[1] Association Announcements (1)

(2000 CAC Sight Translation Competitions)

[2] Positions Available (4)

(Alberta, Dalhousie, Michigan, Bristol)

[3] Conferences(1)

(McMaster)

[4] Calls for Papers(4)

(Windsor[OSSA], UNB, McMaster, Mount Allison[ACA])

[5] Workshops(1)

(Cleveland State)

[6] Prizes and Fellowships(2)

(AIEGL, Center for Hellenic Studies)

[7] Varia(3)

(Atrium-Scrinia, On-line survey of Audio-visual resources, Elgin Marbles)

[1] Association Announcements <Back>

From: Patricia Calkin, Dalhousie University <pcalkin@is.dal.ca>

The 2000 Sight Translation Competitions were held on January 20 (Latin papers) and January 27 (Greek papers), 2000. The usual arrangements and the timing of mailings worked very well this year and there was even a significant drop in the number of last minute entries. I am grateful for this and thank my colleagues for their attention to the deadlines. On the financial side, the Sights still cost more to run (about $400.00 this year) than we receive in donations ($250.00 this year) but the large number of generous donations received during the 1997-98 competition are still providing a balanced account. The following numbers will witness to the continuing interest in the Sights across the country.

Submissions and entries to both the Junior and Senior competitions show the usual variations with the exception of the Junior Latin. The institution of the High School Latin paper has taken some of the former entrants to the Junior Latin competition but the result is that the total number of institutions and students writing Latin papers at the "junior" level has increased. The actual numbers for the 2000 competition are:

Junior Latin: 156 entries from 19 universities, 0 schools = 45 submissions

Junior Greek: 110 entries from 17 universities, 1 school = 31 submissions

Senior Latin: 88 entries from 20 universities = 33 submissions

Senior Greek: 70 entries from 17 universities = 20 submissions

High School Latin: 171 entries from 10 schools = 71 submissions

Let me add my own perspective on the comments raised by this year's competitions. I repeat here the substance of what I wrote to several colleagues during the debate in February. I do not take it to be the job of the Competitions Co-ordinator, nor would I be comfortable if it were, to adjudicate the passages which are submitted by my colleagues who offer their time and energy to serve their profession and the Classics students of our country. I do, however, take the job to be first, to approach colleagues early in the summer and invite them to take part in the competition, and then, later in the fall, to make sure that the information on the Sights goes out at the right time, to receive the entries and keep a careful and accurate record of the numbers assigned to the students, to receive back the scripts and forward them expeditiously to the markers, to send out the letters to the winners and their departments and to write a final report for the AGM. In addition, there is the work of managing the nearly 200 addresses on the mailing list, of keeping the financial records of the Sights, of tracking the donations which come in and sending out appropriate acknowledgments. Even if I were inclined to match my wits with those who select the passages it would be another whole job for which there is simply not enough time. Nonetheless, there remains the problem, and to my dismay it appears to be growing, of the appropriateness of the passages chosen. It has been suggested that a collaboration of two colleagues, from different institutions, would ensure that the proper level was chosen. This may be so, or at least it may work better than the guidelines which I supply to those who accept my invitation to "set and mark" one of the papers. At any rate, it appears that some changes need to be made in the way the papers are set.

The Junior Latin paper, Seneca, Dial. 2.15.1-2, was set and marked by Dr. Bruce Robertson of Mount Allison University. He writes:

"Forty-five translations were submitted in response to this paragraph from Seneca's De Constantia Sapientis. As a whole, these confirm that we are succeeding at the tricky task of quickly preparing university students for reading original texts of Latin. Roughly two- thirds of the papers demonstrated an understanding of the general sense of the passage, including its sometimes counter-intuitive Stoic paradoxes. Only a quarter of the examinees were unable to finish the paper, suggesting that its length of 111 Latin words was about right.

"The defeated generally lost for a lack of vocabulary. I supplied words that were not to be found in course vocabulary of the Oxford or Ecce Romani series, but could have helped many students by adding desino, ne . . . quidem and sortior. Strangely only the very best imagined that capitis could mean something other than 'of a head'."

