538 
The five and thirtieth Booke 
had never feene,and of his workes,whereof there went fo great a name,he embarked and failed 
to Rhodes, where Protegenes dwelt: and no fooner was he landed, buthe enquired wherehis {hop 
was,and foorthwith went direétly thither: Protagenes himfelfewas not athome, onely there was 
an oldwoman inthe houfe who had the keeping of a mightielargetablefetiin a frame, and fitred 
readie fora picture. And when hee enquired for Prosogemes fhee made anfwete,that hee was not 
within; and feeing him therupon readic to depart,demaunded what his name was,and.who fhe 
fhould tell her maifter asked for him,4pelles then,fecing the forefaid table.ftanding before him, 
tookea penfill in hand and drew in colour a paffing fine and {mall linethrough the faidsable, fay- 
ing to the woman, Tell thy maifter,that he who made thisline,enquired for bim,and folhe went 
his waies. Nowwhen Protogenes was returned home,the old woman made relation unto him of 
this that happened in his abfence.And,as it isreported,the artificer hadnofooner feene and be- 
heldthe draught of this {mall line,but he knew who had beene there,and {aid withall, Surely 4- 
pelles is come to towne: for unpoffible it is,chat any but hee fhould make imcolour fo fine worke- 
manfhip. With that he takes me the penfill,and with another colour drew within thefame line a 
{maller chan it: willing the woman when he went foorth of dores,that ifthe partie came againe, 
fhe fhould fhew him what hehad done,and fay withall, that there was the man whom hee enqui- 
red after. And fo it fell out indeed, for 4pel/es made an errand againe to thefhop, and feeing the 
fecond line, was difmaied at firftand blufhed withall to fee himfelfe thus overcome: but.taking 
_his penfill,cut the forefaid lines throughout the length, with a third colour diftinét fromthe reft, 
and left no roumeat all fora fourth to be drawne within it: Which when Protogenes fawshee con- 
feffed that he had met with hismatch and his maifter both,and made all the haft he couldtothe 
haven to feeke for Apelles to bid him welcome and give him friendly entertainement.In memo- 
G 
H 
riall whereof it was thought good both by the one and the other,to leave unto pofteritiethista-_- 
ble thus naked,without any more worke in it,to the wonder of all men that ever {aw it,but of cun- 
ning artifanes and painters efpecially : for this table was kept along time,and as it is well known, 
confumed to afhes in that firft fire that caught C¢{ars houfe within the Palatine hill. Andverely, 
wee tooke great pleafure before that, to fee itmany times, containing in thatlarge and-extra- 
ordinarie capacitie which it had,nothing in the world than certaine lines,which were fo fineand 
{mall, that unneath or hardly they could be difcerned by the eye. Andin truth, when itftood a~ 
mong the excellent painted tables of many other workemen, it feemed a verie blanke, having 
nothing in it:howbeit,as void and naked as it was,it drew many a one unto it even in thatrefpect, 
being more looked upon and efteemed better than any other rich and curious work whatfoever, 
Butto come againe unto 4pelles,this was his manner and cuftome befides, which he perpetual- 
Jy obferved,that no day went over his head, but what bufineffe foever hee had otherwife to call 
him away, hee would make one draught or other,(and never miffe) forto exercife his hand and 
keepe it in ure,infomuch,as from him grew the proverb, Nulla dies fine Lineayi, Bealwaies doing 
{omewhat, though you doe but draw a line.His order was when he had finifhed a peece of worke 
or painted table,and laid it out of his hand,to fet it forth in fome open gallerie or thorow-fare to 
be feene of folke that pafled by,and himfelfe would lie clofe behind itto hearken whatfaults were 
found therewith; preferring the judgement of the common people before his owne,and imagi- 
ning they would {pie more narrowly and eenfure his doings fooner than himfelfe: and as the 
tale is told, ir fell out upon a time,that afhoemaker as he went by feemed to controule his worke- 
manfhip about the {hoe or pantophle that he had made toa picture,and namely,that there was 
one latchet fewer than there fhould bee: 4pelles acknowledging that the man faid true indeed, 
mended that fault by the next morning, and fet forth his table as his manner was. Thefame fho- 
maker comming again the morrowafter, and finding the want {upplied which he noted the day 
before,tooke fome pride unto himfelfe,that his former admonition had {ped fo well,and was fo 
bold as to cavill at fomewhat about the leg:4pelles could not endure that, but putting forth his _ 
head from behind the painted table,and {corning thus tobe checked &reprooved, Sirrha(quoth 
he)remember youare buta fhoemaker,and therefore meddle no higher [ advife you,than with 
{hoes : which word alfo of his came afterwards to bee a common proverbe, Ne furor fupra crepi- 
_ dam.Over and befides,very courteous he was and faire fpoken, in which regardking Alexander 
the Great accepted the better of him,and much frequented his fhop in hisowne perfon: for,as 
I have beforefaid, he gave {treight commaundement, [hat no painter fhould be fo hardie as to 
make his picture but onely Apelies, Now when theking beeing in his fhop,would{eeme to ae 
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