Robert Stuart Fitzgerald was an acclaimed American poet, critic, and translator of classical literature. He is best known for his masterful English translations of ancient Greek and Roman epic poems, including Homer's The Odyssey and The Iliad, and Virgil's The Aeneid. Fitzgerald served as the Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University from 1965 to 1981. His work earned him numerous accolades, including the first Bollingen Award for translation, solidifying his legacy as a pivotal figure in classical studies.