As I have laid down in my volumes on Architecture, the three principles of sound building are Firmness, Commodity, and Delight. Of these, Firmness...

It is my firm conviction that the secrets of the natural world are revealed not by blind adherence to ancient texts, but through direct...

In my work isolating the elements, I have learned that the substances of our world are not passive. They possess an energy, a nature,...

The arch is a principle of engineering that transforms vertical force into lateral thrust, allowing us to span great openings with humble stones. Unlike...

A diligent master of a household knows that prosperity begins not in far-flung fields, but at his own doorstep. The kitchen garden, or hortus,...

A legion that makes camp on poor ground is already half-defeated. The same is true for a new settlement. Your first and most crucial...

It has long been my observation, contrary to common supposition, that great storms do not travel in the direction of their prevailing winds. During...

Water, as the 'vetturale di natura' or carrier of nature, is the lifeblood of any settlement. I have spent a lifetime observing its motion,...

I shall set forth the proper method for mixing and applying lime plaster, a skill essential for any edifice aspiring to permanence and beauty....

God gives the architect a vision, but it is with our hands, through sweat and humble clay, that we must prove this vision sound...

I have seen the mightiest walls of Syracuse threatened, and I have answered with machines born not of brute force, but of pure reason....

A wall of stone can be broken, an army can be routed. But he who makes an ally of the mountains and rivers commands...

It is a lamentable fact that most men who work the land do so by blind tradition. The common plough is a clumsy instrument,...

Before a house can stand, its frame must be strong. Before a community can thrive, its people must be joined in spirit. I will...

It has often been my experience that the most profound universal laws manifest themselves in the simplest of ways. Do not be fooled by...

An army without a supply train is lost. A settlement without a granary is a corpse waiting to fall. Do not mistake the management...

Many marvel at the gleam of gold or the perfection of carved ivory, but they neglect the skeleton that gives a work its life...

It has long been my fascination that the abstract truths of geometry hold such power over the physical world. Just as I demonstrated the...

By understanding a simple truth—that water, possessing weight, must always seek the lowest point—we can command it to travel great distances. This is not...

All sound construction, whether a humble granary or a mighty defensive tower, begins with true geometry. Without it, you build on error. I will...

A river can be a more formidable barrier than a mountain range or a Roman legion. It does not sleep, it does not tire,...

A mountain is but a pile of stones without the will of the gods to bind it. Likewise, a wall is a collection of...

My casting of the Perseus was a battle against nature itself, a symphony of fire and will. Many a fool thinks the work is...

A man's home is a reflection of his soul. If it is cluttered with trifles and vain luxuries, his mind, too, will be in...

I have observed in my long life that the path to wealth, and more importantly, to liberty and security, is as plain as the...

On my seven voyages to the far corners of the ocean, the sea was a constant foe. Storms can splinter a mast as if...

I have long observed that the maladies commonly called 'colds' are not caught from cold, fresh air, but rather from the foul, stagnant air...

A paterfamilias must ensure his buildings are sound and his water is clean. Flimsy work is a waste of labor and invites ruin. I...

On my voyages across the vast oceans, the integrity of my treasure ships was paramount. A vessel is a kingdom on the water, and...

It is a peculiar thing that my life's work involved the stretching and bending of time itself, yet to rebuild, we must rely on...

A heap of dwellings is a temporary camp, vulnerable to chaos, fire, and filth. But a settlement laid with purpose and precision becomes a...

During the long siege of my beloved Syracuse, I devised many machines to protect our walls. The most effective rely not on brute strength,...

The sage does not force the river to change its course; he builds his settlement along its banks. In the same way, a wise...

Victory is not won by the strength of your walls, but by the discipline within them. I have seen great cities fall not to...

A kingdom's strength is measured by its granaries. I have overseen the erection of stone storehouses that ensured the life of Egypt through years...

I have long held that the book of nature is written in the language of mathematics. Many look upon a great tower or cliff...

The gods did not grant man the strength of a behemoth, but they gave him a mind to command the forces of the world....

For too long have our cities relied upon the flawed design of the round tower, which by its very nature creates blind spots where...

An army, or any settlement of men, is but a sleeping giant without a vigilant watch. I have led forces across mountains and hostile...

To paint a ceiling as if it were the heavens, or to raise a wall that will outlast your grandchildren, you must first raise...

I have seen a city tear itself apart over debt and land. A community cannot prosper when a man fears his neighbor more than...

All sound construction, whether of a humble dwelling or a great city, begins with order established upon the earth. Without true right angles, walls...

