Evelyn Abbott


Evelyn Abbott was an English classical scholar, born at Epperstone, Nottinghamshire. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, where he excelled both academically and in sports, winning the Gaisford Prize for Greek Verse in 1864, but after a fall in 1866 his legs became paralysed. He managed to graduate in spite of his handicap, and was elected fellow of Balliol in 1874. His best-known work is his History of Greece in three volumes, where he presents a sceptical view of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Among his other works are Elements of Greek Accidence, and translations of several German books on ancient history, language and philosophy. He was the founding editor of the Heroes of the Nations book series. Abbott died at Knotsford Lodge, Great Malvern, in 1901, and was buried at Redlands Cemetery, near Cardiff.

Selected publications