Marcus Vitruvius Pollio Quotes

All machinery is derived from nature, and is founded on the teaching and instruction of the revolution of the firmament.

Apollo at Delphi, through the oracular utterance of his priestess, pronounced Socrates the wisest of men. Of him it is related that he said with sagacity and great learning that the human breast should have been furnished with open windows, so that men might not keep their feelings concealed, but have them open to the view. Oh that nature, following his idea, had constructed them thus unfolded and obvious to the view.

Nothing suffers annihilation, but at dissolution there is a change, and things fall back to the essential element in which they were before.

Burn shavings and splinters of pitch pine, and when they turn to charcoal, put them out, and pound them into mortar with size. This will make a pretty black for fresco painting.

The design of a temple depends on symmetry, the principles of which must be most carefully observed by the architect.