Edward Spelman facts for kids
Edward Spelman (born 18 June 1693 – died 12 March 1767) was an English writer and translator. He was known for translating important ancient Greek and Roman books into English.
About Edward Spelman
Edward Spelman was born Edward Yallop. His family lived in Norfolk, England. He later changed his last name to Spelman. Edward loved classical literature, which means he enjoyed studying ancient Greek and Roman writings.
He lived at a place called High House, near Rougham, Norfolk. Edward Spelman never married. He passed away on 12 March 1767.
His Famous Translations
Edward Spelman was very good at translating old texts. In 1742, he translated a famous book called Anabasis by the Greek writer Xenophon. This book tells the story of a journey by a group of Greek soldiers into Persia.
Spelman's translation was titled ‘The Expedition of Cyrus into Persia’. It was so good that a famous historian, Edward Gibbon, called it "one of the most accurate and elegant" translations ever made. This translation was very popular and was printed many times, even up to 1849.
He also translated other important ancient works:
- ‘A Fragment out of the Sixth Book of Polybius’ in 1743. Polybius was another ancient Greek historian.
- ‘The Roman Antiquities of Dionysius Halicarnassus’ in 1758. This book was about the history of ancient Rome.
Other Writings
Besides translating, Edward Spelman also wrote his own books. One of his notable works was:
- ‘The History of the Civil War between York and Lancaster’. This book was about the famous Wars of the Roses in England. It was published in 1792 after his death, with help from George William Lemon.
Spelman also wrote an essay about Greek accents, which are special marks used in the Greek language.
