Archimedes Texts

9
not only in laying the Foundations of Cities
and Towns, but also in marking out Camps
for the Armies, to inspect the Entrails of the
Beast that grazed upon the Place, and to ob
serve both their Condition and Colour. In
which if they chanced to find any Defect, they
avoided that Place as unhealthy. Varro in
forms us of his own Knowledge, that in some
Places the Air was full of minute Animalcules
as small as Atoms, which being received toge
ther with the Breath into the Lungs, fastened
upon the Intestines, and gnawing upon them,
caused dreadful raging Diseases, and at length
Plagues and Death. Nor ought we to forget
that there are some Places, which, though in
their own Nature, they are subject to no In
convenience or Mischief whatsoever, yet are so
situated, that by the Arrival of Foreigners they
will often be infected with pestilential Distem
pers. And this shall happen, not only by
Means of Armies of Enemies endeavouring to
do you all the Mischief they can, as befals those
Nations which are exposed to inhuman Barba
rians; but by a friendly Reception and Enter
tainment of them you shall expose yourself to
extreme Calamities. Others by having Neigh
bours desirous of Innovations, have by their
Broils and Destruction fallen into great Dangers
themselves. Pera a City upon the Pontus, a
Colony of the Genoese, is continually afflicted
with the Plague, by their giving daily Admis
sion to Slaves, both infirm in Mind, and almost
quste rotten and worn away with mere Filth
and Nastiness. Some likewise will have it, that
it is the Part of a prudent and wise Man to en
quire by Augury and the Observation of the
Heavens, what Fortune he shall have in such
a Place. Which Arts, provided they are not
incompatiable with our Religion, I own I do
not dispise. Who can deny that what they
call Fortune, whatever she be, has a very great
Power over human Affairs? Can we venture
to affirm, that the publick Fortune of Rome had
not a great Share in the Enlargement of the
Empire? The City of Iolaus in Sardinia, built
by a Grandson of Hercules, though osten at
tacked both by the Carthaginians and the Ro
mans, yet as Diodorus writes, always preserved
its Liberty. Can we suppose that the Temple
at Delphos, first burnt by Flegias, should after
wards in Sylla's Time be consumed by Fire,
the third Time, without the particular ill For
tune of that Place? What shall we say of the
Capitol? How often has that been in Flames?
The City of the Sybarites, after repeated Cala
mities, often deserted and often restored, at
length quite ruined, was utterly abandoned;
nay, those who fled from it were pursued by ill
Fortune, nor could they, by removing their
Dwellings and leaving the ancient Name of
their City, ever save themselves from Misery
and Destruction: For new Inhabitants coming
in upon them, all their most ancient and prin
cipal Families, their sacred Edifices and their
whole City, were utterly laid waste and de
stroyed with Fire and Sword. But we need
not dwell upon these Things which Historians
are full of. Our whole Design is to shew, that
it is the Part of a wise Man to do every thing
which may make him secure, that the Trouble
and Expence of his Building shall not be in
vain, and that his Work itself may be perma
nent. And certainly to omit no Precaution
which may effect so great a Design, is the Bu
siness of every prudent Man. Or will you say,
that it is not of the utmost Importance both to
you and yours to execute an Undertaking, that
brings with it Health, Dignity and Pleasure,
and recommends your Name with Reputation
to Posterity? Here you are to apply yourselves
to your Studies, here you are to breed
your dear Children and live with your Fa
mily, here you are to spend your Days both
of Labour and Rest, here all the Schemes of
your whole Life are to be executed; so that
I do not think any Thing in the World can be
named, except Virtue, which can deserve more
Care and Application, than to fix a good and
convenient Habitation for yourself and Family.
And who can be sure of having such a one,
who despises the Precautions before-mention
ed? but of these enough. Come we now to
the Seat or Platform.

In chusing the Platform, we ought to ob
serve all the same Rules that we have laid
down about the Region; for as the Region is
a determinate and select Part of the whole