The Porta dei Leoni at Verona

IN Verena, at the Gate Dei Leoni, there is a Tryumphant Arch, with two like goings through, which I neuer saw in any other place besides, but many with 3. Arches: which building, although it hath the figure of 6. windowes, yet go they not through, neyther yet very déepe in the wall: whereby you may iudge, that some round Images stoode in them. Aboue the first Cornice this building is hollow, in maner of a Nich or seate, but not very déepe in the wall, but yet with helpe of the proiecture, or striking out of the Cornice, men might stand there to doe some thing or other, while the Triumph lasted: but for that this concerneth the workeman very little, I will speake of the measures. And first, the opening of the 1. Arch is 11. foote wide, and 18. foote high: the Blocke vnder the Pedestall, is one foote high: the Base of the Pedestall is 3. Ounces: the flat of the Pedestall is 2. foote and one Ounce high: and the Cornice is 3. Ounces: the height of the Bases of the Columnes is 8. Ounces and a halfe: the height of the Columnes, without Bases or Capitals is 12. foote and 1. third part: their thicknes is 1. foot, 4. Ounces: the height of the Capitall is 1. foote, 8. Ounces: the height of the Architraue is one foote, 5. Ounces: the height of the Fréese is one foote, 8. Ounces; and so much is the height of the Cornices: from the Cornices to the second Roofe is 3. foote and a halfe, whereon there are certayne Mutiles, whereupon Images had stoode, made fast to the 7. Pilasters, betwéene which, little windowes, beautified with small pillars, stand, but not much bearing out: the widenes of a window is 2. foote, 2. Ounces: their height is 4. foot, 3 Ounces: the height of the greatest Columnes is 5. foote, 4. Ounces, with Bases and Capitals which are flat, not not much raysed vp. The height of the second Architraue is 6. Ounces and a halfe: the height of the Fréese is one foot and a halfe: the height of the Cornice is 10. Ounces and a halfe: the Corona licis aboue the same Cornice, is 10. Ounces high. The Base of the second Pedestall is one foote, the flat o• it selfe is 3. foote, 7. Ounces and a halfe high: the Base of the second Columne is 8. Ounces: the height of the Columnes is 8. foote. 3. Ounces and a halfe. The thicknesse of the sayd Columnes is 10. Ounces and a halfe: the height of the Capitall is one foote, one Ounce and a halfe: the height of the Architraue is one foote and one Ounce: the height of the Fréese is 1. foote, 2. ounces: the height of the Cornice is one foote, whereon there standeth some part of the wall, but a man cannot perceiue what it might be. This Arch is not very thicke, neyther beautified on the sides; for that behind this Arch there is another, standing so néere together, that a man can hardly goe betwéene them both, as I will shew hereafter when I speake of the other figure: the windowes stand not in any good order, but somewhat vnséemely: for the 2. windowes are not right in Perpendicular vpon the sharpe poynt of the Frontispice, but some part aside, which sheweth not well: and for that I could not endure such disorder, I haue placed them orderly. The Capitals of these Arches are part Composita, and part Corinthia, as hereafter I will set downe in Figure.

Louing Reader, Corottus, a Paynter in Verona, hath counterfeited this Arch: the Cornice vnder the Timpanum is not there: for he placeth there certayne order of figures resting vpon the Architraue: the which Architraue, you must vnderstand, is betweene the 2. Columnes ouer each Arch, and is somewhat flat, because of the writing following.

Ouer this Arch, on the right haud, these letters following stand.

T. FLAVIVS P. F. NORICVS, IIII. VIR. ID. V. F. BAVIA. Q. L. PRIMA SIBI, ET POLICLITO, SIVE SERVO, SIVE LIBERTO MEO, ET L. CALPVRNIO VEGETO.

HEre before, I spake of the vniuersall measure of the sayd Arch, and thereunto set downe the forme, according to the proportion of the same, but cannot giue perfectly the particular parts in so small a forme. Of which members, for that there are diuers ornaments in them, I will in this lease declare them: touching the height and thicknesse, I will speake no more; for I haue done it already: but I will onely shew which they are. The Figure marked G. is the first Pedestall, with the Bases, and the beginning of the Columnes, the which is hollowed: all the members are proportioned according to their greatnesse. The Capitall marked E. hauing the Architraue vpon it, followeth vpon the first Columne, as the hollowing sheweth. The Figure marked D. is the Architraue, Fréese and Cornice together, which stand aboue the first Columne: which Cornice, by the authoritie and example, which is by me in many places alledged, the iudicious Reader may know, whether they be erroneous or good. The Capitall marked F. is that, which vpholdeth the Arch vpon the fouresquare Pillars; these two Capitals are called, Latine worke, and very fayre. I will not, as I haue said, speake of the measures, for that this Figure is proportioned after the principall, and with great diligence transported from the great into the small.

The halfe of the common foote, wherewith the aforesayd double Arch, with the following ornaments, is measured.

AS I sayd before, the Arch is very rich of ornaments, and among them, some very fayre and perfect; some also very vicious & ill made: and in trueth, I finde nothing that more misliketh me, then the Cornice marked D. in the other lease, for the reasons before shewed: but all the rest before set downe are of good proportion, as well the workes as the Cornices. And as the parts of the first story are, so are these following of the second story. The Mutiles marked H. are in the beginning of the second story aboue the Frontispicie: vpon which Images (as I haue declared) there were Images fastened against the flat Pilasters. The window marked I. is the forme of one of the Windowes with the Cornice vpon it and therefore iust of his measure. That Capitall and the Base marked K. is of the same windowes, shewed in greatest forme, that the members may be the better vnderstood. That Base and Capitall marked L. is the little Pillar betweene the Pilasters and the window: and in trueth, in these two Bases, that is, that of the greatest of the small Pillars ioyned with the lesser, the workeman was very iudicious to accord or agrée the one with the other, that the greatest Pillar should haue his due Base, and the lesser should also haue a lesse Base, according to proportion, which I commend much. The Architraue, Fréese and Cornice, marked C. sheweth that of the second story, aboue the small Pillars: this Cornice is very séemely, and not confused with cutting. The Pedestall marked B. sheweth that of the last story, whereof the Base marked M. doth rest: also the Capitall which standeth aboue, is his companion, and is truly Corinthia, the which is confirmed to the principall, for worke and fashion, and in my opinion, very séemely. That Architraue, Fréese, and Cornice, marked A. sheweth the last Cornice: the Architraue is not vicious, because it hath onely two Facies; for if it had thrée, it would, by the farre distance, stand cumbred: the Cornice with the Mutiles, liketh me well, because it hath no Dentiles; and is also well deuided with members: neither is it confused with much grauing, but hath a séemely Proiecture, which heaueth vp the height thereof a little.