"In general students rarely displayed a firm command of the passage as a whole, which was Helen's account of the spy-mission of Odysseus in book 4 of the Odyssey. Perhaps some were distracted by the peculiarities of Homeric Greek, but too often the obvious forms and syntax were simply ignored. The superior translations left gaps where the student was stumped. Many others resorted to the type of wild guessing that tends to infect the accuracy of the whole translation. The mention of Argives at one point in the passage led to some creative visions of Argonauts; a simple line about returning to the ships and tents led to fantastic accounts of tents being loaded onto ships or being blown out to sea by a god. Students would be well advised to relax, to focus more carefully on the basic structure of each sentence, and to not move outside the boundaries of what is possible in terms of syntax and grammar."

"The passage was chosen with a view to be doable, and almost all the entries conveyed its gist quite well. The first two papers distinguished themselves in different ways: (the first) for its very clever expression in English, (the second) for its precise conveying of the Latin. Many students made good use of English cognates, but disappointingly many translated nervosas "nerves". More attention to case would have prevented needless errors, e.g. ipsi perderemus. The top papers all made gratifying attempts to convey the flavour of Quintilian's polemic. Of the 33 entries there was, unfortunately, none in French. "

"On the whole, I found that most of the students performed quite well on this passage, at least in terms of taking a stab at all parts of it. There were very few entries that left major gaps of any kind. Most finished the passage, so time was evidently not an issue. My feeling is that the passage was probably not sufficiently challenging (though this remark should not be interpreted as devaluing the achievement of the winners in any way whatsoever). After the experience of recent years, with the Senior Greek passage being too difficult, I deliberately erred on the side of ease. . . .There were few general identifiable problems. The most common error in translation was confusion of pronouns . . . ; second most common was confusion of the person of the verb. A perennial problem with translation, and one that afflicted most of these scripts (except for the ones at the very top, which were quite literate), is the issue of sense in the English or French. In many cases, I could see that the student was translating individual phrases correctly, but failing to put the whole together in any way that produced overall coherence. This is always a problem, of course, especially under test or competition circumstances; but it is perhaps something we could be trying to address in the classroom."

"The passage of choice was taken from "Latin Stories" by Groton and May, supplementary readings for Wheelock's Latin. It was an adaption from Livy, "Lucretia: Paragon of Virtue", a story perhaps familiar to most students. It was problematic to decide on what level of difficulty; I thought of High School=1st Year Latin, and then decided that a passage which demanded a knowledge of the subjunctive might present a suitable challenge. Vocabulary was mostly supplied.

"Of the 71 applications, all made a reasonable effort, which proved that the passage generally was not too difficult; the use of the subjunctive did prove a cutting edge; but so too did the use of the possessive adjective (his own/sa propre) and reflexive pronoun (Lucretia killed herself). Generally, there was a noticeable distinction between those which paid close attention to text and notes, and those which were negligent.
"Clearly, we need direct input from High School teachers about what the level of difficulty should be. Perhaps a CAC member who is also a High School teacher could provide examples of sight passages as a guideline. Times change, and what students might have done ten years ago might not be what they are doing today (for better or worse)."

Respectfully submitted,
Patricia J. Calkin, Dalhousie University 

[2] Positions Available <Back>

From: Linda Bridges, University of Alberta <lbridges@ualberta.ca>

The Department of History and Classics, University of Alberta, invites applications for a half-time tenure-track appointment at the junior Assistant Professor level in Classics. Candidates should be prepared to teach senior undergraduate and graduate level courses and will also be expected to teach an introductory course in either World History or Classical Mythology. Applications are invited from candidates in all areas of Classics. We are, however, particularly interested in candidates with research interests in some aspect of Classical material culture (archaeology, epigraphy, numismatics, papyrology) who could add further support to our strong archaeology program. Demonstrated excellence in teaching and research is essential. A PhD or equivalent is required prior to issuance of a contract.

The Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta has been engaged in an extensive process of renewal, and the current appointment in Classics is one of five new appointments in the last four years. It is the Department's aim to maintain a strong and balanced program in Classics while at the same time encouraging innovative developments in the field. The Classics program is currently supported by faculty with specialist interests in a broad range of Classical study, including Greek and Latin literature, Greek and Roman history and Classical archaeology. The Department has identified Classical archaeology as an emerging area of strength and has active programs of excavation in Italy and Tunisia. We have also recently established the 'University of Alberta School in Cortona.' The University of Alberta, in addition, offers excellent library resources in many areas of Classics. Other resources include an extensive Departmental slide library and the W.G. Hardy Museum of Classical Antiquities. Further information on the Department is available at the Department's web-site: http://www.ualberta.ca/~histclas/

The appointment will commence on 1 July 2001, conditional on funds being made available. The current salary floor for a half-time Assistant Professor is $21,027 (this salary is currently under negotiation). A letter of application, a curriculum vitae, university transcripts, and representative samples of publications or other written work are required. In addition, three referees should be asked to send confidential letters of appraisal to Ms. Louise Jenkins, Secretary to the Hiring Committee, Department of History and Classics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2H4, Canada. Closing date: October 23, 2000.

In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, this advertisement is directed to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. If suitable Canadian citizens and permanent residents cannot be found, other individuals will be considered. The University of Alberta is committed to the principle of equity in employment. As an employer we welcome diversity in the workplace and encourage applications from all qualified women and men, including Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.

From: Lynn Lantz, Dalhousie University <llantz@IS.Dal.Ca>

The Department of Classical Studies at the University of Michigan has authorization to make a tenure track appointment in Latin Literature, or, possibly, to appoint an exceptionally qualified senior candidate. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate and graduate courses in Greek and Latin, and some courses in classical civilization. Candidates with teaching experience and substantial publications will be preferred. We seek candidates with broad interests who are familiar with a variety of contemporary theoretical approaches to Latin literature and Roman culture. Our most pressing needs lie in Latin poetry, and we welcome candidates specializing in any genre or period. The Ph.D. must be completed by August 2000. Candidates are asked to send dossiers and publications (or at least one chapter of a dissertation) by September 30, 2000 to Professor Sharon Herbert, Chair, Department of Classical Studies, University of Michigan, 2160 Angell Hall, Ann Arbor MI 48109-1003. The University of Michigan is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

From: Neville Morley, University of Bristol <n.d.g.morley@bristol.ac.uk>

Informal enquiries may be made to Professor RL Fowler <robert.fowler@bristol.ac.uk>. Further particulars and information about the Department's courses are available at http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Classics/.

For further details telephone (0117) 954 6947, minicom (0117) 928 8894 or <Recruitment@bris.ac.uk> (stating postal address ONLY) quoting reference 6476 for the permanent lectureship and 6477 for the temporary one. Please indicate clearly on the application form which post(s) you are applying for. An Equal Opportunities Employer.

The closing date for applications is 23rd June.

For US and other jobs see the listings of the American Philological Association:

and the Atrium:

[3] Conferences <Back>

From: B.T. Day, McMaster University <daybt@mcmail.cis.McMaster.CA>

Featured Speakers:

John D'Arms (University of Michigan; ACLS President): "Spectacle and Spectators at Roman Banquets"

Jonathan Edmondson (York University; Editor, Phoenix): "The World of the Arena in Apuleius' Golden Ass"

Programme

Janette Auer (McMaster University): "The Function of Horace's Carmen Saeculare in the Celebration of the Ludi Saeculares of 17BC"

Jeffrey Becker (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill): "Spectacula Triumphi: The Foundation of a Dynasty"

Melody Collins (McMaster University): "Conquering by Denial in Ovid's Amores 1.4"

Eric Fournier (Universite de Montreal): "The Adventus of Julian in Sirmium"

Erguen Lafli (Universitat Koeln): "Celebration on Pisidian Coins"

