Horse Painted. Apellês of Cos painted Alexander’s horse so wonderfully well that a real horse seeing it, began to neigh at it, supposing it to be alive.
Myron, the statuary, made a cow so true to life that it was said to have deceived men and animals.
Valasquez painted a Spanish admiral so true to life that Philip IV., mistaking it for the officer himself, reproved him sharply for wasting his time in a painter’s studio, when he ought to have been with his fleet.
Xeuxis painted some grapes so admirably that birds flew at them, thinking them real fruit.
Parrhasios of Ephesus painted a curtain so inimitably that Xeuxis thought it to be a real curtain, and bade the artist draw it aside that he might see the painting behind.
Quintin Matsys of Antwerp painted a bee on the outstretched leg of a fallen angel so naturally that when old Mandyn, the artist, returned to the studio, he tried to frighten it away with his pocket-handkerchief.
Horse of Brass (The), a present from the king of Araby and Ind to Cambuscan´, king of Tartary. A person whispered in its ear where he wished to go, and having mounted, turned a pin, whereupon the brazen steed rose in the air as high as the rider wished, and within twenty-four hours landed him at the end of his journey.
This steed of brass, that easily and well
Can, in the space of a day natural....
Bearen your body into every place