Chapter XXI. Of the Palestra’s and of the Xysti of the Greeks

HAVING treated of ways, of bridges, and of piazza’s, it remains that mention should now be made of those edifices made by the antient Greeks, into which men went to rise themselves; and it is very likely, that at the time the cities of Greece were governed asa republic, in every city there was one of these edifices; where the young men, besides the learning of sciences, by exercising their bodies in the things belonging to the art of war, such as to know the orders, to throw the bar, to wrestle, to manage their arms, to swim with a weight upon their shoulders, they became fit for action, and for all the accidents of war. Hence they could afterwards, by their valour, and military discipline, tho'but a few in number, overcome a very numerous army.

The Romans, after their example, had the Campus Martius, in which the youth were publicly exercised in the said military actions, from which proceeded wonderful effects, and their notable victories in battle.

Caesar writes in his Commentaries, that being on a sudden attacked by the Nerwvii, and seeing that the seventh and twelfth legion were in manner so confined, that they could not sight, commanded that they should extend and place themselves one on the flank of the other, that they might have an opportunity of handling their arms, and not be surrounded by the enemies; which being immediately done by the soldiers, he obtained the victory, and they the immortal name of being brave, and well disci-lined: since, in the very heat of battle, when things were full of danger and confusion, they performed that, which to many in our times would seem a thing very difficult to be done, even when the enemies are at a distance, and when there is conveniency both of time and place. Of such like glorious actions the Greek and Latin histories are almost all full; and there is no doubt but that it proceeded from their continual exercising of the young fren.

From this exercise, the said places, which (as Vitruvius relates, in the eleventh chapter of his fifth book) the Greeks built, were by them called Palestra’s and Xisti, and their disposition was this. In the first place they designed the square piazza, two stadia in circumference; that is, of two hundred and fifty paces; and on three sides thereof they made simple portico’s, and under them ample halls, in which were the men of letters, such as philosophers, and the like, disputing and discoursing. On the fourth side, which was turned to the south, they made double portico’s, that the rains driven by the winds, might not enter them far, in winter; and that the sun might be kept off in summer. In the middle of this portico was a very great hall, one square and an half in length, where the young men were instructed. On the left hand of which, was the place where the girls were instructed; behind that, the place where the wrestlers powdered themselves; and farther on, the rooms for cold washing, or what now we call cold bathing, which comes to be in the turning of the portico. On the left of the place for the young men, was the place where they anointed their bodies, in order to be the stronger; and near to it the cold room, where they undress'd themselves; and farther on, the warm room, where they made a fire, from whence one came into the hot room. This room had on one part of it the laconicum, which was the place where they seated, and on the other the room for hot bathing: because these prudent men were willing to imitate nature, which from an extream cold, leads gradually to an extream hear; and that one might not on a sudden, from the cold room, enter into the hot one, but intermediately thro’ the warm one.

On the outside of the said places there were three portico’s, one on the side where the entrance was, which might be made towards the east or west; the other two were, one on the right, and the other on the left; one placed towards the north, and the other towards the south, That which faced the north, was double, and in breadth what the columns were long. The other, facing the south, was simple, but much larger than either of the abovesaid, and was divided in this manner: the space of ten foot was left on the side of the columns, and on that of the wall, which space is by Vitruvius called the margin; by two steps six foot broad, one descended into a floor, not less than twelve foot in breadth, in which, during the winter season, the wrestlers might exercise themselves under cover, without being interrupted by those that stood under the portico to look on; who allo, by reason of the said lowness of the place where the wrestlers were could see better.’ This portico was properly called Xistus. The Xisti were so made, that between two portico’s there might be groves and plantations, and the streets between the trees paved with mosaic work.

Near the Xistus, and the double portico, the covered places to walk in were designed, by them called Peridromis; in which, in winter, when the sky was serene, the wrestlers might exercise themselves. The Jiadium was on one side of this edifice, and was the place where the multitude could stand commodiously to see the wrestlers engage.

From this kind of edifices the Roman Emperors took example, who ordered the baths to delight and please the people, as being places where men went to recreate and wath themselves; of which in the following book I shall treat, God willing.

X D, The

¥, The cold room. 1, The laconicum.

exercised themselves, called Xistus. Q, Stadium, where the multitude flood to see the wreflers engage, +, The east.

v, The north. other places made in the design are cfedre and schools.

The END of the THIRD BOOK.

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