[Sidenote: _Pier. Valer. Hier. lib. 39._]
[Sidenote: _Philand. in 4. lib. Vitr. cap. 7._]
Thirdly, in regard of the _Form_ of _Stoneheng_, which is _circular_. This figure was proper to the _Temples_ of _Cœlus_ and _Tellus_, whom the Ancients called _Vesta_, as _Valerianus_ (in his _Hieroglyphicks_) affirms. _Non solamente la palla, ma una simplice piegatura di ruota, appresso gli Egizziani demostrava il Cielo. Not only_ (saith he) _the circular form, but the meer segment of a circle amongst the Egyptians was an Hieroglyphick of Cœlus_. And to this purpose also, _Leo Baptista Albertus_ useth these words. _Ædem Vestæ, quam esse terram putarent, rotundam ad pilæ similitudinem, faciebant. Unto Vesta, whom they reputed to be the Earth, they built Temples of a round form globelike_. Besides, observe what _Philander_ commenting on _Vitruvius_ tels us. _Templorum quanquam alia fiant quadrata, alia multorum angulorum, Cœli naturam imitati veteres, imprimis rotundis sunt delectati: Although_ (saith he) _the Ancients made some Temples square, some of six sides, others of many angles, they were especially delighted with making of them round, as representing thereby the Form or Figure of_ Cœlum, _Heaven_.
Fourthly, in respect of the _Order_ whereof _Stoneheng_ built. The severity of this _Tuscane_ work, retaining in it a shew (as it were) of that first face of _Antiquity_ (as _A. Palladio_ terms it) being most agreeable to the nature of this their God, reputed the ancientest of all their _Deities_, and Father of _Saturn_. For, it was the custome of the Ancients (as in part I remembred before) to appropriate the severall _Orders_ of _Architecture_, according to the particular qualifications of those they deified. _Minervæ, & Marti, & Herculi, ædes Doricæ fient: his enim diis propter virtutem, sine deliciis ædificia constitui decet. To Minerva, and Mars, and Hercules, Temples of the Dorick Order were made; for, to these Deities in respect of their valiant actions, it was requisite to build without delicacy. Veneri, Floræ, Proserpinæ, Fontium Nymphis, Corinthio genere constitutæ, aptas videbuntur habere proprietates, quòd his diis propter teneritatem, graciliora & florida, foliísque & volutis ornata opera facta augere videbuntur justum decorem. To Venus, Flora, Proserpina, the Fountain Nymphs, the Corinthian Order was thought most proper: because unto these in regard of their tender natures, the work seemed to advance a just decorum, when made delicate and flourishing, and adorned with leaves and volutes. Junoni, Dianæ, Libero Patri cæterísque diis qui eadem sunt similitudine, si ædes Ionicæ construerentur, habita erat ratio mediocritatis, quod & ab severo more Doricorum, & à teneritate Corinthiorum, temperabitur earum institutio proprietatis. To Juno, Diana, Bacchus, and to the other Deities of the same quality, building Temples of the Ionick Order, they had regard unto the mean, that from the severe manner of the Dorick, and delicacy of the Corinthian, the condition of their indowments might be duly moderated_, saith _Vitruvius_. To _Jupiter_, _Sol_, and _Luna_, though they made Temples _sub divo_ open to the air and without roofs like this _Antiquity_; yet were they not built of severe and humble but most delicate _Orders_, and accordingly were adorned with costly ornaments, and beautified with various enrichments in severall sorts of sculpture, as by the ruines of them in divers parts of _Italy_ remaining to this day, evidently appears. Respecting therefore, this _Decorum_ used by the _Ancients_ in building their _Temples_, and that this work _Stoneheng_ is principally composed of a most grave _Tuscane_ manner, by just proportions of an agreeable form; it is in mine opinion, as I said before, most agreeable to the quality and condition of that ancient _Cœlus_, whom Antiquity reputed the very stem whence all those Deities in the succeeding Ages proceeded. Cœlus _ex eadem conjuge (scilicet Tellure) procreavit_ Oceanum, Cœlum, Hyperionem _&c. & novissimum omnium_ Saturnum _suscepit_. Cœlus, _by the same wife_ (to wit _Tellus_) _had_ Oceanus, Cœlum, Hyperion _&c. and last of all begat_ Saturn. To which purpose also _Lactantius, I finde_ Uranius _by his wife_ Vesta _had_ Saturn _and_ Ops: Saturn _attaining the government, called his father_ Uranius, Cœlus, _and his mother_ Terra; _that by this change of names, he might the more magnifie the splendor of his originall &c._ Further, I conceive it will not be impertinent to our purpose in hand, to deliver what the _Ancients_ have reported of _Cœlus_; and wherefore they ascribed divine Honours unto Him.