In Greece and Italy 3 1 5 



in Rome and also in Alexandria. We are told that wax 

 fruits were so remarkably made that once the stoical court 

 philosopher of King Ptolemseus saw upon the table a dish 

 of pomegranates looking so natural that he bit one ! 



Varro praises the artfulness of the Roman wax-worker 

 Posis, who made apples and bunches of grapes so like 

 nature that the connoisseur could not distinguish them. 



Masks taken after death, which were used in funeral pro- 

 cessions, were ultimately cast in wax. 



Pliny tells us that — 



"The first man who expressed the human features by 

 fitting a mould of plaster upon the face, and then improving 

 it by pouring melted wax into the cast, was Lysistratus of 

 Sicyon." He was the first to make faithful likenesses, his 

 predecessors, like certain modern photographers, having 

 striven only to produce a handsome image. 



When a man became celebrated his figure in wax 

 appeared in the atrium of the private house as well as in 

 pubhc buildings. 



Doubtless referring to this, Tacitus, in a dialogue concern- 

 ing " Oratory," says : — 



"The homage of visitors, the train of attendants, and 

 the multitude of clients, which Aper has represented in 

 such pompous colors, have no charms for me ; no more 

 have those sculptured honors which he mentioned ; though 

 they too have made their way into my house, notwithstand- 

 ing my inclinations to the contrary." 



And Juvenal in his satires says : — 



" Though your long line of ancient statues adorn your 

 ample halls on every side, the sole and only real nobility is 

 virtue." 



At the principal festivals of Saturn, Bacchus, and Ceres, 

 wax candles and wax wreaths were much used. 



Wax images and wax fruits were also extensively used 



