72 
MEMOIR OP 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, lie was 
mightily abashed, and, like an honest-minded man, 
yeelded the uictory to his aduersary, saying withall, 
‘ 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 
