The article presents a comparative analysis of the solutions proposed by ancient thinkers for one of the central issues of aesthetics and the philosophy of art relating to the norm of taste. In the grounds of the norm of taste problem lies the dilemma: is a certain something beautiful because we like it, or do we like it, on the contrary, because it is perfectly? In other words, «do artist create the Beauty or appear it within things?». This dilemma had different solutions in ancient philosophy.