252 Flint's natural histoey. [Book XXXY. 



There is a story, too, that at a later period, Zeuxis having 

 painted a child carrying grapes, the hirds canae to peck at them ; 

 upon which, with a similar degree of candour, he expressed 

 himself vexed with his work, and exclaimed — '' I have surely 

 painted the grapes better than the child, for if I had fully 

 succeeded in the last, the birds would have been in fear of 

 it." Zeuxis executed some figures also in clay," the only 

 works of art that were left behind at Ambracia, when Fulvius 

 jS'obilior'® transported the Muses from that city to Rome. There 

 is at Ptome a Helena by Zeuxis, in the Porticos of Philippus,'^ 

 and a Marsyas Bound, in the Temple of Concord-° there. 



Parrhasius of Ephesus also contributed greatly to the pro- 

 gress of painting, being the first to give symmetry to his 

 figures, the first to give play and expression to the features, 

 elegance to the hair, and gracefulness to the mouth : indeed, 

 for contour, it is universally admitted by artists that he bore 

 away the palm. This, in painting, is the very highest point 

 of skill. To paint substantial bodies and the interior of 

 objects is a great thing, no doubt, but at the same time it is a 

 point in which many have excelled : but to make the extreme 

 outline of the figure, to give the finishing touches to the 

 painting in rounding off the contour, this is a point of success 

 in the art which is but rarely attained. Por the extreme 

 outline, to be properly executed, requires to be nicely rounded, 

 and so to terminate as to prove the existence of something 

 more behind it, and thereby disclose that which it also serves 

 to hide. 



Such is the merit conceded to Parrhasius by Antigonus^^ 

 and Xenocrates,^^ who have written on the art of painting; 

 and in this as well as in other points, not only do they admit 

 his excellence, but enlarge upon it in terms of the highest 

 commendation. There are many pen sketches by him still in 

 existence, both upon panel and on parchment, from the study 

 of which, even artists, it is said, may greatly profit. 



^Notwithstanding these points of excellence, however, Parr- 

 hasius seems comparatively inferior to himself in giving the 



n a Figiina opera." It is not improbable that tbis may allude to the 

 paintinj5' of fictile vases. 



^^ A.u.c. 666. As to tbis expedition of Fulvius Nobilior, see Livy, B. 

 xxxviii. 13 Of Philippus Marcius, in the Nintb Region of tbe City, 



20 In the Eighth Region of the City. 21 gee end of B. xxxiii. 



22 See end of B. xxxiii. and B. xsxiv. 