Amber Lunsford (Ohio State University): "The Representation of the "Other" in Roman Triumph"

Crista McInnis (Concordia University): "Sour Grapes: The Polemic of Mark Anthony's Drunkenness"

Max Nelson (University of British Columbia): "Beauty Contests and the Roman Feminine Physical Ideal"

Dr. Luigi Pedroni (Universita di Napoli): "Personal Celebration on Roman Republican Coinage: the Case of C. Publicius Malleolus"

Please visit our website at:
http://www.humanities.mcmas ter.ca/~classics/grad_conference/

Pre-Registration Form
Please submit this form with your check to arrive no later than September 27, 2000 to: The Conference Committee, Department of Classics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONT, L8S 4M2. The registration fee is $12.00 for students and $20.00 for other persons.

Name ______________________________
Address ______________________________
______________________________
______________________________

Please make your cheque payable to McMaster University and enclose the following information:

I enclose payment for _____students @ $12.00 =$______________;
_____persons @ $20.00 = $________________.Total: $_________.

Please list on the reverse of this form the names of persons other than yourself for whom you are pre-registering. Receipts for registration can be picked up on the day of the conference.

[4] Calls for Papers <Back>

From: Tania S. Smith, University of Windsor <smith.3460@osu.edu>

Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation announcing a conference on
Argumentation and its Applications
May 17-19, 2001, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Keynote Speakers
Richard Gaskins, Director of Legal Studies and Professor of American Studies, Brandeis University
Barbara O'Keefe, Dean designate, School of Speech, Northwestern University
John Woods, Director of Abductive Systems Group and Professor of Philosophy, University of Lethbridge

Call for Papers
Proposals are invited for papers in argumentation, rhetoric, informal logic, the philosophy and psychology of reasoning, including practical or historical studies. Graduate students working in any of these fields are also encouraged to submit proposals. Canadian graduate students who would need assistance to attend should include this information with their proposal. E-mail abstracts with title (@500 words) by September 10, 2000 to either of the following:
Christopher W. Tindale, Department of Philosophy, Trent University <ctindale@trentu.ca>, or
J. Anthony Blair, Department of Philosophy, University of Windsor <tblair@uwindsor.ca>

The Ontario Society for the Study of Argumentation is an off-shoot of the International Society for the Study of Argumentation. Its journal is Informal Logic, published 3x annually, out of the Philosophy Dept of the University of Windsor, Canada. You can contact the journal via <infolog@windsor.ca>

From: John Geyssen, University of New Brunswick <jgeyssen@unb.ca>

The theme is "Warfare in the Ancient World"

Keynote Address: Dr. Everett Wheeler, Managing Editor, Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies, Duke University: "Thucydides and Clausewitz"

We invite papers on all aspects of the theme of warfare and the military in the ancient world including (but not restricted to) the army and the navy in the Greek and Roman world, strategy and military theory, warfare in literature and art, and the relationship between ancient and later warfare. Papers should be 20-30 minutes in length. Abstracts should reach the committee by 15 October 2000, and should be sent to Dr. William Kerr <wkerr@unb.ca> or to Dr. J. Geyssen <jgeyssen@unb.ca>, or at the following address: Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of New Brunswick, Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, Canada E3B 5A3.

From: Michele George, McMaster University <georgem@mcmaster.ca>

This is a call for papers for the next Roman Family conference, to be held as the fourth E. Togo Salmon conference at McMaster University, September 28-29, 2001. The scholarship on the family which has emerged in the past twenty-five years has made it a central concern of Roman social and cultural history, and has changed significantly our understanding of the ancient world. Among the most seminal contributions have been the three volumes that emerged from conferences on the Roman Family organised by Beryl Rawson at the Australian National University. This fourth Roman Family conference seeks to continue the standard of quality and integrity established by those gatherings. 

