William Sotheby (1757 - 1833) was an English poet and translator.
He belonged to a wealthy family, and was educated at Harrow School, then joined the army. He
published a few dramas and books of poems, which had limited success; his reputation rests upon his translations of the Oberon of Wieland, the Georgics of Virgil, and
the Iliad and Odyssey by Homer. The last two were begun when he was over
70, but he lived to complete them. His Georgics is considered one of
the best translations from the classics in the English language.
