Archimedes Texts

All which Operations might be brought to perfection with
150. thousand Crowns, well and faithfully laid out; which summ
the Bolognesi will not be unwilling to provide; besides that those
Ferraresi ought to contribute to it, who shall partake of the
benefit.

Let me be permitted in this place to propose a thing which I
have thought of, and which peradventure might occasion two
benefits at once, although it be not wholly new. It was in the
time of Pope Paul V. propounded by one Crescenzio an Ingi
neer, to cut the Main-Po, above le Papozze; and having made a
sufficient evacuation to derive the water thereof into the Po of
Adriano, and so to procure it to be Navigable, which was not at
that time effected, either by reason of the oppositions of those,
whose possessions were to be cut thorow, or by reason of the
great sum of money that was necessary for the effecting of it: But
in viewing those Rivers, we have observed, that the sedge cutting
might easily be made below le Papozze, in digging thorow the
Bank called Santa Maria, & drawing a Trench of the bigness that
skilful Artists shall judge meet unto the Po ^{*} of Ariano, below the

Secche of the said S. Maria; which as being a work of not
above 160. Perches in length, would be finished with onely
12000. Crowns.

First; it is to be believed, that the waters running that way,
would not fail to open that Mouth into the Sea, which at pre
sent is almost choakt up by the Shelf of Sand, which the new
Mouth of Ponto Virro hath brought thither; and that it would
again bring into use the Port Goro, and its Navigation.

And haply experience might teach us, that the superficies of
Po might come to fall by this asswagement of Water, so that the
accession of Reno would questionless make no rising in it:
Whereupon, if it should so fall out, those Princes would have
no reason to complain; who seem to question, lest by this new
accession of water into Po, the Sluices might be endangered.
Which I thought not fit to omit to represent to your Lordship;
not, that I propose it to you as a thing absolutely certain, but that
you might, if you so pleased, lay it before persons whose judge
ments are approved in these affairs.

I return now from where I degrest, and affirm it as indubita
ble, that Reno neither can, nor ought to continue longer where
it at this day is; and that it cannot go into any other place but
that, whither Cardinal Capponi designed to carry it, and which
at present pleaseth me better than any other; or into Volana,
whence it was taken away; the vigilance of Men being able to
obviate part of those mischiefs, which it may do there.