lawyers of Rome often made use of pictures in their pleadings for the purpose of moving the judges.
DRAMATIC SCENERY AT ROME.
It is related that when Claudius Pulcher, during
his edileship, exhibited dramas publicly at Rome,
the scenery, representing trees, houses and other
buildings was so naturally depicted, that the ravens
and other birds came to perch upon them. Many such
anecdotes are related as having occurred in all ages
of the history of the art, but they are not so sure a
test of excellence as people generally imagine, for
animals are easily deceived. The writer has made
experiments to satisfy himself on this point; he has
seen a whiffet dog bark obstreperously at the portrait
of a person it disliked; birds approach a picture
of fruit, and bees one of flowers. He has a
picture of three dogs, so naturally painted, that almost
every dog, admitted into the room, not only
looks at it, but endeavors to smell of it. Every
sportsman knows that it is easy to decoy wild ducks
with an artificial one.
APELLES OF EPHESUS AND PTOLEMY PHILOPATOR.
During a voyage in the eastern part of the Mediterranean,
Apelles was driven into Alexandria, in
Egypt, by stress of weather. Not being in favor
with king Ptolemy, he did not venture to appear at
the court; but some of his enemies suborned one of
the royal buffoons to invite him to supper in the
