small room. V, the bouses for the strangers. K, small halls to eat én, X, little alleys, which parted the said bouses M, second court, larger than the Sir. Y, small uncovered courts, N, portico greater than the three others, Z, principal fire,

from with the court is called Rbodiaco,