The Life of Mr Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury

What it is

This is a 1680 English translation of a Latin autobiographical poem written by Thomas Hobbes himself, describing his birth in Malmesbury in 1588 and his early life, including the year of the Spanish Armada.

Why it matters

Autobiographies in verse were unusual, and this text gives rare first-person details about Hobbes's origins, upbringing, and the town where he was born. It shows how Hobbes wanted his own life story told, in his own words, even though the surviving version here is a translation rather than his original Latin.

Look closer

• Why might Hobbes have chosen to write his life story as a poem in Latin rather than in plain English prose?
• What details does Hobbes choose to include about his birth and hometown, and what might that tell us about what he thought was important?
• How might something change in meaning when it is translated from the author's original language?