Born in London, he was severely wounded on the Somme in World War I and his frank autobiography Godbye to All That (1929) is one of the outstanding war books. His first book of verse was Over the Brazier (1916) and other volumes followed, including Collected Poems (1959). Of particular note are his historical novels of Imperial Rome, I Claudius and Claudius the God (1934). He also wrote books on myth, for example The White goddess (1948). He was professor of poetry at Oxford 1961-66. He lived on Majorca from 1946 until his death.

It seems that he had gay experiences at least in his youth...