German Moravian religious and social reformer, missionary to the Americas, and prolific theological writer, Zinzendorf authored hymns, poetry, philosophical treatises, and sermons.

Zeus is the king of gods in the ancient Greek pantheon. He is often considered equivalent to the Roman deity Jupiter.

Scientific author and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bologna, Zanotti also wrote on literature. [MW}

A versatile poet, Young is best remembered for his Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality (1742-1746), which attained phenomenal popularity and went through hundreds of printings over the century following its publication. His satires were published as The Universal Passion (1725-1728) and revised as a single volume, Love of Fame, the Universal Passion (1728). He also authored the tragedies Busiris (1719), The Revenge (1721), and The Brothers (1752) as well as the poem Resignation (1762).

Popular English actress who succeeded Susannah Cibber as the country's leading tragedienne.

Persian king from 486 to 465 BCE. In revenge for the humiliation of his father, Darius I, at Marathon, Xerxes attacked Greece and briefly occupied Athens, which he sacked and pillaged. and

Greek historian. A devotee of Socrates, he authored several laudatory works about him.

Playwright who wrote four popular plays in his lifetime: the Love in a Wood (1671), the Gentleman Dancing-Master (1672), the Country Wife (1675), and the Plain Dealer (1676).

Poet and member of Henry VIII's court circle, Sir Thomas is credited with introducing the Italian sonnet and terza rima into English literature, along with the French rondeau.

Niece of Sir Philip Sidney and Mary Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, Wroth authored, among other works, The Countesse of Montgomeries Urania (1621) and a sonnet sequence, Pamphilia to Amphilanthus, which was printed at the end of Urania.