_Of_ Machines _for carrying and lifting
up great Stones and Burthens._
[Sidenote: _Lib. 10. Chap. 6._]
_Ctesiphon_ and his Son _Metagenes_, Architects of the Temple of
_Ephesus_, invented _Machines_ to carry _great Stones_, out of which
_Pillars_ and _Architraves_ were to be made. That which was made to draw
the _Pillars_, was but a sort of a Frame as long as the _Pillars_, in
the end of which were fastned Pins of Iron, which entred into the ends
of the Frame, and served instead of an Axle-tree, the _Pillar_ it self
serving for a Wheel: And this had the desired Effect, because of the
disposition of the place through which these _Stones_ were to be drawn,
which was a flat and level Country.
The other _Machine_ for drawing of _Architraves_, was the same Frame
which had two Wheels at each end, which supported the _Architrave_;
which served instead of an Axle-tree.
[Sidenote: _Lib. 10. Chap. 2._]
For the raising of great Weights, they had three sorts of _Machines_.
The first was composed of three pieces of Wood, which were joyned
together at top by a Pin which went through them all; so that there were
two of these pieces which were on one side, a little distance one from
the other, and the third was opposite to them; The two which were
together on the one side, had a Hand-Mill which drew a Rope, which
passed within a Truckle with three Pullies, of which that part which had
the two Pullies was fastned to the top of the _Machine_, and that which
had but one, was fastned to the Weight to be drawn up.
[Sidenote: _Lib. 10. Chap. 2._]
The second _Machine_ was stronger than the first, because the _Moulin_
had more Pullies, and instead of a _Moulin_ or Hand-Mill, it had a great
Wheel, whose Axle-tree drew a Rope which passed through these Pullies,
and upon the Wheel there was another Rope twisted, which was drawn by a
Wind-glass; sometimes the great Wheel was hollow, so that Men could walk
within it, and so turn it.
The third had but one long and strong piece of Wood, which was kept up
and stayed by Shrowds, as the Mast of a Ship is. By the help of these
Shrowds, they bended and turned this piece of Wood where they pleased,
drawing the Shrowds fast on the one side, and loosening them on the
other. The _Moufl's_ Crane as well those which were fastned to this
piece of Wood, as those which were fastned to the VVeight which was to
be drawn up, had each of them three ranks of Pullies, which had three in
every rank, that three Ropes might go through them, which were not drawn
by Hand-Mills, nor by VVheels, but by Men who pulled several at one time
at the same Rope: And that this might be done with the more ease, the
three Ropes or Cables after having passed the last Pullies of that part
of the _Moufle_ which was at the top of the _Machine_; they descended
down below, each upon one Pully, which vvas but the height of the Men:
this _Machine_ quickly povverfully lifted up the greatest VVeights.