Title page with the above written on a sign behind Doric columns 

This is the title page by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, a symphony of stone and symbol etched into paper. Doric columns frame an inscription, themselves a testament to classical ideals. To the left, a panel displays tools: a compass, a level, a mallet. These aren’t mere instruments; they are emblems of human intellect and the power to impose order upon chaos, their origins tracing back to antiquity. Above, a hand with a quill hovers over a plan, echoing the divine act of creation through thought and artistry. "Aut Cum Hoc, Aut In Hoc"—either with this, or in this, a phrase reminiscent of the warrior's creed. Consider these symbols and their journey across time, echoing in diverse cultural forms. How often have we seen the compass, not just as a navigational tool, but as a metaphor for direction in life, its point an unyielding guide? These aren't just images, they are condensed memories, their enduring power engaging us on a subconscious level. They resurface, ever changing, in the theater of human history.