Antoine Houdar de la Motte

Background

Antoine Houdar de la Motte was born in Paris on the 18th of January 1672.

Career

In 1693 antoine's comedy Les Originaux proved a complete failure, which so depressed the author that he contemplated joining the Trappists, but four years later he again began writing operas and ballets, e. g. L'Europe galante (1697), and tragedies, one ofwhich, Inis de Castro (1723), was produced with immense success at the Theatre Frangais.

Madame Dacier had published (1699) a translation of the Iliad, and La Motte, who knew no Greek, made a translation (1714) in verse founded on her work.

The nature of his work may be judged from his own expression: " I have taken the liberty to change what I thought disagreeable in it. "

He defended the moderns in the Discours sur Homire prefixed to his translation, and in his Reflexions sur la critique (1716).

Apart from the merits of the controversy, it was conducted on La Motte's side with a wit and politeness which compared very favourably with his opponent's methods.

He was elected to the Academy in 1710, and soon after became blind.

He had the same freedom from prejudice, the same inquiring mind as the latter, and it is on the excellent prose in which his views are expressed that his reputation rests.

Works

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• book

  • Fables Nouvelles
  • Sémélé

Connections

Friend:

Fontenelle