We are seeking papers which address the following issues, preferably not with a narrow methodological focus, but utilising a synthetic approach, and adopting where appropriate epigraphic, literary, cross-cultural, and archaeological evidence: i) Most of the work which has appeared thus far has focused on Italy, and more particularly on Rome, leaving the provinces largely neglected. This conference, subtitled 'Italy and Beyond', seeks to present a set of regional studies on the Roman provinces, in which local evidence for family organisation and activity is examined, as far as is possible from the extant material. Greg Woolf (St. Andrews) and Jonathan Edmondson (York) will consider Gaul and Spain respectively, and other speakers are sought for other regions within the empire. 

ii) Further exploration will be made of the interior lives within the Roman familial context, the nature of parent/child relations, and the tenor of other affective relationships which are shaped by family structure and circumstance. Keith Bradley (Victoria) will speak on aspects of Roman childhood. Papers in this section should not be confined to the provinces, but adopt a thematic approach.

Abstracts of 300 words (maximum), with a single page CV, should be sent to:

The deadline for receipt of abstracts is July 14, 2000

From: Ivan Cohen, Mount Allison University,<icohen@mta.ca>

The annual Meeting of the Atlantic Classical Association is being planned for late October/early November 2000 (precise date yet to be finalized) at Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick. 

Papers and proposals for panel discussion are invited on any aspect of Classical Antiquity, the Classical Tradition, or the teaching of Classical subjects at the secondary or post-secondary level. Please send the title and a brief abstract of your proposal to the address below, to arrive by August 18, 2000.

Ivan M. Cohen
Department of Classics
Mount Allison University
63D York Street
Sackville, NB E4L 1G9

[5] Workshops <Back>

From: Robert T. White, Cleveland State University <dtd916@mindspring.com>

On the morning of July 24 CORE-FL will host an AP Latin workshop at Cleveland State University. The moderator will be Dr. John Sarkissian from YSU. The cost is $35; breakfast and lunch are included, along with the traditional AP materials. If you would like to attend (or have any questions) please contact me at (216) 295-4200, or at Robert T. White <dtd916@mindspring.com>.
(PS) Enroll and receive my material on Vampire Scansion! 

[6] Prizes and Fellowships <Back>

From: Dan Geagan, McMaster University <geagand@mcmail.cis.McMaster.CA>

From: CHS/Hope Robbins <chs@harvard.edu>

The Center for Hellenic Studies (Trustees for Harvard University) invites applications for twelve resident Junior Fellowships to be awarded for 2001-02. A limited number of one-semester Fellowships may be awarded to applicants who are unable to apply for the full academic year. With its 50,000-volume specialized library and serene wooded campus in Washington, D.C., the Center offers an opportunity for full-time research on a major project in a collegial, international environment. Prerequisites for a Fellowship are the Ph.D. (or its equivalent) at the time of application and scholarly publications in ancient Greek studies. The Center is designated for scholars in the earlier stages of their careers (generally up to about ten years beyond the doctorate). The maximum stipend is $24,000; fully-furnished housing on the Center's grounds is provided without charge to Fellows and their families. Additional support is available for travel to Washington as well as for professional travel and research expenses. Applications must include a detailed project description, samples of previous publications, and up to three letters of recommendation. Applications must be postmarked by October 15, 2000. Further information and forms are available on our website: http://www.chs.harvard.edu, or by mail: Office of the Director, Center for Hellenic Studies, 3100 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008,USA. <chs@harvard.edu> Telephone: (202) 234-3738. Fax: (202) 797- 3745. 

[7] Varia <Back>

From: David Meadows <dmeadows@idirect.com>

As you might be aware, I have recently set up an announcement-only style email listserv called Atrium-Scrinia. The raison d'être of this list is to divulge the contents of just- published journals, festschriften, and monographs in the fields of Ancient History, Classics and Classical archaeology. Its primary audience is (obviously) scholars and grad students in the above fields and it is hoped the service will help our ever-specializing (or perhaps ever-generalizing is closer) profession to stay current even as library budgets shrink.

