There were, however, very few instances in which the established
laws of proportion, so far as propriety and apparent security are
Above the capital of the triglyphs, between it and the cymatium below the corona, there is
usually a band or fillet, of the same depth, for the most part, with the capital, and on the
same plane with it ; and the capital itself sometimes projects a little beyond the femora
of the triglyph, and sometimes is on the same level with it. The cymatium below the corona
is for the most part much deeper than the usual proportion of that member ; which appears
to have been done in order to show the ornament upon it, which would not otherwise,
from the projection of the coroiia and the depth of the mutulès, be conspicuous. The
proportion of the corona itself also varies, and the scotia beneath it is sometimes introduced,
and sometimes omitted altogether. Much difference exists in the depth of the
cyma,.as well as in tha t of its fastigium ; and the lions’ heads, which are often sculptured
upon it, are sometimes introduced and sometimes omitted. Whenever these
are placed, as they usually are, over the axes of the columns, an ornament representing
the end of a tile is often found to accompany them, placed on the fastigium,
exactly over the centre of the metopes. There is also a difference in the depth
of the regulae and mutules, as well as in the thickness and depth of the guttæ, the form
of the latter being sometimes conical and sometimes cylindrical, and on some occasions
almost square. The upper p a rt of the two outer channels of the triglyphs are sometimes
cut parallel with the line of the capital ; b u t more frequently inclined a little
downwards, so as to meet the bottom o f the moulding above the metopes, which we have
already stated is not often in a line with that of the capitals of the triglyphs. The depth
of the tænia, also, and that of the epistylium (or architrave),,varies in different instances ;
as well as the proportions o f the columns themselves, and those of their abaci, or plinths :
the latter are generally surmounted with an elegantly proportioned cymatium, which is
itself almost always crowned with a fillet. We may add that the curve of the echinus
also varies, but is usually o f a light and elegant proportion ; and the annulets sometimes
follow the line of the curve, and sometimes range w ith that of thé hypotrachelium : the
number of these occasionally two, but more frequently three ; and the upper and lower
ones (in the last-mentioned instance) are frequently cut square, while the central one
forms an angle, the apex of which projects beyond the two others* This, however, only
occurs when the annulets range with the shafts of the columns, for when they range with
the line of the echinus they are generally cut like the teeth of a saw, as the central one
is in the instance just mentioned. We observed that for the most part when annulets
were adopted there were no. channels, or grooves, hollowed in the hypotrachelium, and
this equally obtained whether the annulets followed the line of the echinus or that of the
concerned, were in any way materially violated, (at least, we may say,
not in our opinion ;) and the eye is seldom offended by an appearance
either of weakness or clumsiness in the columns, or of heaviness or
insignificance in their entablatures. There is at the same time a
good deal of variety in the disposition of the interiors, and the
workmanship is usually very good, and occasionally, indeed very
shaft. There was commonly a fillet dividing the channels, or fluting of the shaft, the proportion
of which was not always the same, and we rarely saw any fluting where these
were not adopted, and very seldom any columns where the shafts were left plain. The
difficulty of preserving the edges of the fluting with nicety, and of keeping them from
being chipped and broken, appears to have been the reason for adopting the fillet ; for
àa the proportions of the façades, particularly those of the interior ones, were necessarily
on a small scale, the edges of the fluting, where no fillet was used, must have been nearly
as sharp as the-edge of a sword, and consequently very liable to accident. We may add
th a t the width of the fillet accommodated itself to the entasis of the shaft, and was continued
round the upper part of the channels, so as to form the crown of the hypotrachelium,
when no annulets were made use of ; for in that case the channels finished in
these, forming an elegant curve from the line of the column to the lowest o f the annulets,
which sometimes projected considerably from the upper p a rt of the shaft. With regard
to the disposition of the triglyphs with respect to the columns, we usually found them
placed over the axes of the latter, with sometimes one, and sometimes two intervening,
as we have already mentioned above; with the exception, however, of those at the
extremities o f the zophorus, which were sometimes placed in the angle, and sometimes
a little removed from it, being in the latter case placed over the joint centre of the half
polumn and pilaster which usually terminated the façade a t both extremities. We must
remark, with respect to the introduction-of the pilaster conjointly with the columns at
thé angles, that the shafts and the capitals were not wholly relieyed from the surface,
although they were more so than half their diameter. I t must be recollected a t the
same time that the whole façade was generally formed in the rock itself, and had consequently
no weight to support, and no internal arrangements to which it was necessary
that it should be accommodated. The placing of the triglyphs was therefore purely
optional, and might be adapted to the taste or the fancy of.the architect, who, was thus
enabled to follow his own ideas of proportion and arrangement, without reference to any
standard but the eye.