Chapter IV. Of the five kinds of Temples

THE antients used (as has been before said) to make portico’s to their temples, for the conveniency of the people, that they might have where to entertain one another, and to walk in without the cell, in which the sacrifices were offered, and to give greater majesty and grandeur to those fabricks, Hence, because the intervals that are between one column and the other, may be made of five sizes, according to these five kinds or manners of temples, that Vitruvius _distinguishes: the names of which are Picnostilos, that is, thick with columns; Sissiles, wider; Diajiilos, still wider; Areostilos, wider than is convenient; and Eujli/os, which has reasonable and convenient intervals: of all which intercolumniations, how they be, and what proportions they ought to have, with the length of the columns, has been mentioned before in the first book, and the designs of them inserted.

It is not necessary therefore to say here any thing more, than that the four first manners are defective. The two first, because the intercolumniations being but of one diameter and an half, or of two diameters of a column, are very little and narrow, (hence two persons a breast cannot enter into the portico’s, but are obliged to go one behind the other,) and because the doors and their ornaments cannot be seen at 2 distance: and, finally, becau that by the flraitnefs of the spaces, walking round the temple is hindred. These two manners are nevertheless tolerable when the columns are made large, as may be seen in almost all the antient temples,

The third, as three diameters of a column can be put between the columns, the intercolumniations come to be very wide: hence the architraves split, by reason of the greatness of the spaces. But one may provide against this defect, by making over the architrave, in the height of the frize, arches, or remenati, that support the wei sht, and leave the 2 ph g; f FP; architrave free.

The fourth manner, although not subject to the defect of the abovementioned, because architraves of stone, or of marble, are not made use of, but that over the columns beams of timber are put; one may nevertheless say that it is also defective, because it is low, and wide, and mean, and is properly of the Tuscan order; so that the most beautiful and the most elegant manner of temples is that which is called Eustilos, which is when the intercolumniations are of two diameters and a quarter of a column; because it serves exceedingly well for use, beauty and strength.

I have called the manners of temples by the same names that Vitruvius makes use of, as I have also the aspects, not only for the abovementioned reason, but also because those names have already been received in our language, and that they are understood by every body, I shall therefore make use of them in the designs of the temples that shall follow.