Illustrations and Descriptions of Plants

AGAINST ZOILUS.

Zoilus was a Greek grammarian known as "Homeromastix" (scourge of Homer) for his harsh criticism; his name became a standard term for a spiteful or pedantic critic.

Whoever you are, Zoilus, who comes to pluck at this work with a hostile pen,
A work of the skillful Mind as weighty as it is brief.
Your guts will burst, cracked by foul envy,
And a dismal fate awaits your censorship.
This Work does not only evade your jealousy and sharp pen,
But indeed, it is greater than any praise.
This Work throws open a vast, hidden treasure,
Which conceals immense riches within a small volume.
It does not flaunt vain wealth, nor useless weight,
And absolutely everything it contains is useful to us.
In this same way, spices are preserved in small jars,
Which you could never match in value with any price.
original: "aromata" - refers here to fragrant spices or medicinal substances, emphasizing that the book's small size belies its high medicinal and intellectual value.