Thomas Cooke (author) facts for kids

Thomas Cooke (1703 – 29 December 1756) was an English writer and translator. He was often called "Hesiod" Cooke because he translated the works of the ancient Greek poet Hesiod. Cooke was known for his disagreements with the famous writer Alexander Pope, who even mentioned him in his satirical poem, The Dunciad.

Cooke's father was an innkeeper. Thomas went to Felsted School for his education. In 1722, he moved to London and began writing to support the Whig political party. He became friends with other writers like Thomas Tickell, Ambrose Philips, and Richard Steele. Cooke also wrote an important biography of John Dennis in Latin.

Cooke's Literary Works and Disagreements with Alexander Pope

Thomas Cooke was very skilled at translating old texts from Latin and ancient Greek. His first published work was a poem about the death of John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, in 1722. He then wrote a type of play called a masque, titled Albion, in 1724.

His most well-known work was The Battle of the Poets, published in 1725. This piece was a playful story about a battle between writers. In Cooke's version, "modern" writers and those who supported the Whig party won against Alexander Pope and other writers who supported the Tory party. That same year, Cooke wrote an article in the Daily Journal where he pointed out many mistakes in Pope's translation of a part of the Iliad. In 1726, he wrote The Bath, or, The Knights of the Bath.

In 1728, Cooke showed his excellent knowledge of Greek by publishing the first English translation of the ancient poet Hesiod. This is why he became known as "Hesiod Cooke." In the same year, he wrote an opera called Penelope with John Mottley.

Alexander Pope heard that Cooke was criticizing him and planned to include Cooke in his satirical poem, Dunciad. Cooke wrote two letters to apologize, but he still appeared in the poem. In response, Cooke republished The Battle of the Poets and his Daily Journal article in 1729. He also wrote several letters for the London Journal between 1729 and 1730, which he later published as a book dedicated to Horace Walpole. Pope again made fun of Cooke in his poem Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot in 1735.

Translations and Plays

Even with his disagreements with Pope, Cooke continued to publish many works. He put together an edition of poems by Andrew Marvell. In 1731, he published The Triumphs of Love and Honour, which included a long essay about how useful the English theater was. Later, he wrote a book of Odes and a Life of King Edward III of England in 1734. He also wrote essays for the Weekly Oracle about Phalaris.

In 1734, Cooke translated the plays of Terence, an ancient Roman playwright, into three volumes. In 1737, he published an edition of Cicero's De natura deorum, another important ancient Roman text, with many notes. Also in 1737, he wrote a play called The Eunuch, which was based on Terence's work. Two years later, he wrote The Mournful Nuptials, a play that was not performed until 1743 under the title Love the Cause and Cure of Grief. In 1741, he published a partial translation of Virgil's works with notes.

In 1742, Cooke joined in a dispute with Colley Cibber over who controlled the theaters. He wrote The Bays Miscellany, or, Colley Triumphant. He also wrote dialogue for the silent plays of John Rich and Cibber's Harlequin. In 1744, he adapted his Le Lutrin piece, The Battle of the Poets, into a one-act play to be included in Henry Fielding's Tom Thumb. Finally, in 1754, he published one volume of a planned series of works by Plautus, another ancient Roman playwright. He had many people sign up to buy this book, which helped him earn money for his living expenses.

Later Life and Challenges

Cooke often struggled to make enough money and wrote to pay his bills. He was also very involved in politics. In 1741, he edited The Craftsman, a political newspaper. In 1748, he faced trouble for criticizing the government at the time. In the same year, he also wrote a public letter encouraging people to be more accepting of different religions.

Thomas Cooke passed away on December 29, 1756, without much money. He left behind his wife, Anne, and his daughter, Elizabeth. Sadly, Elizabeth died two years later in a place that helped people who were struggling financially.

See also

• 1725 in literature