a famous ancient painter of Ephesus, or, as some say, of Athens; he flourished about the time of Socrates, according to Xenophon, who hath introduced him into a dialogue discoursing with that philosopher. He was one of the best painters in his time. Pliny says, that it was he who first gave symmetry and just proportions in that art; that he was likewise the first who knew how to express the truth and life of characters, and the different airs of the face; that he discovered a beautiful disposition of the hair, and heightened the grace of the visage. It is allowed even by the masters in the art, that he far outshone them in the glory of succeeding in the outlines, in which consists the grand secret of painting. But it is also remarked by Pliny, that Parrhasius became insupportable with pride; and was so very vain as to give himself the most flattering epithets; such as, the tenderest, the softest, the grandest, the most delicate, and the perfecter of his art. He boasted that he was sprung from Apollo, and that he was born to paint the gods; that he had actually drawn Hercules touch by touch, that here having often appeared to him in dreams. When the plurality of voices was against him at Samos in favour of Timanthes, in the opinion of a picture of Ajax provoked against the Greeks, for adjudging to Ulysses the arms of Achilles, he answered a person who condoled him on his check, "For my part I don't trouble myself at the sentence; but I am sorry that the son of Telamon hath received a greater outrage than that which was formerly put upon him so unjustly." Aelian relates this story, and tells us that Parrhasius affected to wear a crown of gold upon his head, and to carry in his hand a baton, studded with nails of the same metal. He worked at his art with pleasantry, often indeed singing. He was very licentious and loose in his pictures; and he is said, by way of amusement, to have represented the most infamous objects. His Atalantis, with her spouse Meleager, was of this kind. This piece was afterwards devised as a legacy to the emperor Tiberius, upon condition that, if he was displeased with the subject, he should receive a million sesterces instead of it. The emperor, covetous as he was, not only preferred the picture to that sum, but even placed it in his most favourite apartment. It is also said, that, though Parrhasius was excelled by Timanthes, yet he excelled Zeuxis. Among his pictures is a celebrated one of Theseus; and another representing Meleager, Hercules, and Perseus, in a group together; as also Æneas, with Castor and Pollux, in a third.

Janus, a famous grammarian in Italy, who was born at Cosenza in the kingdom of Naples, 1470. He was intended for the law, the profession of his ancestors; but he refused it, and cultivated classical learning. His real name was Johannes Paulus Parisius; but according to the order of the grammarians of the age, he took instead of it Parrhasius. He taught at Milan with much reputation, being admired for a grace- Parrhasius ful delivery, in which he chiefly excelled other professors.—It was this charm in his voice, which brought a vast concourse of people to his lectures; and among others he had the pleasure to see General Trimoles, who was then threescore years old. He went to Rome when Alexander VI. was pope; and was like to be involved in the misfortunes of Bernardini Cajetan and Silius Savello, with whom he had some correspondence; but he escaped the danger, by the information of Thomas Phaedrus, professor of rhetoric, and canon of St John Lateran, whose advice he followed in retiring from Rome. Soon after, he was appointed public professor of rhetoric at Milan; but the liberty he took to censure the teachers there as arrant blockheads, provoked them in return to asperse his morals. They said he had a criminal converse with his scholars: which being a crime extremely abhorred by the Milanese, our professor was obliged to leave Milan. He went to Vicenza, where he obtained a larger salary; and he held this professorship till the states of the Venetians were laid waste by the troops of the League: upon which he went to his native country, having made his escape through the army of the enemy. He was at Cosenza, when his old friend Phaedrus persuaded Julius to send for him to Rome; and though that design proved abortive by the death of the pope, yet, by the recommendation of John Lascaris, he was called thither under his successor Leo X. Leo was before favourably inclined to him; and on his arrival at Rome, appointed him professor of polite literature. He had been now some time married to a daughter of Demetrius Chalcondylas; and he took with him to Rome, Basil Chalcondylas, his wife's brother, and brother of Demetrius Chalcondylas, professor of the Greek tongue at Milan. He did not long enjoy this office conferred upon him by the pope; for, worn out by his studies and labours, he became so afflicted with the gout, that for some years he had no part of his body free, except his tongue; having almost lost the use of both his legs and both his arms. He laboured besides under so great a degree of poverty, as put him out of all hopes of being ever in a better situation; so that he left Rome, and returned into Calabria, his native country, where he was tormented a long while with a fever, and at last died in the greatest misery. He left his library to his friend Seripandus, brother to Cardinal Jerome Seripandus, who built him a tomb in the convent of the Austin friars at Naples. There are several books ascribed to him; and in the dedication of one of them, his character is drawn to great advantage by Henry Stephens.