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painting was treated was in some degree removed by the circumstance of one
Pedius, a young gentleman of high birth, but born dumb, being brought up
to the profession, by the advice of Messala, the orator.   In 489 u. c.,
Hiero
was defeated in Sicily, and Valerius Messala, who was consul with Crassus,
exposed a painting of the battle for public examination. This did more than
any previous event to draw the attention of the Romans to the art; fbr
they learned that heroic deeds might be perpetuated by the pencil, and that
painting might be employed as a fitting gratification to their national pro-
pensities. Thus we find at later periods, that L. Scipio exhibited a painting
of his victory in Asia; and the same method of seeking popularity was adopted
by Hostilius Mancinus.
   The use of the art in scenic representations at last caught the attention,
and engaged the talents of the proud and enterprising Romans.        This
was
first done in 633 u. c., at the public entertainments given by Claudius,
" in
which all the rare pieces of nature or art that he could collect, were displayed
to public view, and among other curious pieces of workmanship the famous
Cupid of Praxiteles. Certain buildings on this occasion were painted with
so
much -dexterity that the birds are said to have been deceived as much as
they
had been formerly by some paintings of Zeuxis, and to have perched upon
the illusive tiles."
  From this period the art grew among the people, and especially when
foreign productions, which were of a higher order, were introduced.     
 The,
period of its glory was when it had the encouraging approval and high
encomiums of Cicero, Varro, Atticus, and the other mighty men from whom
Rome herself obtained her brightest wreath of glory.       It was long after
Rome had become a great nation that the art met with public approval, not
to say public encouragement; but no sooner was it known as a worthy
pursuit for a great nation than it rose to excellence, so that the painters
were ranked with architects, sculptors, orators, and poets.  Under the reigns