268 PLHTT'S NATURAL HISTORY. ' [Book X 



them ; and a Scylla, now at Rome in the Temple of Peace. 

 Ko painter ever worked with greater rapidity than 2ucqina- 

 chus ; indeed it is said, that on one occasion having entered 

 into an engagement with Aristratus, 16 the tyrant of Sicyon, to 

 paint within a given time the monument which he was raising 

 to the memory of the poet Telestis, 17 the artist only arrived a 

 few days before the expiration of the term; upon which, the 

 tyrant was so angry that he threatened to punish him : how- 

 ever, in the few days that were left, Nicoraachus, to the admi- 

 ration of all, completed the work, with equal promptitude 

 and success. Among his pupils, were his brother Ariston, his 

 son Aristidcs, and Philoxenus of Eretria, who painted for 

 King Cassander a picture representing one of the battles be- 

 tween Alexander and Darius, a work which may bear com- 

 parison with any. He also painted a picture in grotesque, 

 representing Three Sileni at their revels. Imitating the 

 celerity of execution displayed by his master, he introduced a 

 more sketchy style of painting, executed in a comparatively 

 oil-hand manner. 18 



To these artists Xicophancs 19 has also been added, an ele- 

 gant and finished painter, to whom for gracefulness few can 

 foe compared, but for a severe and tragic style far inferior to 

 Zeuxis or Apellcs. Perseus also belongs to this period, a pupil of 

 Apelles, who dedicated to him his work on painting. Aristides 

 of Thebes had for pupils his sons Niceros and Ariston. ]>y 

 the latter of these artists, there is a Satyr crowned with a 

 chaplet and holding a goblet: two of his pupils were Auto- 

 rides and Euphranor, of the latter of whom we shall have to 

 make mention again. 20 



CHAP. 37. VARIOUS OHIER KINDS OF PAINTING. 



"\Ve must now, however, make -some mention of those 

 artists who acquired fame by the pencil in an inferior style of 

 painting. Among these was Pirxicus, inferior to few of the 

 painters in skill. I am not sure that he did not do injustice to 



15 A contemporary of Philip of Macedon. 



17 A dithyrambic poet, born at Sclinus. lie flourished B.C. 303. Only 

 a fi-vr lines of bis works remain. 



la " IJrcviores ( tiamnum qiiasdam picturo) compendiarias iiivenit." De- 

 lafosse is of opinion that paintings in grotesque are probably meant. 



r ' His country is uncertain, but he probably lived about the time of 

 Apt-lies. 20 Jn Chapter 40 of this .Book. 



