On the Names of Plants

ny who seem to fight with the zeal of humanity. Accordingly, I have no doubt that I can by no means escape that which has happened to many most learned men, and to Tragus himself (against whom we have heard not long ago that certain persons have already drawn their pens). For there will be those who, because they could not bear Tragus discoursing on plants in his native tongue for his own Germans, will be much less willing to tolerate his work poured over into the Latin language. Whence they will attempt to seize any opportunity for slandering him, whether from the translator or from elsewhere. As for what pertains to my translation (about which I shall say more in the Preface to the Reader), I do not doubt that to some I may seem either not to have expressed the author's mind sufficiently in certain places, or not to have rendered it elegantly enough, as was fitting. And I do not deny that I have by no means brought to this work that elegance and clarity which I myself desired or others expected; and there will perhaps be some errors in this great work as well. But let these men remember that it is the mark of a noble man to correct what must be corrected, and not therefore to condemn the whole work on account of one or two errors, nor to tear it apart with dire execrations, and—as is the nature of the envious—to mark even well-said things with a sinister interpretation. From these things which we have said thus far, most illustrious Prince (lest my speech wander too far), Your Highness will easily understand in what state our affairs stand: what dangers threaten us from our enemies, and what is to be expected from both kinds of Zoiluses. For, as I said before, undoubtedly my own Momuses will not be lacking to me, especially since I have converted into the Latin language an author hated by many. Since these things are so, what, I ask, remains for us, except that we seek a defender and champion who may protect our cause against the malevolent? Nor truly [do I wish for] anything else...