224 ' plin^t's NATUEAL HISTOET. [Book XXXV. 



and so varying its uniformity ; and this, for the purpose of 

 representing the marble of Numidia^ variegated with ovals, 

 and that of Synnada^ veined with purple ; just, in fact, as 

 luxury might have willed that Nature should produce them. 

 Such are our resources when the quarries fail us, and luxury 

 ceases not to busy itself, in order that as much as possible may 

 be lost whenever a conflagration happens. 



CHAP. 2. (2.) THE HONOUR ATTACHED TO PORTRAITS. 



Correct portraits of individuals were formerly transmitted to 

 future ages by painting ; but this has now completely fallen into 

 desuetude. Brazen shields are now set up, and silver faces, with 

 only some obscure traces of the countenance ;' the very heads, 

 too, of statues are changed,® a thing that has given rise before 

 now to many a current sarcastic line ; so true it is that people 

 prefer showing off the valuable material, to having a faithful 

 likeness. And yet, at the same time, we tapestry the walls of 

 our galleries with old pictures, and we prize the portraits of 

 strangers; while as to those made in honour of ourselves, we 

 esteem them only for the value of the material, for some heir to 

 break up and melt, and so forestall the noose and slip-knot of 

 the thief.^ Thus it is that we possess the portraits of no 

 living individuals, and leave behind us the pictures of our 

 wealth, not of our persons. 



And yet the very same persons adorn the palaestra and the 

 anointing- room^° with portraits of athletes, and both hang 

 up in their chamber and carry about them a likeness of 

 Epicurus. ^^ On the twentieth day of each moon they cele- 

 brate his birthday^^* by a sacrifice, and keep his festival, 

 known as the "Icas,"^^ every month : and these too, people who 



5 See B. xxxvi. c. 8. e ggg B. v. c. 29. 



' " Surdo figurarum discrimine." 



8 We are informed by Suetonius, that this practice existed in the time 

 of Tiberius.— B. See also Note 18, p. 196. 



^ Which he is ready to employ in carrying away his plunder. 



'0 "Ceromata ;" this is properly a Greek term, signifying an ointment 

 used by athletes, composed of oil and wax. — B. 



^^ This practice is referred to by Cicero, De Finib. B. v. — B. 



^1* In reality, his birth-day was not on the twentieth day of any month ; 

 but, for some reason which is not known, he fixed upon this day. — B. He 

 was born on the seventh day of the month Gamelion. 



^' From the Greek tiKag, the "twentieth" day of the month. 



