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Scottish classical scholar and epigraphist (1857–1921) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Roger Paton, usually cited as W. R. Paton (9 February 1857 – 21 April 1921),[1] was a Scottish[2][3][4] author and translator of ancient Greek texts, mostly known for his translation of the Greek Anthology.
William Roger Paton | |
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Born | 9 February 1857 |
Died | 21 April 1921 (aged 64) |
Alma mater | Oxford University |
Known for | Translating the Greek Anthology |
Signature | |
William Roger Paton was born at Old Machar, Aberdeen, Scotland,[5] son of John Paton (1818 – 1879) and Eliza Deborah Burnett (died 1860).[6]
His father, John Paton (Esq., of Ferrachie and Grandholme or Grandhome)[7] was educated at Eton College. He was in the military, initially in the Aberdeenshire militia as major and later colonel and deputy lieutenant of Aberdeenshire, and was also a magistrate. His mother Eliza Deborah Burnett was the daughter of Thomas Burnett of Kepplestone, also from Aberdeenshire. They married on 11 June 1844,[8] and they had five children: four daughters (Mary-Louisa, Ida-Margaret-Helen, Sarah-Matilda and Elisabeth-Bertha) and one son (the fourth child), William Roger, born at 10 Chanonry, Old Aberdeen, on 9 February 1857. His mother died three years later on 24 February 1860 at the age of 37.[9][10] In 1862, his father married Catherine Margaret, daughter of Colonel Lumsden.[citation needed]
He was educated at the same school as his father, Eton College, Windsor, where he studied from 1871 to 1873, boarding at Edward Peake Rouse's house and later on at Oscar Browning's. On 23 October 1876, at the age of 19 he became a student at University College, Oxford, where he took a first in Classical Moderations in 1877. The following year, he changed direction, starting legal studies for the bar at Middle Temple, London. Later on he returned to Oxford and obtained a third in Classics Literae Humaniores in 1880. Even though he was not called to the bar, he continued to be involved with Middle Temple until 1884.[1][11]
Later on, in 1900, the University of Halle awarded Paton an honorary PhD.[12][1]
He was married in 1885 to Irene Olympitis (1869/70 – 1908, Paris, daughter of Emmanuel Olympitis, mayor of Kalymnos), a woman from the island of Kalymnos who had a plot of land in Myndos (Gümüşlük) but he later moved to Chios and Lesbos so that his sons could attend high school there.[2][13][14][15]
He had two sons and two daughters: George Paton (13 August 1886 – ?), unmarried, Thetis Paton (21 November 1887, Woodside – ?),[16][better source needed] who married Costakis Svinos in Smyrna, John David Paton, (1890 – 1922), who married Fenella Crombie from Scotland, and Sevastie or Augusta Paton (1900, Myndos – 1989), who married Baron János Kemény, Hungarian author, theater director and dramatist.[citation needed]
He appears as a resident of Vathy, Samos from 1897 to his death, 1921, from a number of periodicals which show this address and some of his published letters.[17] He was a resident in Samos since his second marriage, to Clio, a woman from Samos, after the death of his first wife.[citation needed]
He died on 21 April 1921 in the town of Vathy, Samos.[citation needed]
He published the following books:[18]
His works are extensively quoted as the main references both for the Greek Anthology as well as for Polybius.
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