a celebrated ancient painter, was born at Caunus, a city of Caria, subject to the Rhodians, and flourished 300 years before the birth of our Saviour. He was at first obliged to paint ships for his livelihood; but afterwards acquired the highest reputation for history-painting; though Apelles blamed him for finishing his pictures too highly, and not knowing when to have done. The finest of his pictures was that of Jalifus, which is mentioned by several ancient authors, though none of them give any description of it. He worked seven years on this picture; during which time he lived entirely upon lupines and water, being of opinion that this light and simple nourishment left him greater freedom of fancy. Apelles, on seeing this picture, was struck with such admiration, that he was unable to speak, or to find words sufficient to express his idea of its beauty. It was this picture that saved the city of Rhodes when besieged by Demetrius king of Macedon; for being able to attack it only on that side where Protagenes worked, which he intended to burn, he chose rather to abandon his design than to destroy so fine a piece. Pliny says, that Apelles asked him what price he had for his pictures, and Protagenes naming an inconsiderable sum, Apelles, concerned at the injustice done to the beauty of his productions, gave him 50 talents, about 10,000l. for one picture only, declaring publicly that he would sell it for his own. This generosity made the Rhodians sensible of the merit of Protagenes; and they were so eager to purchase the picture Apelles had bought, that they paid him a much greater price for it than he had given.