BOOK XXXV. XXXVI. 80-82 



of Protogenes ; for he said that in all respects his 

 achievements and those of Protogenes were on a 

 level, or those of Protogenes were superior, but that 

 in one respect he stood higher, that he knew when to 

 take his hand away from a picture " — a noteworthy 

 warning of the frequently evil effects of excessive 

 diligence, The candour of Apelles was however 

 equal to his artistic skill : he used to acknowledge 

 his inferiority to Melanthius in grouping, and to 

 Asclepiodorus in nicety of measurement, that is in 

 the proper space to be left between one object and 

 another. 



A clever incident took place between Proto- 

 genes and Apelles. Protogenes lived at Rhodes, 

 and Apelles made the voyage there from a desire to 

 make himself acquainted with Protogenes's works, 

 as that artist was hitherto only known to him by 

 reputation. He went at once to his studio. The 

 artist was not there but there was a panel of consider- 

 able size on the easel prepared for painting, which 

 was in the charge of a single old woman. In answer 

 to his enquiry, she told him that Protogenes was not 

 at home, and asked who it was she should report as 

 having wished to see him. * Say it was this person,' 

 said Apelles, and taking up a brush he painted in 

 colour across the panel an extremely fine Hne ^ ; 

 and when Protogenes returned the old woman 

 showed him what had taken place. The story goes 

 that the artist, after looking closely at the finish of 

 this, said that the new arrival was Apelles, as so 

 perfect a piece of work talHed ^vith nobody else ; 

 and he himself, using another colour, drew a still 

 finer line exactly on the top of the first one, and 

 leaving the room told the attendant to show it to the 



321 