Do not think a high wall is defense enough. A simple stone barrier is but a monument to folly, easily overcome by a determined...

The art of war teaches that ground is a commander's greatest ally or most treacherous foe. The same is true when choosing a place...

In my journeys from the Maghrib to the lands of Cathay, I have seen great cities fall to ambition and strife. Allah provides many...

Before any foundation is laid or a single wall is raised, the first duty of the builder is to secure a supply of wholesome...

God, the ultimate geometer, has ordered all of Creation with number and line. To build a house or till a field that is sound...

In my travels, which by the grace of Allah have spanned from the Maghrib to the lands of Cathay, I have learned that the...

The river can be a friend, but it can also be a sudden enemy. When our pirogue filled with water and turned on its...

I have cast magnificent statues and minted coins for Popes and Kings, and I tell you this: the world is filled with envious little...

Many builders work by custom alone, placing beams as their fathers did without understanding the 'why' of their art. But Nature herself is a...

In my work, I have observed that the most profound transformations often arise from the simplest of elements. The creation of soap is a...

When I was a girl, my people did not carry papers that told them where to go. The land itself was our map, and...

Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough, and I will move the world. While we may lack such a lever,...

I have guided treasure fleets across oceans vaster than any man had dreamed. Our safety rested not just on the stars, but on the...

I, Vitruvius, have laid down for the Emperor the principles of all buildings, and I tell you now that no principle is more vital...

A structure's permanence is founded not upon its size, but upon the quality of its smallest parts. A wall built of poor bricks will...

A structure, whether a humble home or a grand temple, is an argument against oblivion. Its first premise, upon which all else rests, is...

I have overseen the extraction of thousands of tons of marble for the works on the Acropolis. All great building, all sculpture that hopes...

I have seen lesser men attempt to move great stones with brute force and foolish haste, only to see their work end in ruin....

Before any man dares lift a hammer, he must first learn to see. A work of art or a mighty wall is not born...

I will teach you how to turn raw cotton into thread with a simple hand spindle, or takli. This is not merely a craft;...

I, Columella, have observed that the earth, our bounteous mother, grows weary when we take from her without giving back. Many complain of barren...

Before a single seed is sown or a foundation stone laid, the fate of your farm is decided by your choice of land. Many...

The world is full of immutable laws, set in place by the Creator, which govern the motion of all things. A wise man does...

I have long studied the forces of nature – how weight is borne, how tension and compression conspire to create strength. Within these studies,...

A settlement built without logic is a body without a skeleton—weak and destined for collapse. I have founded countless camps and colonies, and their...

I have led legions across Gaul and beyond. Every night, without fail, we secured our position with a fortified camp. An army that sleeps...

A river is an obstacle only to the undisciplined mind. To a Roman engineer, it is merely a problem of logistics. Twice I threw...

For too long, husbandry has been plagued by guesswork and back-breaking, fruitless labour. Men sow their seed haphazardly and then watch as weeds, those...

It has been revealed to me through rigorous observation and calculation that the Universe operates upon a set of immutable, mathematical laws. These principles...

I am Imhotep, who served the great King Djoser and raised for him a stairway to the heavens from the living rock. A structure...

I have led armies of many nations across terrain the Romans deemed impassable. Victory is not won on the battlefield alone; it is forged...

I have led armies across mountains and plains, and I tell you this: a soldier who sleeps soundly is a soldier who fights well....

By careful observation of a swinging lamp in the great cathedral of Pisa, I was struck by a profound truth: the regular and constant...

A well-managed estate provides for its own needs. Chief among these is oil, for it fuels our lamps, enriches our food, and cleanses our...

Before you lay a single stone or plant one seed, the fate of your household is decided by the ground you choose. A man's...

Do not mistake this for mere blacksmithing. This is the art of giving birth to metal in its perfect form, the very method I,...

In my life, I have faced popes and peasants, rivals and ruffians. A well-made blade has been a more constant friend than any man....

Do not imagine that you can command the noble art of metalworking without first mastering the fire that gives it life. Many a fool...

It has been my great occupation to study the nature of Electrical Fire, that formidable power of the heavens. Through experiment—most famously with a...

I once declared, 'Give me a place to stand, and I shall move the Earth.' This was no idle boast, but a statement of...

It is a principle of mechanics that great weights can be moved by small forces, if only the proper leverage is applied. I have...

An artist's ideas are but whispers until the press gives them a voice to command thousands. A well-built press is the heart of a...

Knowing how to make wooden pegs gives you a practical solution to all sorts of garden - and general outdoor - problems: how to...