﻿74 THE AGE OF PETRONIUS AEBITER. 



artists mentioned by Petronius, from which cii-cumstance it is probable, if not certain, 

 that these pictures, which themselves were the remnants only of the originally numer- 

 ous productions of these great, world-renoAvned artists, perished soon after the time of 

 Pliny, by age, accident, or neglect, so that Petronius cannot, on this account, be as- 

 signed to a later period. 



I have above shown that the complaint of Petronius concerning the decline of the 

 art of painting is fully confirmed by the testimony of Pliny. But it is not so easy to 

 explain what Petronius means by the expression (c. 2. 9), " postquam Aegyptiorum 

 audacia tam magnae artis compendiariam invenit," which K. O. Midler liimself, in his 

 Manual of Archeeology, calls obscure (rathselhaft). If we look a little more closely 

 into the subject, we find that the principal, if not sole cause, assigned by ancient 

 writers, of the decline of the art of painting, as of other arts, was the circumstance 

 that it was degraded into a mere instrument of luxury, and employed in flattering a 

 low sensuality, and ornamenting the splendid and extravagant habitations of rulers and 

 private persons. This perversion of the art commenced soon after the division of the 

 empire of Alexander, and the establishment of the several capitals of his successors, 

 vying -with each other in sj)lendor and luxury. The increased demand for ornamental 

 paiutmg naturally produced a school of expeditious painting, the products of which 

 were called irlvaKe<i I'jfx.eprjaioi, and the most distinguished leaders of which were Pau- 

 sias, Nicomachus, and Philoxenus, of whom Pliny says (35. 10. 36): "Hie celeiitatem 

 praeceptoris [Xicomachi] secutus bre^iores etiamnum quasdam picturae compencha- 

 rias invenit." We see, then, that Philoxenus not only rivalled the rapidity of execu- 

 tion of his teacher, Nicomachus, but aided and increased it by some ingenious con- 

 trivances. Considering the similarity of expression in Pliny, "breviores quasdam 

 picturae compendiarias," and of Petronius, "artis compendiariam," it appears to me 

 not improbable, although I must confess that I cannot support my opmion by the 

 testimony of an ancient writer, that this school found special favor in Alexandria 

 and in Egypt generally, and was there carried stUl further, as indicated by the expres- 

 sion "Aegyptiorum audacia," undoubtedly, however, at the expense of true artistic 



merit. 



4. C. 16. 2: "Sera sua sponte delapsa cecidit." "Sera" — "lock," or "padlock" 

 (because it cordd be removed), or "bolt" — was an ancient means of securing doors. 

 That it could be removed appears from Festus (p. 25): " Asserere manum est admovere ; 

 quo ea quoque, quae in terram demittuntur, seri dicuntur ; unde etiam serae appellan- 

 tur, quia foribus admotae opponuntur defixae postibus, quemadmodum ea, quae terrae 

 inseruntur"; and Varro dc L. L. 6. 6 : "Serae, quibus remotis fores panduntur." 



