GALLIA ROMANA

Database of texts and images
Of Gallo-Roman antiquities (15th-17th centuries)

Notice

Ville Orange (Vaucluse, 84)
Subject(s) Triumphal arch
 
Author(s) Platter, Thomas II
  Physician from Basel, younger brother of Felix Platter (1574-1628)
Resource type Manuscript
Date 1597
Inscription
References Platter A λ V, ff. 157v°-158= Keiser 1968, p. 205
Bibliography

Keiser 1968 ; Le Roy Ladurie 1995 ; Le Roy Ladurie 2000 ; Lemerle 2005, pp. 28-31, 93-94 ; Roumégoux 2009, pp. 181-183
Remarks

The passages in italics were added by Platter subsequently to the period in which the rest of the text was written (1604-1605)
Transcription 

« Außerthalb der statt, wann man nach Saint Esprit unndt Leon reißen will, ettwan ein bügsen schutz von der statt, sihet man auch einen sigbogen oder (arcum triump[h]alem) thriumph thurn C. Marii. Es sinndt der thürn oder bogen drey, der mittler aber herlicher, zierlicher unndt höher als die anderen zwen. Sonst ist daß gantz werck vierecket unndt von fern anzusehen wie ein thurn, wirdt auch zu frantzösisch genennet (la Tour des Arcs) der Bogen Thurn. Es seindt zu allen seiten schlachten unndt allerhandt kriegs waaffen, auch streit zu pferdt daran schön gehauwen wie auch daß schiff neben der (divinatrice) wahrsagerin deß C. Marii, die ihm glück zum streitt vorgesagt (prognosticiert) hatt, deßen Plutarchus im leben der vättern gedenket. [158] Es ist sonst daß gebeüw mitt einer mauren vor wenig jahren umbgeben, damitt es vom wetter, winndt unndt regen desto beßer beschirmbt werde. »
= “Outside the town, when one looks towards Pont-Saint-Esprit and Lyon, one can see, about a gun shot from the town, a triumphal arch (arcum triump[h]alem): the triumphal tower of Caius Marius. This edifice comprises in fact three towers or arches: the central one is finer, more graceful and higher than the other two. As a whole, the monument is quadrangular and, from afar, looks like a tower. In French, it is known as the 'Arch Tower' (Tour des Arcs). It is beautifully decorated on all sides with images of battles and all kinds of war scenes, including combats between horses; one can also see, near a boat, Caius Marius' fortune-teller, she who predicted his luck in battle, as Petrarch recalls in his Life of the Fathers [Parallel Lives]. Some years ago, this monument was surrounded by a wall in order to protect it from the weather, notably the wind and the rain.”