2.3. Thomas Hoby, Translator, Traveler

Thomas Hoby 's travels exerted a pro found influence on his work as a translator. His use o f classical authors almost as guides, and his close reading o f Leandro Alberti 's Descrittione di tutta Italia (1550), which became such a basic source o f mate rial in his journal that sections of it are direct translations from the Italian text, as well as his association with other foreign travelers and translators, such as William Barker, make Hoby 's role in integrating the experience o f travel and translation unique. Hoby's autograph journal, The Travaile and Lief of Me. Thomas Hoby, provides a highly detailed a running commentary on his Italian travels, undertaken in two separate visits in 1549-1551 and 1554-1556. An examination of this journal reveals an extremely rare insight into the thoughts and actions of a mid-sixteenth century author while travelling abroad, and as such illuminates the practice and purpose of translation.