72 MEMOIR OF PLINY. 



looke of the visage before his time. Parasius, an- 

 other famous painter, it is reported, was so bold 

 as to challenge Zeuxis himselfe openly ; in which 

 contention and triall, Zeuxis, for proofe of his cun- 

 ning, brought vpon the scaffold a table, where- 

 in were clusters of grapes so liuely painted, that the 

 very birds of the aire flew flocking thither to bee 

 pecking at the said grapes. Parasius, again, for his 

 part, to shew his workmanship, came with a picture, 

 whereon hee had painted a linnen sheet, so like to a 

 sheet indeed, that Zeuxis, in a glorious brauerie and 

 pride of his heart, came to Parasius with these words, 

 by way of a scorn and frumpe, * Come on, sir, away 

 with your sheet at once, that we may see your good- 

 ly picture ;' but perceiuing his own error, he was 

 mightily abashed, and, like an honest-minded man, 

 yeelded the uictory to his aduersary, saying withal), 

 * Zeuxis hath deceiued poore birds, but Parasius 

 hath beguiled Zeuxis, a professed artisane.' But 

 Apelles surmounted all that either were before or 

 came after. His order was, when he had finished a 

 piece of work or painted table, to set it forth in some 

 open gallerie or thoroufare, to be seen of folke that 

 passed by ; and himselfe would lye close behind it, to 

 hearken what faults were found therewith, preferring 

 the judgment of the common people before his owne. 

 And, as the tale is told, it fell out vpon a time that 

 a shoomaker, as he went by, seemed to controlle his 

 workmanship about the shoo or pantofle that he had 

 made to a picture, namely, that there was one latchet 



