Discontentedwiththeworldandwithhimself，Leodepreciatedhispresentenjoyments，whileabsentpersonsandobjectsweredeartohisimagination。InItalyhewasaThessalian，inGreeceanativeofCalabria:inthecompanyoftheLatinshedisdainedtheirlanguage，religion，andmanners:nosoonerwashelandedatConstantinople，thanheagainsighedforthewealthofVeniceandtheeleganceofFlorence。HisItalianfriendsweredeaftohisimportunity:hedependedontheircuriosityandindulgence，andembarkedonasecondvoyage；butonhisentranceintotheAdriatic，theshipwasassailedbyatempest，andtheunfortunateteacher，wholikeUlysseshadfastenedhimselftothemast，wasstruckdeadbyaflashoflightning。ThehumanePetrarchdroppedatearonhisdisaster；buthewasmostanxioustolearnwhethersomecopyofEuripidesorSophoclesmightnotbesavedfromthehandsofthemariners。^95
[Footnote93:ForthelifeandwritingsofBoccace，whowasbornin1313，anddiedin1375，FabriciusBibliot。Latin。MediiAevi，tom。i。p。248，&c。andTiraboschitom。v。p。83，439—451
maybeconsulted。Theeditions，versions，imitationsofhisnovels，areinnumerable。Yethewasashamedtocommunicatethattrifling，andperhapsscandalous，worktoPetrarch，hisrespectablefriend，inwhoselettersandmemoirsheconspicuouslyappears。]
[Footnote*:ThistranslationofHomerwasbyPilatus，notbyBoccacio。SeeHalleza，Hist。ofLit。vol。i。p。132。—M。]
[Footnote94:Boccaceindulgesanhonestvanity:OstentationiscausaGraecacarminaadscripsi……jureutormeo；meumesthocdecus，meagloriascilicetinterEtruscosGraecisuticarminibus。NonneegofuiquiLeontiumPilatum，&c。，deGenealogiaDeorum，l。xv。c。7，aworkwhich，thoughnowforgotten，hasrunthroughthirteenorfourteeneditions。]