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palms and a half diftant from one another, of a fquare figure, 
* two palms and a half each way; for the explanation of which it 
is neceffary that you fhould know that it was formerly the 
cuftom to firetch fails over the theatres, as well as the amphi- 
theatres, to keep off the heat and fun. Thefe fails were tied to 
upright poles, ropes being ftretched acrofs to prevent their 
floating about by their loofenefs; the poles were pafled through 
circular holes in the upper ftones, and received in thefe pro- 
jeCting Nones, in the middle of which little grooves are hollowed 
to prevent the poles from flipping and fhaking. The wall that 
rofe above thefe benches is deftroyed by the ravages of time, 
and in the remains there is neither coping or cornice. The 
fteps of the feats are higher than prefcribed by the rules of 
architecture, for they are two palms one fourth, far different 
from what Vitruvius direéts: the breadth correfponds exadtly 
to his rules, being three palms one-fourth. You may be fur- 
prized at fuch a breadth, but nothing could be of greater con- 
venience to the audience, that thofe who fat in the upper 
bench might not fuffer from the contra€tion of their legs, or 
hurt thofe below by kicking them; perhaps alfo there might be 
room to pafs behind if any went out or came in late. The 
heighth of the precin@io is double, according to the rule, being 
four palms three-fourths; and alfo the breadth, being fix palms 
one-fourth. An entry is open to thefe feats by many doors, which 
are vulgarly called vomitoria, from which the people entering 
in crouds proceed in to the feats as if vomited forth. Two 
porticos lead to thefe approaches: the upper one through the 
open air, as explained before, the other below, creeping through 
“ the 
