The Life of Zoilus.
in Court, a Name a long Time most hateful to Smyrna; which, as it valu'd itself upon the Birth of Homer, so bore more impatiently than other Places, the Abuses offer'd him. This made them eager to propitiate his Shade, and claim to themselves a second Merit by the Death of Zoilus; wherefore they sentenc'd him to suffer by Fire, as the due Reward of his Desecrations; and order'd, that their City shou'd be purify'd by a Lustration, for having entertain'd so impious a Guest. In Pursuance to this Sentence, he was led away, with his Compositions born before him by the publick Executioner: Then was he fasten'd to the Stake, prophesying all the while how many shou'd arise to revenge his Quarrel: particularly, that when Greek shou'd be no more a Language, there shall be a Nation which will both translate Homer into Prose, and contract him in Verse. At last, his Compositions were lighted to set the Pile on Fire, and he expir'd sighing for the Loss of them, more than for the Pain he suffer'd: And perhaps too, because he might foresee in his prophetick Rapture, that there shou'd arise a Poet in another Nation, able to do Homer Justice, and make him known amongst his People to future Ages.
Thus dy'd this noted Critick, of whom we may observe from the Course of the History, that as several Cities contended for theHonour
