resembling > depicting pencil > artist's brush

3 All were it Zeuxis' or Praxiteles':

All > Even
Zeuxis > (Greek painter, c. 455-396 BC)
Praxiteles > (Greek sculptor, c. 400-320 BC)

4 His daedal hand would fail, and greatly faint,

daedal > cunning, inventive (derived from the name of Daedalus, the Artist, of Knossos) faint > grow weak

5 And her perfections with his error taint: 6 Nor poet's wit (that passes painter's far

wit > skill; mental capacity passes > surpasses [the]

7 In picturing the parts of beauty dainty)

parts > qualities dainty > delightful, delicate

8 So hard a workmanship adventure dares,