Accomplish Quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
“The difference between "machines" and "engines" is obviously this, that machines need more workmen and greater power to make them take effect, as for instance ballistae and the beams of presses. Engines, on the other hand, accomplish their purpose at the intelligent touch of a single workman...”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: De Architectura, Book I, 1st century BC
Machines require many workers and power; engines work efficiently with minimal human effort.
In simple terms: Machines need many hands; engines need one.
Key Takeaway
Design for efficiency and simplicity.
Themes
engineering
efficiency
technology
labor
automation
Mood
analytical
practical
Type
technical
historical
When to use this quote
- construction
- industrial design
- tool development
- workplace ergonomics
Key Concepts
mechanical advantage
human-machine interaction
Questions to Reflect On
- How can modern design reduce labor while maintaining control?
- What are the trade‑offs of automation?
A Different Perspective
Engines still need skilled oversight and maintenance.
![“Leave a cavity behind the [wall] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick or lava in courses, and then bind them to the fronts by means of iron clamps and lead. The beds and builds, all settling equally and bonded at the joints, will not let…” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d76/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_bed_leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-a_5922.jpg)
![“The [engineer] should be equipped with knowledge of many branches of study and varied kinds of learning, for it is by his judgement that all work done by the other arts is put to test. This knowledge is the child of practice and theory.” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afa/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_art_the-engineer-should-be-equipped-with-kno_386834.jpg)
![“All these soft kinds [of stone] have the advantage that they can be easily worked as soon as they have been taken from the quarries. Under cover, they play their part well; but in open and exposed situations the frost and rime make them crumble, and they go to pieces. On the seacoast, too, the…” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/541/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_advantage_all-these-soft-kinds-of-stone-have-the-a_406721.jpg)
![“[The Community's] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it is always upon nothingness that God is pleased to rear His works. If at any day we accomplish some good here, the glory will certainly be His alone, since…” quote by Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b8/theodore-guerin-54729_accomplish_the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give_7176.jpg)
