Warren Hastings as a Translator of Latin Poetry

Abstract

Warren Hastings composed occasional short verse translations and imitations of classical Latin texts over many years, perhaps particularly in later life. Almost all extant examples are recorded in autograph in the multiple volumes of his diaries now in the British Library (in some cases, elsewhere too). They have never been printed nor given scholarly attention, but are of very high quality. This note contextualizes and provides transcriptions of six of these works, viz. translations and imitations of Lucan (two passages), Horace (three odes), and Catullus.