98 THE GARDEN OF CYRUS 



most elegant of the Latins, and by no made term, but 

 in use before by Varro. That is, the rows and orders 

 so handsomely disposed, or five trees so set together, 

 that a regular angularity, and thorough prospect, was 

 left on every side. Owing this name not only unto 

 the quintuple number of trees, but the figure declaring 

 that number, which being double at the angle, makes 

 up the letter X, that is, the emphatical decussation, or 

 fundamental figure. 



Now though, in some ancient and modern practice, 

 the area, or decussated plot might be a perfect square, 

 answerable to a Tuscan pedestal, and the quinquernio or 

 cinque point of a dye, wherein by diagonal lines the 

 intersection was rectangular ; accommodable unto 

 plantations of large growing trees, and we must not 

 deny ourselves the advantage of this order ; yet shall 

 we chiefly insist upon that of Curtius 1 and Porta, 2 in 

 their brief description hereof. Wherein the decussis is 

 made within in a longilateral square, with opposite 

 angles, acute and obtuse at the intersection, and so 

 upon progression making a rhombus or lozenge figur- 

 ation, which seemeth very agreeable unto the original 

 figure. Answerable whereunto we observe the decus- 

 sated characters in many consulary coins, and even in 



* De Hortis. s In Villa. 