That said, I am soliciting contributions from editors of classics-oriented journals to submit tables of contents (and ideally, an associated website address or similar contact address) to me and I will forward them to those who have subscribed to the list (229 subscribers as of this writing). If your journal is the sort which prints brief abstracts of articles, such things would also be welcome. This is a free service and obviously also provides journals with a bit of free publicity to an obviously- interested audience. I'm sincerely hoping that some of the less-widely-known journals will especially take advantage of this.

Ideally, the TOC submission would take the following form (this is an edited version of something which has already appeared on the list):

========================================================

Argos (Revista de la Asociación Argentina de Estudios Clásicos) 22 (1998)
ARTÍCULOS

MARCOS ALBINO, Vedisch sóbhari-, 5-9.
M. ESTELA ASSIS DE ROJO, La matrona romana: su significación en el programa cultural de Augusto a través de la Elegía iv.11 de Propercio, 11-25.
LUIS Á. CASTELLO, La oraciPABLO A. CAVALLERO, Querer-Poder-Deber en el Dyskolos de Menandro. La trascendencia pol¡tica de la ética familiar, 33-49.
MARÍA JOSÉ COSCOLLA, Themis versus Dike en Aristófanes, 51- 68.
CLAUDIA N. FERNÁNDEZ, Significados del espacio en la escritura escénica de Plutos de Aristófanes, 69-92.
DIANA LEA FRENKEL, La dimensión visual en la escenograf¡a de Sófocles, 93-101.
LIDIA GAMBÓN, Aspectos relevantes de la Héuresis en el agón de Medea de Eurípides, 103-116.
ADRIANA MANFREDINI, Algunas cuestiones de utilería en Eurípides, 117-129.
PATRICIA SALZMAN, Actividad y pasividad en el paraclausithyron latino, 131-147.
ALICIA SCHNIEBS, Foedus amoris y organización espacial en Tibulo, 149-161.
EMILIO ZAINA, Aspectos del tratamiento del cuerpo humano en la Eneida, 163-170.

RESENAS

FOXHALL, L./LEWIS, A. (eds.) Greek law in its political setting: justifications not justice (María del Carmen Cabrero de Suardiaz), 171-174.
REHM, R. Marriage to death. The conflation of wedding and funeral rituals in Greek tragedy (Lidia Gambón), 174-177.
FOX, M. Roman historical myths. The regal period in Augustan Literature (Ana Cecilia Miravalles), 177-179.
PÉREZ MARTÍN, I. El Patriarca Gregorio de Chipre (ca.1240-1290) y la transmisión de los textos clásicos en Bizancio (Pablo A. Cavallero), 179-181.
LISI y BERETERBIDE, F./URE¥A BRACERO, J./IGLESIAS ZOIDO, J.C. (eds.), Didáctica del griego y de la cultura cl&aacutesica (Marisa G. Divenosa), 182-184.
GOOLD, G. P. (ed.) M. Manilii Astronomica (Martín Pozzi), 184-187.
FEENEY, D. Literature and Religion at Rome: cultures, contexts and beliefs (Gustavo Alfredo Daujotas), 187-190.
HABINEK, Th. The Politics of Latin Literature, Writing, Identity, and Empire in Ancient Rome (Mar&iacutea Eugenia Steinberg), 190-196.

Argos website: http://www.retina.ar/aadec/argos.html
Submitted by
Prof. María Eugenia Steinberg
Prosecretaria de Redacción de la revista ARGOS
(AADEC) ============================================================

Should you have a recent Table of Contents to submit, please send it to: <editor@atrium-media.com> or <meadows@idirect.com>

I can accept it as a simple text message or as an attachment in any of the usual wordprocessor formats. If you'd like to subscribe to atrium-scrinia yourself, please send a blank email message to:<atrium-scrinia-subscribe@egroups.com> 

From: David Meadows <dmeadows@idirect.com>

The Greek president was in Canada recently and Canadian Classical archaeologists might be surprised/dismayed/heartened to know that our government apparently is backing Greece's claim to have the Elgin Marbles returned to them (the story is buried in a long account of the president's visit ... it's the first article on the following page): http://www.hri.org/news/greek/ana/2000/00-05-30.ana.html