VOSS, fos, Johann Heinrich, German poet and translator: b. Sommersdorf, near Waren, Mecklenburg, 20 Feb. 1751; d. Heidelberg, 29 March 1826. He early began to write verses and some of these contnbuted to the 'Gottingen .Musenalmanach' led to a correspondence with lioie, upon whose invitation he went in 1772 to Gottingen. Here he studied the classical and modern languages and was one of the founders of the Gottinger Dichterbund. The editorship of the (Musenalmanach) was handed over to him by Boie in 1775; in 1778 he was made rector of Otterndorf in Hanover, in 1782 at Eutin. In 1781, after the publication of sev eral treatises, he produced his German (Odys sey,' a work which has rendered this grand poem national with the Gertnans (new ed. by Bernays, 1:•:1). This has .been called °the most perfect rendering of Homer into a modern tongue." In 1793 appeared his trans lation of the (Iliad,' and that of the 'Odys sey,' in a new form, in which, however, it did not•please so much as before, the former dis playing greater truth and naturalness. He published in 1795 an idyl in the epic fortn called (Luise,' printed first in 1783, but now produced with improvements. His translation
of the whole of (VergiP (1799) was revised for the edition of 1821. In 1805 he went as professor to Heidelberg, where he remained till his death. Voss rendered good service to the study of classical antiquity and threw fresh light upon many subjects. As a translator he exhibited wonderful command of language and great skill in the handling of metres. Among his translations that of Homer's works is un doubtedly the greatest; we may also mention, in addition to his (Vergil,) his (Hesiod' (1806) ; (Horace' (1806) ; (Theocritus, Bion and Moschus) (1808) ; (Aristophanes' (1821); (Tibullus) (1810) ; (Propertius) (1830) and selections from (Ovid) (1798). He also under took, with his sons, a translation of Shakes peare which was completed in nine volumes in 1829, but this translation cannot stand a com parison with Schlegel's. Consult lives by Paulus (1826) ; by Herbst (187'2-76) ; Prutz, (Der Gottinger Dichterbund) (1841).