‘The scourges of Homer’. Some remarks on the term Homeromastiges

This paper presents an analysis of the occurrences of the nickname Ὁμηρομάστιξ (“Scourge of Homer”) in Greek and Latin literature. In the singular form, the term occurs exclusively in reference to Zoilus of Amphipolis, Homeric critic of the 4th century BC and author of Against Homer’s Poetry (Κατὰ τῆς Ὁμήρου ποιήσεως). An apparent exception is the use of the nickname referring to Zenodotus of Ephesus, which seems to be due to a scholiast’s misunderstanding of Luc. pro Im. 24. The term occurs in the plural form three times. Among these three occurrences, one (Eust. Od. 1.301.29–31 Stallbaum) can be perhaps compared to a fragment of Zoilus’ Homeric exegesis (schol. Hdn. vel ex. Il. 1.129a A), and as a result, it is possible to suggest that when Eustathius mentioned the anonymous Ὁμηρομάστιγες he had Zoilus in mind as well.