author
active 1759-1775 Thomas Bridges
Best known for turning Homer into comic verse, this 18th-century English writer brought parody and stage wit together in a way that delighted later readers. His work mixes classical subjects with a playful, worldly sense of humor.
1 Audiobook
A Burlesque Translation of Homer
by active 1759-1775 Thomas Bridges
About the author
An English dramatist and parodist from Hull, he was the son of a well-regarded physician and later worked as a wine merchant. He also became a partner in the banking firm Sell, Bridges, & Blunt, which failed in 1759.
He is chiefly remembered for his burlesque take on Homer, published in 1762 under the pseudonym Caustic Barebones. That lively parody helped secure his reputation as a writer who could make classical material feel mischievous, accessible, and entertaining.
In addition to parody, he wrote for the stage and produced a novel. Although many details of his life remain uncertain, sources place his literary activity between 1759 and 1775, and his surviving work shows a sharp taste for satire and comic reinvention.