The insight and wisdom Alexander Pope (1688–1744) was able to capture in epigrams from his verses makes him one of the most frequently quoted authors in the English language. As a young boy, Pope was educated primarily at home by Catholic priests. An extremely bright child, he learned Greek, Latin, French, and Italian. At the age of twelve, he produced some of his first poetry, imitating the style of the poets he was already reading. By young adulthood, Pope had begun his extensive output of literary work. This output included numerous volumes of verse and ambitious projects—complete translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. In his mature years, Pope lived and wrote on his country estate on the Thames outside of London and befriended many noteworthy writers, including Jonathan Swift. By the end of his life, he was immersed in a multitude of literary endeavors, though his death left some unfinished.